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BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
Bell Meade Bourbon
‘C’ is for con artist
GREENBRIER, Tenn. — Nelson’s
GreenBrier Distillery has the elements
that would arouse the curiosity of a
connoisseur, historian and traditionalist.
Owners Charlie and Andy Nelson
have, Phoenix-like, reconnected to their
ancestral roots to reestablish
a Bourbon recipe which once
reached such lofty status that
it overshadowed Jack Daniels
as the world’s leading and pre
ferred Tennessee whiskey.
Every roaring success along
the way, however, was fol
lowed by tragedy of some sort,
which was a riches-to-rags
saga that would be sensational
fodder for a business oriented
novel. The story has no murder
or steamy romance to spice it
up, but it is a remarkable tale.
It all began with Charlie’s and Andy’s
great, great, great grandfather, Charles
Nelson, who was born July 4, 1835
in a small town in northern Germany.
Charles was 15-years-old when his par
ents sold their soap and candle factory
in Germany in order to emigrate to the
United States.
Charles’ father sewed the family for
tune, which he had converted into gold
coins, in the lining of his clothes. The
ship on the way across the Atlantic,
encountered storms which swept sev
eral passengers overboard including
the patriarch whose coin lined garment
caused him to sink with the greatest of
alacrity.
The other members of the family sur
vived, but arrived in New York with only
the clothes on their backs. This meant
that teenage Charles became the head of
the house. He and his brother, natural
ly, began making soaps and candles so
the family could survive. A couple of
years later, the Nelsons moved to Cin
cinnati to enter the grocery business but
serendipitously learned to make high
end whiskey.
After the Civil War, Charles moved
to Nashville where his business became
the place for anyone interested in buy
ing meat, coffee and whiskey. He was
best at making whiskey which influ
enced him to concentrate on producing
and marketing whiskey.
In 1885, Charles sold over 380,000
gallons of whiskey in the U. S. and
Europe. Jack Daniels sales totaled
23,000 gallons.
Charles was a young man of 56 when
he passed away in 1891 with his wife
Louisa assuming control of the business,
the only woman of the times, to run a
distillery. The business flourished, but
another downturn loomed. Prohibition
which officially began in 1909 in the
state of Tennessee brought about the
demise of the family’s distilling busi
ness.
Six generations later, a funny thing
happened on the way to a butcher shop
for the Nelson descendants in the sum
mer of 2006. Charles, Andy and their
father Bill had purchased a cow
and were taking the beef to
a butcher shop to be cut into
steaks for their freezer, an act
of enterprise that many fami
lies underscore today. The Nel
son boys had heard the stories
about the family distilling his
tory. While in conversation with
the butcher about their heri
tage, he pointed to a warehouse
across the street, noting that
the spring on the property had
never stopped running and that
it was “pure as can be.” This is where
the “original" Nelson made his fortune.
Next move? The Greenbrier Histor
ical Society. The curator had come in
possession of two original bottles of
Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whis
key. From a company handout, there
is this reference: “For a moment time
stood still. It was love at first sight.
Charlie and Andy then looked back at
one another, knowing what the other
was thinking: ‘This IS our destiny.”’
The only better way to appreciate this
story is to sit down in the warehouse
with a bottle of Bell Meade Bourbon,
which Charlie and Andy make today
just like their ancestor did a century ago.
It took them three years of research,
planning and hard work, to resurrect
the brand that had spawned aficionados
for years. That original recipe would
enable the Nelsons to gain traction in
distilling and now is central to market
ing and sales.
With a long history of affiliation in the
wine and spirits business, Mike Cheek, a
University of Georgia graduate, became
Chairman of the board. Other potential
investors are eagerly taking note.
What’s the significance of all this?
That ingenuity, enterprise and an appre
ciation for history, remind us that the
Great American dream survives today.
The original Charles Nelson was an
unflagging advocate of the work ethic.
His word was his bond, and his business
integrity connected with the man in the
street.
The rest of the story — the current
distilling of Bell Meade Bourbon — is
as appealing as the celebrated drink that
Charlie and Andy’s great, great, great
grandfather originally produced.
Loran Smith is a columnist for the
Barrow News-Journal. He is host of the
University of Georgia football radio
pre-game show.
Letter to the Editor
Supports governor’s law
enforcement reform plan
Dear Editor:
I want to commend Gov. Nathan Deal
for his announcement today of a major
new investment in the public safety of
all Georgians. I anticipate strong support
when the legislature reconvenes in early
January.
The Governor’s proposed law enforce
ment reform package calls for 20-percent
pay raises for more than 3,300 state law
enforcement officers on Jan. 1, 2017 -
amounting to more than $78 million in the
FY17 amended budget and the upcoming
FY18 budget.
He also is calling for an overhaul of
training of both state and local officers.
The improvements will include more
mandatory continuing education training
and certification courses; streamlining
and expanding Crisis Intervention Train
ing for dealing with individuals with men
tal illness and transferring that training
from the GBI to the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center; and creating a task force
of law enforcement officers, community
leaders and elected officials to review
and to recommend improvements to the
current Basic Law Enforcement Officer
Training Course.
In making today’s announcement, the
Governor noted that a primary role of
government always has been the protec
tion of its people. But the demands of
fulfilling that obligation have changed.
“We ask our law enforcement person
nel of all levels and ranks to do a very
difficult job, one that requires great skill,
longsuffering, and dedication of purpose,”
the Governor said.
“It is incumbent upon the government
to recruit and retain the best and brightest,
while equipping them with the training
and resources they require. They deserve
our unwavering commitment and sup
port.”
Sincerely,
Terry England
Note: Terry England (R-Auburn) is a
state represenative for District 116.
Auburn Library hosts upcoming events
The following events are scheduled
at the Auburn Library:
•Ready to Read Lapsit Storytime -
Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 11:15 a.m., for
ages birth to two years.
This storytime introduces the littlest
patrons to board books and sensory
toys as well as rhymes and songs.
•Fall Book Sale - Thursday, Sept. 15,
through Monday, Sept. 19, sponsored
by the Friends of the Auburn Public
Library. Hardcovers, $1; paperbacks,
25 cents each or five for $1; DVDs, $1;
audiobooks, $2; and summer reading
T-shirts, $5.
•Ready to Read Pre-K Storytime -
Monday, Sept. 19, at 11:15 a.m.
•Ready to Read Lapsit Storytime -
Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 11:15 a.m., for
ages birth to two years.
•Crafternoon - Saturday, Sept. 24,
12-3:30 p.m.
•Romance Saturday (Paranormal)
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2 p.m.
•Bookworms Tween Book Club -
Saturday, Sept. 24, 4 p.m.
The Auburn library is located at 24
5th Street. Library hours are: Monday,
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesday through
Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and closed
on Sundays.
For more information contact the
Auburn library at 770-513-2925 or
www.aubum.prlib.org. Bel Outwater is
the librarian.
On Sunday’s memorial for the 9-11
fallen heroes, Hillary Clinton declared
that the “US is struggling against a vio
lent ideology” and that “Donald Trump’s
rhetoric has aided ISIS.”
I literally almost spilled my
coffee as I read this considering
that her hypocrisy is starting to be
vomited out of her mouth almost
as much as her lies.
It is no secret that I am not a
Donald Trump fan and that I was
really rooting on Rand Paul in the
GOP primaries. However, I do
believe him to be a lot less cor
rupt and evil than his Democrat
opponent.
Let’s not forget that the most
recently released 9/11 report showed
that Saudi Arabia funded the terrorist
attacks on September 11, 2001, and
let’s also not forget that they are also a
huge donor to Hillary Clinton, reported
ly funding about 20% of her campaign.
Yes, the exact same people who were
able to make 9-11 happen are also fund
ing the Democratic Presidential Nomi
nee. Let that sink in.
Let’s also not forget that the entire
email scandal surrounding Hillary Clin
ton first erupted from an investigation
of the State Department as to why U.S.
Ambassador Christopher Stevens was
repeatedly ignored or denied more secu
rity at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi
Libya, and that it has since been uncov
ering that the Obama Administration,
with the help of Mrs. Clinton, were
actually aiding rebels that have been tied
to terrorist organizations in Syria with
weapons they were running through
Libya.
Let’s also not forget that Mrs. Clinton
lied repeatedly to the American people
about what really happened during those
13 hours that Americans were left to die
in Benghazi, blaming an American film
maker for the “protests” that never hap
pened and letting a civilian take the fall
for this corrupt administration. Let’s not
forget that Americans are who she was
ready to throw under the bus in order to
perpetuate her lies and political rhetoric,
and you know, the actions that literally
aided terrorists overseas.
As you may already know, this isn’t
the only headline that Hillary made on
Sunday’s 9-11 memorial event. The poor
woman could not even stand on her own
two feet after speaking and had to be
escorted to her vehicle due to a medical
Random Rants in Rhyme
emergency.
A video has now emerged showing
a very wobbly Hillary falling over as
she attempts to make her way into the
vehicle.
Of course she is still report
ing that she is in good health
and that she just felt “overheat
ed”...
Right... This was so drastic
that you had your doctor come
out with a statement about a
supposed diagnosis of “pneu
monia” two days before the
event. This would definitely
explain the coughing fits, but
not the seizure-like episodes
or fainting. Not only that, but
knowing how contagious pneumonia
can be, why would she put others at risk
by attending an event that would attract
such a large crowd? I’m not buying it.
I’ve had pneumonia. Multiple times.
The times that I was not hospitalized, I
was mostly bed-ridden.
While I have mostly tried to stay out
of the political discussion of Hillary’s
health because I am not a doctor, I
cannot ignore this any longer due to the
fact that the woman cannot even stand
without support.
Polio-stricken Franklin D. Roosevelt
was able to support his body under his
not-so-sturdy legs better than Hillary
Clinton. She is not fit to be President,
and not only because of her health
issues, but because she is an illegitimate
candidate. Why is she still being allowed
to run after the leak that she stole the
election from sell-out Bemie Sanders?
With this election cycle bringing out
the most recent of the Clinton scandals,
she has proven to be one of the greatest
scams ever perpetuated on the Ameri
can people (the first being the Federal
Reserve), and she is too much of a con
artist to even consider giving any power
to.
Of course, Donald Trump released
a statement on Monday saying that he
“[hopes Hillary] gets well soon and that
he’ll release his recent medical records.
Well played, Donald. It would, however,
be a lot more interesting if your great
negotiating skills would offer your tax
returns for Hillary’s full medical records
on top of that. Check mate.
Jessica Swords is a local columnist.
She can be reached at jlswordsl998@
aol.com.
jessica
swords
Flag dedication at Cad, Georgia
The city of Carl dedicates today
this flagpole with a flag of the USA.
Woodmen give flagpoles and flags to honor
all who, by their service, heap honor upon her.
The idea for the program came to honor those who gave
their lives on 9-11, trying others to save.
All servicemen, paramedics too,
are now included with the “boys in blue”-
anyone willing to risk his own life
to save his neighbor or his neighbor’s wife.
All that the donors ask in return
is that the recipients make effort to learn
and always to follow protocol that is proper,
showing respect that never will falter.
This flag would say, if she could speak,
“Contrary to some, I am not weak.
I have flown more than 200 years. —
at first, only thirteen — now fifty stars appear.
“I have flown in battles around the world,
and tyranny trembles when I am unfurled.
I am the symbol of liberty
and, wherever I go, I set people free.
“Whenever you pass and look my way.
at least in your mind, you ought to say
a little prayer of thanks to God
that I still hang on this shining rod..
“For, as long as I hang here, you shall be free
to enjoy the fruits of true liberty.
But, if I be gone and another hangs here,
you will have lost those freedoms, I fear.
So, cherish those freedoms and give me respect.
See that neither suffers neglect,
and this country always shall be
a bastion of hope and liberty.”
© 2016,, cbs
Dr. CB Skelton is a retired physician and author of several books of poems. You can
contact him at doc2skelton@gmail.com.
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