Since Geo. T. Stagg is so popular nowdays, I thought I would put my timeline for the distillery here. It has several items that are of doubtfull orgin but were included so that we could know where they came from should we ever need them. Just look at the source listed before taking as fact.
George T Stagg History
1820 - The first steamboat trip from Leestown, Ky. to New Orleans. In that year 2,148 barrels of whiskey are shipped (U D Archives, Unpublished Manuscript, p.40).
1840 - George T Stagg establishes a distillery (Kentucky's
Bourbon Industry, J Atherton, Filson Club).
1849 - Benjamin Harrison Blanton makes a fortune in the California Gold Rush. He spends the money purchasing most of the business section of Denver, Colorodo and then exchanges this property for Confederate Bonds and becomes a Major in the Confederate Army (U D Archives, Unpublished Manuscript, p.39).
1865 - Benjamin Harrison Blanton opens a small distillery on his property in Leestown, Ky. The sight later becomes part of the OFC Distillery (U D Archives, Unpublished Manuscript, p. 39).
1869 - O.F.C. Distillery built by Pat Frazier. (Remarks of
Merit, "Biography of a Distillery", UD Archives,
991.m.144).
1873 - Distillery is modernized by E H Taylor. George Stagg is
working for him (U D Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1881 - Col A Blanton is born. (UD Archives, 991.m.140).
1882 - Col. Edmund H Taylor buys O.F.C. Distillery. (Remark
Merit, UD Archives, 991.m.144).
o - Fire destroys the distillery (U D Archive, Uncataloged
Item).
1885 - George T Stagg buys the distillery. (Remak Merit, UD
Archives, 991.m.144).
o - The company remains named the E H Taylor Jr Co. (U D
Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1887 - The Geo. T. Stagg Co. incorporates on the 9th day of
November, 1887 (U D Archive, Minute Book I, Geo. T.
Stagg Co.).
1889 - George T Stagg is President of Company, with Samuel R
Smith as Plant Superintendent and Stanley M Stagg as
Warehouse Superintendent. (Remark Merit, UD Archives,
991.m.144).
1890 - Georfge T. Stagg dies and the Duffy Family purchases
the distillery (Remarks of Merit, U D Archives,
991.m.144).
1891 - George T Stagg moves its offices from 122 East Main to Frankfort, Ky. where their distillery is located. E H Taylor listed as the distiller (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, Jan. 1, 1891).
1892 - Walter B Duffy elected to fill the position on the
board of Directors created by the retirement of Geo. T
Stagg (U D Archive, Minute Book I Geo. T. Stagg Co.).
1893 - Stagg bottles its product for the first time - before
this they only sold bulk whiskey by the barrel.
o - Stagg claims to be the first company to bottle the
pint bottle. (Remarks Merit, UD Archives, 991.m.144).
1897 - Col. A Blanton is hired as a clerk at Geo T Stagg. (UD
Archives, 991.m.140).
1900 - The E H Taylor Co becomes Geo. T Stagg Co. (U D
Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1911 - Frank G Stagg becomes Secretary-Treasurer of of Geo. T.
Stagg Co. (Remarks Merit, UD Archives, 991.m.144).
o - The 1911 Mida's Financial Index list the address of the main office as 246 Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill. and the distilleries as Dy. No. 2 and Dy. No. 113, both in the 7th Dist, Frankfort, Ky. with a capital value of over $1,000,000.
1912 - A B Blanton becomes Plant Manager at Stagg (U d Archives, Unpublished Manuscript, p.39).
1919 - Prohibition shuts the distillery down, but bottling
house continues to operate, bottling "medicinal use"
whiskey. (Remarks Merit, UD Archives, 991.m.144).
o - The distillery becomes a concentration warehouse (U D
Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1920 - A. B. Blanton purchases the Stagg distillery (Spirit,
Aug. 1953).
1921 - Col A Blanton is made President of Geo T Stagg and
is resposible for the distillery during prohibition.
(UD Archives, 991.m.140).
1929 - Fire destroys the Dry House. (Remarks Merit, UD
Archives, 991.m.144).
1930 - First run of whiskey allowed to keep stocks of
"medicinal use" whiskey at a stable level. (Remarks
Merit, UD Archives, 991.m.144).
1933 - Schenley buys Geo. T. Stagg. This includes the O.F.C.,
Geo T Stagg, and Cream of Kentucky brands. (Remarks
Merit, UD Archives, 991.m.144).
o - Blanton marries a Miss Stevens of Lawrenceburg, Ky. (UD
Archives, 991.m.140).
o - The Stagg Distillery had a capacity of 1,000 bushels of grain which equals 42,000 gallons of rye or 46,000 gallons of bourbon (U D Archives, Unpublished Manuscript, p. 38).
o - Blanton had experienced help at the Stagg distillery when Schenley took over the plant. William B Pythian was warehouse supperintendent (hired 1889), John T Mayes was distiller (hired 1895) and Walter B True was Chief Engineer (hired 1899) (U D Archives, Unpublished Manuscript, p. 41).
1935 - Col. Blanton has the lodge built at the Frankfort
distillery for the benefit of the employees (UD
Archive, 991.m.140).
o - Schenley opens a Louisville office for George T Stagg
at 672 Starks Buliding (Louisville City Directory, U of
L Archives).
1936 - Using bulk whiskey of a "bourbon type" purchased in Canada, Schenley creates Schenley's Ancient Age (Fortune, May, 36).
1938 - The first mention of Ancient Age as a Schenley Brand in the stockholders report (1938 Schenley Annual Report).
1939 - Schenley starts to make Geo Dickel at the Stagg
distillery. (UD Archives, 991.m.143).
1951 - After having made the brand for several years, Schenley
regesters the Ancient Age trademark (Trademark
Registration book).
1952 - Col. Blanton retires after 55 years of service at the
George T Stagg distillery. Schenley renames the
distillery Albert B, Blanton Distillery (UD Archives,
991.m.146)
1953 - The 2,000,000th barrel of whiskey is made at the
distillery (U D Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1961 - The 3,000,000th barrel of whiskey is made at the
distillery (U D Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1959 - Col. Blanton dies (UD Archives, 991.m.146).
1967 - Ancient Age Bottled in Bond is introduced by Schenley (Schenley Annual Report, 1967).
1968 - The distillery becomes part of the Glen Alden Co. (U D
Archives, Uncataloged Item).
1983 - Schenley sells the Ancient Age Brands and the Albert B
Blanton distillery to Ancient Age International (C
Morris, 12/11/92).
1984 - Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon is introduced (The Book
of Bourbon..., Gary and Mardee Regan, p.114).
1987 - Guiness buys Schenley (C Morris, Glenmore, 15/11/91).
1989 - Sazerac purchases the Benchmark Bourbon and the Eagle Rare Bourbon brands from Seagrams (The Book of Bourbon..., Gary and Mardee Regan, p.113, p.129).
1990 - Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon is introduced (The Book of Bourbon..., Gary and Mardee Regan, p.186).
1991 - Hancock's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon is introduced (The Book of Bourbon..., Gary and Mardee Regan, p. 137).
1992 - Takara Shuzo Co.Inc. of Kyoto, Japan purchases Ancient
Age (Courier-Journal, Oct.3, 1992).
o - Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon is introduced (The Book of Bourbon..., Gary and Mardee Regan, p. 152).
1993 - Ancient Age introduces a 100 proof Bonded Whiskey (Kane's Beverage Week, 5/10/93).
Mike Veach