October 10th: The Day Jack Daniel Died

Jack Daniel, founder of the Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distillery, died on October 10th 1911. Born Jasper Newton Daniel, Jack founded the company in 1866, and its success has reached right through to present day. Daniel did not marry or have children, so when he became critically ill with blood poisoning, he handed the business over to his favourite nephew Lem Motlow in 1907. 
   Jack Daniel died in 1911 from his poisoning, which seemed to have been primarily in his toe. Early one morning as he tried to get into the safe at work (which he often forgot the code for), Daniel kicked the door with frustration, causing the infection to form in his foot. This story was used in an advertising campaign on the London Underground in 2006, with the moral punch-line of 'Never go into work early'. The distillery - now a museum - often tells the guests that Jack Daniel used to treat his infected toe by dipping it in the Jack Daniel's whiskey!