Jack Daniel at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair

I have always read, and been led to believe, that Jack Daniel went to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair alone. It was here that he won the Gold Medal as the "World's Finest Whiskey". I always thought it was a shame that all his friends and family could not have been there to enjoy the moment with him.

The St. Louis World's Fair, or as it was familiarly known, The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, opened on April 30, 1904 and closed December 1, 1904.

The book "A Tennessee Legend with a Pictorial of old Bottles & Jugs" states:
     "In 1904 the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, more familiarly known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was held. Large expositions such as this introduced many new products and there was to be a judging of the world's finest whiskies. Naturally, Mr. Jack decided to put his whiskey to the test."

There is no mention of Mr. Jack's trip to St. Louis or anyone traveling with him.

The book "Blood and Whiskey, The Life and Times of Jack Daniel" states:
     "As the Exposition approached, a number of people, from state politicians, to still hands, to Lem, encouraged Jack to enter his whiskey into the competition. But Jack demurred, simply shrugging off the suggestion, apparently uninterested in garnering glory for himself.
     Unbeknownst to everyone, Jack was in fact laying plans to enter the competition and travel to St. Louis-he simply didn't publicize it because if he failed, he preferred to keep the whole incident under wraps. Finally, one June morning in the summer of 1904, Jack broke the news to Lem: he was going to the World's Fair. Lem's first question was whether Jack had entered their whiskey in the competition. With a grin, Jack glibly replied that he'd already sent in their entry, which included two cases of whiskey.
     After Jack won the Gold Medal, his return from the World's Fair was not exactly triumphant. While he set everyone up at the Lynchburg saloons with the best whiskey in the world and ordered a special decanter to commemorate the event, the once most-admired man in this part of the country received but scant notice in the newspapers. "Jack Daniel's No. 7 was awarded the gold medal at the St. Louis World's Fair" was all the December 8 edition of the Fayetteville Observer had to report on such a glorious moment.

The book gives details of Jack's trip to St. Louis on the train alone and his time at the World's Fair alone.

The book "Jack Daniel's Legacy" gives a few more details about the St. Louis trip. It states:

     "The name of Jack Daniel had been heard in many sections of the United States although Jack had done no advertising whatever. For a long time Uncle Jack seemed to shrug off these World's Fair suggestions - but Lem Motlow didn't let him forget it even for a day.
     As date for the whiskey competition at St. Louis approached, Lem decided it would be best not to keep pushing - but to slacken up on the pressure and just wait to see what Uncle Jack would do.
     "Lemmie, I'm going to St. Louis, Mo., and I don't want you to tell a soul about it until I get back," Jack Daniel confided to Manager Lem Motlow at the office one morning in June, 1904.
     "Glad to hear you say you are going Uncle Jack. But aren't we supposed to send some whiskey if you plan to enter the World's Fair competition?" Lem replied.
     "Already sent it, without letting you know," Jack crisply answered. "Didn't see any use of worrying somebody else with it."
     A moment of silence passed, the Jack continued: "And look here Lemmie. I don't want anybody to know if I go all the way to St. Louis and fail to do any good. So you just keep it quiet for now."
     Uncle Jack climbed swiftly into a buggy and headed for Tullahoma. He planned to leave the horse and buggy at the livery stable while he was making the train round trip to St. Louis.
     Four days passed, then he came back into town with his horse and buggy, plus his two valises and a smile on his face.
     "Lemmie, Here it is!" he exclaimed. "The World's Fair Gold Medal for the Best Whiskey in the World! That's what the judges said."
    The local effect of Jack's World's Fair triumph was largely confined to a relatively few letters or other messages of congratulations.

Again, no mention of anyone traveling with Jack or being with him at the Fair. Even his younger brother Tom tells the story of Jack being in St. Louis alone. The book does mention that a young, 4 year old Reagor Motlow and his grandmother attended the Fair.

All this leads me to a letter I have dated May 23, 1904. It is from Lem Motlow's sister Mamie to their brother Felix. At the time, Felix was at the military academy at West Point, New York. As you can see the letter says:
     "I guess you know that Lem and Ophelia are in St. Louis now. They left last Tuesday and haven't returned I don't suppose.........I am not going to feel at all disappointed if we don't get to come. I'm glad that you are going and hope you will have a nice trip. We will go home the day you leave for the Fair."

Are the history books wrong? Lem, his wife Ophelia, and brother Felix were all at the St. Louis World's Fair when Jack won the Gold Medal. This just shows that you cannot believe everything you read.

I would like to hear everyone's comments.