As you may know, I collect Bicentennial mementos - those cool souvenirs from when America celebrated its 200th birthday in 1976. I've done two postings on what I have in my collection (2022, 2023), with another forthcoming this July 4th, and I'm even delving into the new collectibles of the semiquincentennial (America's 250th birthday), though not too much...at least not yet lol. One thing I've found is that the more I accumulate, the more I realize there are stories to be told. For instance, this year I've been collecting the McCormick Distillers whiskey decanters - the Patriot collection from 1976. They are great American history collectibles - my own little whiskey rebellion! High quality - just wait 'til you see 'em~
For today's blog post I added short biographical information about each depiction.
Call it history lite, if you will.
But it's still history, and there's still something to be learned.
. . .
~I heard the Museum of the American Revolution has a one month (June) display of whiskey decanters named, in part, Whiskey Rebellion. Just so you know, I had this post's name before I ever heard or knew of the display at M.A.R.~
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There has been some back-n-forth over what to call the founders of the United States. For over two centuries "Founding Fathers" was the general term used. But in more recent times, as research continued, people began to find that colonial women played a larger role than previously realized, and the "Founding Fathers" term excludes women.
Okay...I can see the want for a change.
So, what should we call those from that period - those special colonials who actually played a part...played a role...in the formation of our great nation?
The wonderful web page, Journal of the American Revolution, did a post a while back called How do you define “Founding Fathers”?, and I nicked a few partial quotes here, for each does leave room for thought:
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| So, Pastor Gerring, what do you think - - - Is it Founders? The Founding Generation? or The Founding Fathers? |
Ladies & gentlemen, I give to you...
–By consensus, most historians limit the narrow definition to six: Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison. A broader definition would include many worthwhile individuals, such as Sam Adams, John Hancock, Joseph Warren, Nathanael Greene, etc.
–Thomas Fleming
~"I think the term trite. That said, I write about the 'Founding Era.'
It is interesting to note that the Founding Generation (no alliteration, but that term does have meaning) did not see the “Founding Fathers” as we do now. John Adams was despised by half the people, Jefferson by the other half. At first, the men Americans most venerated were military heroes, Washington of course, and many local favorites: in New England, Old Put, the Fighting Quaker, Henry Knox, and the martyred Joseph Warren; in the South, Lighthorse Harry, the Swamp Fox, the Carolina Gamecock. Then, with Jefferson’s ascent to power and the politically inspired veneration of the Declaration of Independence, the 56 “signers.” Not until the 50th Jubilee, when both Adams and Jefferson died on the same day, did Americans begin to feature the small crew we know today."
–Ray Raphael
~"By tradition the term refers to those courageous Revolutionary leaders who produced the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of 1787. A better approach might be to include all men and women who gave of themselves, even in some cases life itself, in supporting the cause of liberty. Thus we might also think of the Joseph Plumb Martins and Peter Salems as founding fathers, along with the Martha Washingtons and various Molly Pitchers as founding mothers, which would give us a more inclusive and broadened definition–the Revolution’s Founding Persons."
–James Kirby Martin
~"The common thread was that they were all treasonous rebels who put their lives and fortunes on the line for “the Cause.” Their A-List names would range from George Washington all the way down through the names we all know still in our history books. But I would also include such brave and inspiring souls as James Otis Jr., James Warren, Thomas Paine, Nathan Hale, Paul Revere, certainly Greene, Knox, Morgan, Lafayette, and yes – even Abigail Adams, who provided valuable advising to her often-obnoxious husband."
–John L. Smith, Jr.
(all of the above quotes were taken from Journal of the American Revolution)
Even though I may not fully agree with all of the commentary, I still find the quotes interesting and thought-provoking. I myself have used (and often continue to use) "Founding Fathers" when speaking of the main men who played major roles in our country's founding (George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Madison), but I also will say "Founders," (which includes the aforementioned plus people such as Joseph Warren, Paul Revere, Thomas Paine, Martha Washington, Samuel Adams, George Wythe, John Paul Jones, Nathanael Greene, Alexander Hamilton, Abigail Adams, and the like). Then there is my favorite term, "Founding Generation" (for anyone who lived in the colonies during the time of the Revolutionary War and the early Republic and expressed at least somewhat of an attraction to being a Patriot, including Phillis Wheatley, Joseph Plumb, Mercy Otis Warren, Jack Sisson, Deborah Sampson, William Dawes, Betsy Ross, Captain John Parker, and even--yes--even plain old farmer Samuel Daggett). I've even used "Founding Mothers," should the term apply (pretty much self-explanatory). So I suppose I'm good with most of the varying terms used to describe the population involved in the formation of our country.
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| This image has a very good selection of the Founding Fathers~ (click HERE if you are unfamiliar with John Jay) and below we also have a fine group of women who we can call Founding Mothers:
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| ~Representing the Founding Generation~ The everyman and woman |
But, sadly, with the 250th at hand, I don't think our country in our current day and age will out-do that Bicentennial year of 1976. Back then, patriotism was in the air we breathed. It seemed like everything from shoehorns to frisbees to bumper stickers to drinking glasses to stamps to coin banks to pop cans & bottles to...well, you name it, was red, white, and blue.
And then there was the liquor and alcohol companies...they actually came out with some of the coolest, highest quality, most patriotic items of them all, from beer cans to steins to decanters/bottles.
In fact - - - - - - - it's the decanters that're taking center stage in today's post.
In 1976, McCormick Distilling Company put out very high quality (with amazing detail) porcelain whiskey decanters of our nation's founders, which could be found in a few homes at the time, usually those homes with a bar set up - oftentimes in the basement - during the Bicentennial.
I never even heard of or seen anything like these statue-like items, or else I would have begged and pleaded for someone "of age" to get me a few simply for the bottles/decanters - - I was definitely under the legal drinking age at the time.
As is written on the box:
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| Top o' the box |
"It is especially appropriate that the McCormick Distillery is the one to bring out this fully authentic series of collector bottles representing America's best known Patriots in commemoration of the Bicentennial celebration. McCormick is America's oldest operating distillery.
And McCormick was founded in 1856 by Ben Holladay, the legendary "king of hurry," operator of the Overland stage, backer of the Pony Express. The Overland, the Pony Express, and Ben's giant figure are integral parts of the lore of America...and McCormick straight bourbon whiskey can be considered so, too.
Ben Holladay started the McCormick Distillery at the booming frontier town of Weston, Missouri, beside a sparkling pure limestone spring that had been charted by Lewis & Clark. Over the years, Ben's enterprise has endured to become America's oldest operating distillery.
The McCormick Collector Bottles in this series are as true-to-life as serious study of historic records and portraits can make them. They have been sculptured and hand painted by skilled craftsmen to be authentic portraits of the Patriots they represent. Every serious bottle collector and student of America's early history will want the entire McCormick Patriot series."
I do! And I spent a lot of time searching and searching again to get them in good condition and at a good price.
On Ebay these are called decanters, on the boxes they came in they are called bottles. In my own research (and upon showing my drinking friends my collection), all refer to them as decanters.
I very recently learned that:
"These whiskey decanters aren't just eye candy. They also serve a practical purpose by helping the liquor inside breathe and "open up." But here's the interesting part: Decanters can work with wine just as well as whiskey!"
Bottles.
Decanters.
Either-or.
Six of one, half dozen of the other.
As for the history of these decanters, here we have some information, as told by Hobby Lark:
McCormick Paid Tribute to Historical Events and the People
Back in the year 1976, the United States was 200 years old. This was a huge bicentennial year full of celebrations and many observances during this era. Many companies, like McCormick, paid tribute to historical events and the people that were important in leading up to the creation of this nation, from being a collection of thirteen colonies to the United States of America winning its independence and becoming its own republic.
The Whiskey Decanters by McCormick was a huge success in this marking strategy. The Bicentennial Vintage "Patriots Series" Whiskey Decanters by McCormick had as its focus the central events of 1776 and the memory of the American Revolution.
~These decanters were made with a great deal of care by the American Porcelain Company. As always the collector should keep the beautifully painted American Patriot’s decanters out of direct sunlight to prevent fading of the brilliant colors.
~The McCormick Collector Bottles in this series are as true to life as a serious study of historic records and portraits can make them. They have been sculptured and hand-painted by skilled craftsmen to be authentic portraits of the Patriots they represent.
~In collecting McCormick's Bicentennial Decanters, you will find that a full decanter is worth the same as the empty one.
~Not having the liquor tax stamp on the McCormick decanter will not lower the collector value of the piece.
~Some McCormick collectors do prefer to empty their decanters for safety reasons. This is a very good precaution measure in the long run. It is better than allowing the whiskey contents to ruin the delicate and porous ceramic that the decanters are made from.
~When storing your McCormick Bicentennial decanters you need to handle them with great care. Being made of fine porcelain they can easily get chips, scratches, and cracks; and this type of damage will affect the value of the collectible McCormick decanters.
~It is especially appropriate that the McCormick Distillery is the one to bring out this fully authentic series of collector bottles representing American's best know Patriots in Commemoration of the Bicentennial celebration. McCormick is American's oldest operating distillery.
Now let's take a gander at these decanters...and even learn about the Founders they portray, beginning with a quick overview of Benjamin Franklin, for this was the first of these McCormick decanters I purchased (click the pictures to enlarge):
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| ...as Franklin sits in a Windsor chair. |
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| The detail is impressive... |
"One of the leading figures of early American history, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), born in Boston, was a statesman, author, publisher, scientist, inventor, and diplomat.
In 1748, Franklin, then 42 years old, had expanded his printing business throughout the colonies and become successful enough to stop working. Retirement allowed him to concentrate on public service and also pursue more fully his longtime interest in science. In the 1740s, he conducted experiments that contributed to the understanding of electricity, and invented the lightning rod, which protected buildings from fires caused by lightning. In 1752, he conducted his famous kite experiment and demonstrated that lightning is electricity. Franklin also coined a number of electricity-related terms, including battery, charge, and conductor.
Franklin was deeply active in public affairs in his adopted city of Philadelphia, where he helped launch a lending library, a hospital, & a college, and garnered acclaim for his experiments with electricity, among other projects. During the American Revolution, he served in the Second Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He also negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War (1775-83). In 1787, in his final significant act of public service, he was a delegate to the convention that produced the U.S. Constitution.
Benjamin Franklin is the only Founding Father to have signed all four of the key documents establishing the U.S.: the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris establishing peace with Great Britain (1783), and the U.S. Constitution (1787)."
(From History.com)
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| Also - I see the Old North Church, and the night sky with stars. |
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| And he's on a horse! This might be my favorite~ |
"In 1764, Revere's income was £102. In 1765, after Great Britain passed the Sugar and Stamp Acts to pay for the Seven Years' War, his income dropped to £64. This decrease in pay due to new taxes possibly motivated Revere to become a Son of Liberty.
As a Son of Liberty and member of the North End Caucus, Revere engraved political cartoons and helped plan and implement resistance to British policies. His career as a "Messenger of the American Revolution" began on December 17, 1773, carrying news of the Boston Tea Party to New York. Thereafter, he regularly relayed information between the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
On October 10, 1773, five months after the death of his first wife, Revere married Rachel Walker. While her husband was away delivering political information, Rachel Revere cared for six surviving stepchildren and gave birth to eight of her own.
Revere's April 18-19, 1775, ride to Lexington was an intelligence mission directed by Boston's Revolutionary leader Dr. Joseph Warren and executed by Paul Revere, William Dawes, and a network of individuals. Based on spying by Revere and others, the likely object of a British expedition seemed to be either the arrest of John Hancock and Samuel Adams in Lexington or the seizure of munitions in nearby Concord. Although British soldiers captured Revere before he got to Concord, he had provided earlier warnings.
The post-Revolutionary Revere became a prosperous entrepreneur and respected citizen, owning a silver shop, hardware shop, foundry, and copper mill. He took pride in making useful manufactures for his country. Revere held several civic offices, including Grand Master of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, Suffolk County Coroner, and President of the Boston Board of Health.
Paul Revere died in Boston on May 10, 1818, at the age of eighty-three. The Boston Intelligencer and Evening Gazette called him "cool in thought, ardent in action" and noted both his "benevolent character and service in the early days of our Revolutionary drama…as well as at a later period of its progress."
It would take another forty-three years for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to make Paul Revere a legend."
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| John Hancock front |
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| John Hancock back |
"John Hancock was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, on January 23, 1737. He lived with his parents until the age of seven and was sent to live with his merchant uncle after his father died. His uncle Thomas Hancock owned the House of Hancock, which imported European goods and traded domestically.
Hancock expanded the company by traveling to England for a year to meet potential consumers and suppliers. Upon returning to Boston, Hancock officially took over his uncle's business and became influential in Massachusetts politics. In 1765, the British government passed the Stamp Act to relieve some of the debt created by the French and Indian War. Initially, Hancock was not opposed to the act, but after witnessing protests and unrest within Boston, Hancock changed his stance. He participated in the protest by boycotting the importation of British goods, making him extremely popular amongst the colonists. In 1766, Samuel Adams voiced his public support for Hancock aiding in his election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
As tensions between colonists and the British rose, Hancock continued to participate in resistance by leading meetings regarding the Tea Act and the Coercive Acts. On December 1, 1774, Hancock was elected as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
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| John Hancock w/Declaration |
Due to his position, living in Boston was not safe due to being a target of the British. Hancock moved to his grandfather's home in Lexington to escape the British. On the night of April 18, 1775, Dr. Joseph Warren received news that British troops, under Thomas Gage's command, were heading toward Lexington to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Warren sends three-midnight riders, including Paul Revere, to warn that the "British are coming." (actually, "The Regulars are coming out!")
Reaching Lexington, Revere warns Hancock and Adams of the incoming troops and suggests they flee before the British reach Lexington. Soon after their escape, the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, officially starting the Revolutionary War.
In 1776, Hancock oversaw the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the document that declared the colonies separate and independent from Great Britain. On August 2, 1776, John Hancock was the first to sign the document with a large cursive signature, stating, "There, John Bull (England) can read my name without spectacles; he may double his reward." Hancock continued to serve as president of the congress until 1777 when he left and took the position as governor of Massachusetts, where he served until 1785. After the American Revolution, Hancock's reputation flourished due to his philanthropy during and after the war.
After he retired from public life in 1786, Hancock's health began to fail rapidly. The state of Massachusetts continued to elect him to conventions and constitutional ratifying committees despite his ill health. On October 8, 1793, Hancock died at age 56 and received one of the largest state funerals from longtime friend and governor Samuel Adams."
(from American Battlefield Trust)
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"Considered essential to the American Revolution, Betsy Ross is credited with sewing the first United States flag. A symbol of patriotism, Ross is often celebrated as the woman who helped George Washington finish the design. Although there is no historical evidence that she created this flag, her story has made her a national icon.
Betsy Ross was born as Elizabeth Griscom on January 1, 1752. She and her family were members of the Quaker religion and she attended a traditional Quaker school in Pennsylvania. Upon finishing her schooling, Betsy became an apprentice for the popular upholsterer, John Webster. Betsy Ross learned how to make and repair many items, including curtains, tablecloths, bedcovers, and rugs. She became a very skilled seamstress and upholsterer. In 1773, Betsy and John ran to Hugg’s Tavern in Gloucester, New Jersey and eloped. Her decision to marry John Ross, a non-Quaker, caused her to split from her family and the Quaker religion when she was only 21-years-old. Betsy and John Ross started their own upholstery business in Philadelphia.
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| Betsy Ross |
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| Back of Betsy |
Their business was successful, and it is reported that they even made bed hangings for George Washington in 1774. John Ross was also a member of the Pennsylvania militia. After three years of marriage, John Ross passed away. At 24-years-old, Betsy Ross became a widow. She continued to run the upholstery business and worked on uniforms, tents, and flags for the Continental Army.
According to a speech her grandson gave to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania years after her death, George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, visited Ross’ upholstery shop in the summer of 1776. Washington and the two other members of the Continental Congress brought a rough sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen stars. Ross is said to have made the first American flag shortly after that meeting.
Ross continued working as a seamstress and upholsterer in her shop until she retired at the age of 76. By 1833, she was completely blind, but she continued to tell the story of how she made the first American flag to her children and grandchildren. She died peacefully in her sleep on January 30, 1836, a few weeks after her 84th birthday.
No historical records or documentation could be found to verify her grandson, William Canby's, claims that she made the infamous first flag. Instead, Canby got family members to sign legal documents stating that Ross also told them this important story. His presentation brought Ross’ life into the spotlight and she became a national icon. Although some historians now disagree with Canby’s evidence, Ross is often still credited with making the first American flag."
And as much as some may want to credit or discredit her, neither side can be proven.
By the way, Betsy Ross was the only woman on the commemorative Bicentennial decanters.
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"Patrick Henry was a brilliant orator and a major figure of the American Revolution. In 1765, at the capitol in Williamsburg, where he had just been seated as a member of the House of Burgesses, he delivered a speech opposing the British Stamp Act. The act was a revenue law requiring certain colonial publications and documents to bear a legal stamp. Henry offered a series of resolutions asserting the right of the colonies to legislate independently of the British Parliament, and he supported these resolutions with great eloquence: “Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George III…” Here he was interrupted by cries of “Treason! treason!” But he concluded, “…may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.”
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| ...give me liberty... |
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| ...or give me death! |
During the next decade Henry was an influential leader in the radical opposition to the British government. He was a member of the first Virginia Committee of Correspondence, which aided intercolonial cooperation, and a delegate to the Continental Congresses of 1774 and 1775. At the second Virginia Convention, on March 23, 1775, in St. John’s Church, Richmond, he delivered the speech that assured his fame as one of the great advocates of liberty. Convinced that war with Great Britain was inevitable, he presented strong resolutions for equipping the Virginia militia to fight against the British and defended them in a fiery speech with the famed peroration, “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
He was elected governor of Virginia in 1776, and was reelected in 1777 and 1778 for one-year terms. As wartime governor, he gave General George Washington able support.
Patrick Henry was a leading member of the state legislature from 1780 to 1784 and again from 1787 to 1790. From 1784 to 1786 he served as governor. He declined to attend the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention of 1787, and in 1788 he was the leading opponent of ratification of the U.S. Constitution at the Virginia Convention.
Henry was reconciled, however, to the new federal government, especially after the passage of the Bill of Rights, for which he was in great measure responsible. Because of family responsibilities and ill health, he declined a series of offers of high posts in the new federal government. It was in 1799 that Patrick Henry died at his home in Virginia."
(from Britannica)
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"Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743, on his father’s plantation located along the Rivanna River in central Virginia at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton, a widow, in 1772. With her he fathered six children, though only two daughters survived to adulthood.
At the age of 33, Jefferson was one of the youngest delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He became acquainted with John Adams, a leader of the Congress, and through this budding friendship, Jefferson was appointed to the Committee of Five that was tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence.
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| Thomas Jefferson...the... |
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| ...main author of the Declaration |
Over the next 17 days, he would create the first draft. Jefferson is considered by many to be the primary author of the document because the committee left intact more than 75 percent of his original draft. Many believed that John Adams would be the primary author of this important document, but he had persuaded the Committee to choose Jefferson instead. The preamble is regarded as one of the most enduring statements of human rights and the phrase “all men are created equal” is considered one of the most well-known expressions in the English language. Jefferson was an eloquent writer, but did not fancy himself a public speaker, and chose to show his support of the Patriot cause through written correspondence.
The relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams deepened through years of letter-writing, including letters written between Abigail Adams, wife of John, and Jefferson. John and Thomas spent years in France together as the two men served as trade ministers in Europe. They remained close friends despite their political differences; that is, until Jefferson beat Adams in the Election of 1801 to become President of the United States. They resumed their close friendship after about 10 years of separation.
Early in his presidency, Jefferson was able to achieve one of the greatest acquisitions of his political career with the Louisiana Purchase, which more than doubled the size of the United States.
Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Legend holds that Adams’ last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Unbeknownst to Adams, Jefferson had died a few hours earlier. They were the last surviving members of the original group of Patriots that became known as America’s Founding Fathers. Jefferson and Adams also share the distinction of being the only Declaration of Independence signatories who would later serve as President."
(from Boston Tea Party page)
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"Born in 1732 into a Virginia planter family, George Washington learned the morals, manners, and body of knowledge requisite for an 18th century Virginia gentleman.
Commissioned a lieutenant colonel in 1754, he fought the first skirmishes of what grew into the French and Indian War.
From 1759 to the outbreak of the American Revolution, Washington managed his lands around Mount Vernon and served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Married to a widow, Martha Dandridge Custis, he devoted himself to a busy and happy life. But like his fellow planters, Washington felt himself exploited by British merchants and hampered by British regulations. As the quarrel with the mother country grew acute, he moderately but firmly voiced his resistance to the restrictions.
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| General Washington... |
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| ...at Valley Forge |
When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.
He realized early that the best strategy was to harass the British. He reported to Congress, “we should on all Occasions avoid a general Action, or put anything to the Risque, unless compelled by a necessity, into which we ought never to be drawn.” Ensuing battles saw him fall back slowly, then strike unexpectedly. Finally in 1781 with the aid of French allies–he forced the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.
Washington longed to retire to his fields at Mount Vernon. But he soon realized that the Nation under its Articles of Confederation was not functioning well, so he became a prime mover in the steps leading to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. When the new Constitution was ratified, the Electoral College unanimously elected Washington President.
To his disappointment, two (political) parties were developing by the end of his first term. Wearied of politics, feeling old, he retired at the end of his second. In his Farewell Address, he urged his countrymen to forswear excessive party spirit and geographical distinctions. In foreign affairs, he warned against long-term alliances.
Washington enjoyed less than three years of retirement at Mount Vernon, for he died of a throat infection December 14, 1799. For months the Nation mourned him."
(from the White House page)
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Then there's John Paul Jones.
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| Here's the 1959 poster! |
Mention to most anyone today the name John Paul Jones and I can almost guarantee you the response will be, "The bassist for Led Zeppelin?"
Back when I first heard of Led Zeppelin, and saw the bassist's name listed as John Paul Jones on the back of the album cover, I first thought of the Revolutionary War hero.
Now I think of both!
Funny how times change.
But even just as interesting, the Led Zeppelin bassist, whose actual name is John Baldwin, took his new stage name from a poster for the 1959 film about the American Revolutionary War hero!
And it's this Rev War hero who is up next:
John Paul Jones is famous in the United States as the ‘Father of the American Navy’. He was born in poverty (in Scotland) and through his skills became a distinguished naval officer fighting for both the USA and Russia.
The Revolutionary John was born as John Paul, but would add "Jones" later in his life.
John had an education in his early Scottish days, being sent to Kirkbean School. However, he spent much of his time off at the nearby port of Carsethorn. Whenever he could he ran down to the port where he would talk to sailors and clamber all over the ships; it was clear that the sea was calling John. At the age of thirteen he signed on and began an apprenticeship for John Younger, a Scottish merchant shipper. His first voyage as a ship’s boy took him to the Americas, sailing to Barbados and then to Virginia where he stayed with his older brother William who had emigrated there and strived as a tailor.
At the age of twenty-one, John Paul had become a captain.
In the years prior to the American Revolution, John Paul took command of the Betsy in the fall of 1772. Trading back and forth between England and the West Indies, he accumulated a considerable sum. The flourishment all came to a halt when in 1773 John killed the ringleader of a mutiny with his sword aboard his ship in a dispute over wages. The man was a local of the West Indies, feeling was against John and to evade trial, he fled to Virginia. Here, he changed his named to John Paul Jones.
While in Virginia, Jones’ sympathies were with the colonists and the rebel cause. When Congress formed the Continental Navy, Jones rushed to Philadelphia to offer his services and was commissioned as first lieutenant in December 1775. At the time the Continental Navy consisted of a handful of ships.
In 1776, he captured eight prizes, sunk and burnt another eight, and towed to port several prizes to end the year. In June 1777, Jones was appointed to the newly built Ranger. Sailing to the British Isles, he took several prizes before arriving in Brest, France in May 1778, where he was hailed as a hero. Operating out of Brest, Jones led a cruise to the Irish Sea capturing or destroying small vessels. This cruise made Jones a household name in Britain. “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm’s way.”
The above comes from a letter John Paul Jones wrote to Le Ray de Chaumont on November 16, 1778.
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| I am glad to have this lesser known... |
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| ...Revolutionary War figure/decanter. |
In August 1779, he set sail for Britain again with a squadron of seven ships, raiding commerce around Scotland and Ireland for the better part of the month.
On September 23rd, Jones engaged a merchant fleet which consisted of the HMS Serapis and Countess of Scarborough. Jones was outgunned by the Serapis, but thanks to his brilliant maneuvering, he lashed his ship, the Bonhomme Richard, on to the enemy ship where a battle ensued for three and a half hours. When the enemy captain asked Jones if he would like to surrender, he promptly replied “I have not yet begun to fight!” Jones and his crew were victorious.
When returned to America in 1781, Jones spends the remaining years of the war advising on the establishment of the navy and the training of naval officers. Jones is often referred to as the "Father of the American navy."
He was awarded a gold medal and a gold sword for his exploits but he was buried in an unmarked grave for over a century. In the late 1800s, with a great American naval expansion encouraged by Teddy Roosevelt, intensive research was made to find his body, which it was in 1905. Jones’ body was brought back on USS Brooklyn, and as the ship sailed into Chesapeake Bay, seven battleships met them and fired off salutes. In 1913, his body was finally laid to rest at the chapel crypt of Annapolis Naval Academy, in a magnificent marble sarcophagus modeled after the tomb of Napoleon.
(mostly from American Battlefield Trust)
Yet, little is taught about this war hero.
Well, I suppose this is kind of my small part in reminding my history friends and followers.
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| John Adams painted by John Trumbull in 1793 |
Back when these decanters came out, I was only 14 / 15 years old, so with me being under the age of legal drinking in that Bicentennial year, my chances of getting one, much less a complete collection of these, was slim to none.
Until now.
Thank God for Ebay!
However, the one Founder I've noticed that is conspicuous in his absence from these McCormick decanters is John Adams.
"It’s true that among the most prominent Founders — Ben Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams — Adams has been the least known. Part of that is due to the fact that he was a cranky guy, and because he broke ranks with Thomas Jefferson. Part of that is due to the fact that his presidency was ultimately (considered) a failure, though not entirely of his own doing, and he was crushed in his re-election bid — by Thomas Jefferson.
John Adams has not traditionally been viewed as one of the great presidents of the United States. Much of the lingering criticism of Adams can be traced to his re-election campaign of 1800, which he lost to Thomas Jefferson, becoming the nation's first one-term president. During the campaign, he was criticized by both the Republicans, who supported Jefferson, and his own party, the Federalists.
And part of that is due to the fact that Adams was an intellectual and a philosopher — and one of the most widely read men in American history — and his prose is more challenging to read than some of his contemporaries.
But then...
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| Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney as John & Abigail Adams from my favorite period movie/series, HBO's John Adams. |
All of that changed in the Spring of 2001, when historian David McCullough published his landmark biography “John Adams,” which won the Pulitzer Prize and numerous other awards, and spent close to two years on The New York Times bestseller list, including 14 weeks in the #1 spot. Sales of the book were boosted — and John Adams became to a larger segment of Americans — in the Spring of 2008 when HBO aired a 7-part drama based on the book starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, which also won numerous awards (including 13 Emmy Awards)."
(the above came from James Keenley's response to a question on Quora, the online knowledge sharing platform where users can ask and answer questions, as well as the Teaching History web site - HERE ~
I absolutely cannot recommend the John Adams HBO series enough - simply put, it is amazing. It brought the book and the times to life in ways no other movie has. In fact, it brought John Adams up to the top five of the founders for me - even above Jefferson - something I never would have even thought about back when I was younger.
So, yes, John Adams was pretty much ignored up until the late great David McCullough "rescued" him from almost being thrown into the realm of obscurity.
My question is, why did McCullough write about John Adams, of all founders, when Adams was supposedly nothing to write home about?
Well, his book was originally intended to be a dual biography of Adams and Jefferson, and as he researched his subjects, McCullough was increasingly drawn to Adams and away from Jefferson. The author spent six years studying Adams, reading the same books he had read and visiting the places he had lived. McCullough was particularly drawn to Adams's letters with his wife, Abigail, which he says provided a chance to tell the story of a genuine love affair. The book draws from more than one thousand surviving letters between the two, nearly half of which had never been published.
McCullough also believed that Adams was a true patriot who served the country with uncommon ability and force. McCullough's biography portrays Adams as a human man and evokes his time. It covers topics such as politics, war, social issues, human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship, and betrayal. Some reviewers have called it "the best biography of Adams ever written" and "a masterwork of storytelling".
I sure do wish McCormick would have made such a decanter for John Adams as was done for the other Founders. But though McCormick may not have, another distiller did: Trenton Spirits, of which I can find very little about (all my Google and Duck Duck Go searches lead me to the Battle of Trenton!). Trenton's decanters held cherry wine rather than whiskey, and they made Bicentennial decanters as well, including one made in the likeness of John Adams! Trenton's made a number of other decanters of the Founders as well, including Revere, Washington, Jefferson, and even James Madison (of whom you will read about shortly).
They are very good, but, in my opinion, slightly under the quality of McCormick's.
But it was historian/author David McCullough who brought our 2nd President to the forefront of our 21st century minds.
From CBS News:
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| I searched far & wide for a decanter of John Adams. |
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| "He was a true patriot" - David McCullough |
In the cool grandeur of the National Archives in Washington, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are enshrined, historian David McCullough is anything but cool about how history has treated one of the major forces behind those two documents: John Adams.
"There's no statue to him in Washington," McCullough told correspondent Rita Braver. "There's no face on Mount Rushmore. There's no monument. There's no picture of John Adams on our money. There isn't a postage stamp in circulation with John Adams' picture on it. This is a disgrace!"
But now McCullough, one of the most influential historians of our time, has become an Adams advocate, using his skills and his celebrity to introduce Americans to this forgotten patriot, with a massive new biography, "John Adams."
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| Click HERE to purchase the HBO miniseries |
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| Click HERE to purchase the book. |
Why is Adams the least-known of the Founding Fathers? McCullough says it's in part because he was not as dashing as Washington or Jefferson, not as folksy as Benjamin Franklin.
"He's quick-tempered," explained the historian. "He's abrasive at times. He's often tactless. He can be vain. He's brilliant. I think that's probably the main thing to know about John Adams: He had a great capacity to move people with the force of argument. He was, himself, a force."
"John Adams was one of our best ever," says the author. "He was brave. He was honest. His devotion to the service of the country, the public good, was beyond almost any other public example. He was a true patriot in every sense of the word."
Adams lived to be 90. He died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. And, incredibly, it was also the very day that another former president and signer of the Declaration died: Thomas Jefferson, entwined with Adams in death as in life.
Said McCullough, "If it were a movie, and you recreated it exactly as it was, people would say, 'Well, that was overdoing it.' Cannons were booming, crowds were outside. It had started to rain. And when he died, according to all the accounts written at the time, the skies cleared, and this huge burst of sunlight came in. And nobody could ever forget it, who was present."
As McCullough told a Congressional hearing (175 years after Adam's death), "The idea that he has stood in the shadows all these years does not reflect well on any of us. The time is long past due to give him his place in the American pantheon and in our American hearts."
John Adams, by the way, worried that future generations would forget him and only Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin would be remembered.
"As I sat at the (2008) Emmy awards last Sunday in Los Angeles I hoped, somewhere, that John Adams was smiling. He'd won best actor while those three great men were competing only for the best supporting role. And he would appreciate the irony: an English filmmaker directed his story."
Betsy Reed - Editor, Guardian US
(John Adams information came from a number of different sites)
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James Madison was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States, from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
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| The Father of the Constitution... |
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| ...rightly deserves recognition! |
At his inauguration in 1809, James Madison, a small, wizened man, appeared old and worn; Washington Irving described him as “but a withered little apple-John.” But whatever his deficiencies in charm, Madison’s wife, Dolley, compensated for them with her warmth and gaiety. She was the toast of Washington.
On June 1, 1812, he asked Congress to declare war against Great Britain. However, the young Nation was not prepared to fight; its forces took a severe trouncing. In 1814, the British entered Washington and set fire to the White House and the Capitol. Dolley Madison is famous for her actions during that night when she saved a portrait of George Washington and other important documents from the White House before the British attacked.
A few notable naval and military victories, climaxed by General Andrew Jackson’s triumph at New Orleans, convinced Americans that the War of 1812 had been gloriously successful. An upsurge of nationalism resulted.
In a note opened after his death in 1836, James Monroe wrote, “The advice nearest to my heart and deepest in my convictions is that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated.”
(from the White House page)
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| Together again - - - A sort of whiskey rebellion... and do you see the stories they tell - you can tell?
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One more! We have to have something on Samuel Adams!
Here's the little statue front and center in the above two photos.
Sadly, I looked far and wide, and, similar to his cousin, John, Samuel Adams seems to have been the forgotten Founder. But whereas I did find a decanter - though made by a different company - for John Adams, there is no such item for Samuel.
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| No Samuel Adams decanter... |
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| ...but it's still a tribute. |
Well, so though there is no whiskey decanter made for him - go figure, right? - I do have this 6" miniature replication: "This 6 inch figurine is an exact replica of the statue, created by sculptor Susie Chisholm, of Samuel Adams that stands on the front plaza of the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum."
It may not be the 12-13" decanter that it should be, but it's still cool nonetheless.
It's a shame, for, to be honest, most historians regard Samuel Adams as the Father of the American Revolution. And you may agree after reading the following:
"Among the Revolutionary era leaders of Boston, few possessed the fervent passion of Samuel Adams. Adams' borderline obsession with government and his lack of business acumen prevented him from holding a steady job until his election to the position of tax collector in 1756.
When British Parliament passed the Sugar Act in 1764, Adams' role in government changed dramatically. The Act disproportionately affected Massachusetts, leading the Boston Town Meeting to task Samuel Adams with verbalizing their opposition. Adams took to the task with enthusiasm, writing, "If Taxes are laid upon us in any shape without our having a legal Representation where they are laid, are we not reduced from the Character of free Subjects to the miserable State of tributary Slaves?"
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| Perhaps the most famous likeness of Samuel Adams, painted by John Singleton Copley in 1772 |
When the Stamp Act passed in 1765, Samuel Adams was elected to represent Boston in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Despite very little documentary evidence as to the origins of the organization, Samuel Adams is often credited as being the founder and leader of the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty was most likely organized in the summer of 1765 as a means to protest the passing of the Stamp Act of 1765. Inside the public houses of Boston, such as the Green Dragon Tavern, Adams met with Paul Revere, John Hancock, Dr. Joseph Warren, and other members of the Sons of Liberty to share not only food and drink but intelligence on the movement of British troops around Boston. When it wasn’t being fought on the battlefields, the American Revolution played out in taverns.
Adams, as a Boston representative, also arranged boycotts and petitions in opposition to the Townshend Acts. And all throughout, Adams published articles under the pseudonyms 'Vindex' and 'Candidus.' The stirring of public opinion led to British troops being sent to occupy Boston. The military's presence, and its clashes with the Bostonians, eventually led to the Boston Massacre.
The massacre played right into Adams' hands. With blood in the streets, Adams and the Town Meeting demanded Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson withdraw the troops from Boston and arrest the soldiers involved in the Massacre. Samuel Adams's own cousin, John Adams, defended the troops during their trial, winning the majority of them 'not guilty' verdicts.
Failing to come to a resolution with the royal government regarding the highly taxed imported tea, colonists took direct action. On December 16, 1773, colonists stormed from Old South Meeting House to Griffin's Wharf and destroyed over 300 chests of tea.
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| Actor Danny Huston from HBO's John Adams miniseries. |
Adams praised this act of resistance, writing, "You cannot imagine the height of joy that sparkles in the eyes and animates the countenances as well as the hearts of all we meet on this occasion."
Parliament's response to this event came in 1774 with the Coercive Acts, later known as the Intolerable Acts. The Acts closed the port of Boston, stripped Massachusetts of its charter, limited town meetings to one a year, and stationed troops within Boston itself. The First Continental Congress formed in response to this alarming escalation, with Samuel Adams representing Massachusetts as one of its delegates.
Samuel Adams encouraged his fellow revolutionary, Joseph Warren, to create an opposition government in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. When Adams returned to Massachusetts, he joined the Provincial Congress in Concord, staying in Lexington with John Hancock. When British troops marched on Concord to destroy stored weapons, Adams and Hancock met with the militia gathering at Lexington Green. Their encouragement helped to spark the resulting Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Fleeing to Philadelphia, Adams and Hancock joined the Second Continental Congress. With fighting underway, Adams came out strongly in favor of independence rather than reconciliation. Like many of the other delegates, Samuel Adams signed the Declaration of Independence.
As war continued, Samuel Adams returned to Massachusetts in 1779 to help draft Massachusetts' new constitution before retiring from the Continental Congress in 1781. He remained active in politics after the Revolution, becoming Lieutenant Governor under John Hancock from 1789 to 1793. After Hancock's death, Adams won the governorship for himself, serving from 1793 to his retirement in 1797. Adams passed away on October 2, 1803 in Boston."
And then there's the beer association - so how did Sam Adams become so associated with beer?
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| Perhaps the current most recognizable image of Samuel Adams. But I've read it's not Sam Adam's likeness - I've heard it's Paul Revere's! Then again, the Sam Adams Company says it is Sam Adam's portrait! In fact... "That is Sam Adams on the label! Though Sam's pose is a dead ringer for the famous painting of Paul Revere, a recent issue of Boston Beer's newsletter features a picture of a Boston statue of Sam, and the facial features are indeed authentic to the statue. So much for the conspiracy theories." |
More than two centuries after the Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, sparked a political revolution, another Bostonian attempted to launch a revolution of his own; this time in the brewing industry.
On Patriots’ Day 1985 (April 19), as the opening battles of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord were being re-enacted, Boston Beer Company Founder Jim Koch introduced his new craft beer at about 35 bars and restaurants in Boston. Koch, a sixth-generation brewer, used the same family recipe developed by his great-great-grandfather in the 1860s to brew Louis Koch Lager in St. Louis, Missouri. But rather than reviving the family name on the brew, Koch instead chose to name his beer after his favorite revolutionary patriot—and brewer—Samuel Adams.
It’s unclear if Adams himself was a brewer, but colonial records reveal that he was at least a maltster and involved in the beer business. A 1751 advertisement in the Boston Evening Post read, “Strong beer, or malt for those who incline to brew it themselves; to be sold by Samuel Adams, at a very reasonable rate.”
Other research tells me that: "Lauren Clark, author of Crafty Bastards: Beer in New England from the Mayflower to Modern Day. “Malting wasn’t what Sam Adams was into,” she says. “He was more into starting a revolution and being a politician.”
Within years of inheriting his father’s malt house, the business was bankrupt and the building itself began to crumble. The family estate was put up for public auction, but Adams successfully intimidated anyone who thought of buying it. His political opponents seized upon his business failures and mocked him as “Sam the Maltster.”
Adams found his calling as the charismatic firebrand who fanned the flames of independence. He proved more adept at politics rather than in business."
(This came from a variety of sources)
So, yeah, I am interested in finding a Samuel Adams decanter to match or come close to the other Founders I have in my collection. They should've done one back in 1976.
Sadly, Samuel Adams is even less known today.
But then, there's the beer...
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These decanters are perhaps my favorite set of collectibles.
Needless to say, nothing here broke my pocketbook. All together they were still cheaper than buying a pair of infield tickets to a Detroit Tigers baseball game...especially if the price for parking is including.
It is my opinion that the period of our country's founding is perhaps the most important part of America's history, and to instill this knowledge and pride in our youth is of utmost importance.
I suppose it's part of my---er---our job to keep the founders familiar to the youth of today.
Purchasing patriotic collectibles, including any of these quality decanters/bottles, kinda puts me in a happy place. It's a neat collection to have. Yeah, so my house is cluttered. Who cares? It's not dirty - I just have lotsa stuff!
Then again - - I suppose I'm sort of a living decanter myself, though I'm not filled with whiskey! lolol
I would say I'm filled with Root Beer!
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| Paul Revere tells of his adventures... |
The following is a true story that happened in 2017 while stopping for a quick bite when returning home from a reenactment taking place in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I was still in my colonial clothes:
"Next stop, the Arby's near the Indiana-Michigan border on I-69.
Still in our period clothing, the young girl behind the counter would glance up at us, then lower her eyes, only to glance up again.
A few minutes later our order was up. I asked the worker if she knew what decade I represented, and if she couldn't guess correctly then maybe I get my food for free. The counter-girl responded with, "you're the guy with the kite!" At that point, a customer in the dining area spoke up, "You mean Ben Franklin! ---'The guy with the kite'---sheesh!"
You can't make this stuff up! Doesn't sound like she was paying too much attention in history class.
Until next time, see you in time.
Here is a sort of Passion for the Past guide of links to further research our Nation's past:
There was not just one thing that lead up to the Declaration. It was much more complicated.
It was initially known as The Bloody Massacre, but in the early part of the 19th century it became known as the Boston Massacre, I try to give a good overview of not only the massacre itself, but also what lead up to it and a bit of the trial afterward.
For a blog post, this is a fairly in-depth (though not encyclopedic) look at what happened on the 5th of March in 1770; an overview from a variety of sources of the occurrences. So many are so unaware of what actually happened - it is my hope that maybe this posting could help to teach those who are somewhat unaware or even unfamiliar of the story of the Boston Massacre and events leading up to it, beginning with the Stamp Act.
December 16, 1773 was an evening not to be forgot!
This post not only gives a history lesson on the Boston Tea Party, but also talks about the 250th commemoration that took place in December 2023. Plus a bit about the tea that was dumped.
This is the best part of research for me. By combing through and utilizing the diaries, journals, letters, newspapers/broadsides, and remembrances from those who were there and actually saw the Battle of Lexington & Concord as it happened - actual witnesses of the horrific occurrences of this date which will also live in infamy - and then putting these tales into a concise format to help tell the story from a unique perspective, it is easy to be drawn into the tumultuous world of the men & women who made up the founding generation - those who were there and saw one of the most famous battles known to mankind. Nearly every word in this post came from the quill of those who were there - - - - history comes to life!!
Declaring Independence: The Spirits of '76 - I had a conversation with Benjamin Franklin for this posting. Check it out and see! There is a lot of cool information and pictures about the writing of the Declaration and of those who signed it. In fact, there is a list of all 56 signers.
Unsung Patriots: The Printing of the Declaration of Independence - We have all heard on how those who signed the Declaration of Independence were putting their own lives on the line by signing such a treasonous document, right? But what about those who printed it? They were also putting their lives on the line as well. And just how did they spread the word and distribute this most important of all America's papers? How long did it take to get it from the printer's to other cities and towns?
Yep---you'll find the answers here!
The Great Declaration of July 4th, 1776: Reactions From Those Who Were There - So now we've learned about the Declaration of Independence and of its printing in the above posts. But how did the public respond when they first heard it??
Independence Day: A "Passion for the Past" History of This Grand Holiday - Let's find out some of the causes for the Founding Generation to want to claim Independence from Britain, and what were some of the events that occurred?
Here is a post of links to other postings I wrote on those issues.
August 2nd, 1776: The Signing of the Declaration of Independence - Contrary to popular belief, the Declaration was not signed on the 4th of July.
Wha---?
Yep--it's true. Here, click the link and see for yourself.
With Liberty and Justice For All - A pretty amazing collection of American history, many of the earlier items displayed here were a part of the The Struggle and the Glory exhibit from the Bicentennial year of 1976. Most people have little idea of the early American history that is in The Henry Ford Museum.
Liberty or Death
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