Today’s the Brown-Forman founder’s birthday. Born in Munfordville, Ky., on Sept. 2, 1846, Brown moved to Louisville in 1862, where he attended Male High School. He worked as a pharmaceuticals salesman until starting the future whiskey giant in 1870 with the original Old Forester brand, when he was 24 years old. Brown married Amelia Bryant Owsley in 1876, and they had two children, Owsley and Robinson. George died Jan. 24, 1917 and is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.

His death at age 70 was front-page news the following day in The Courier-Journal:

Related: With this year’s batch of commemorative Birthday Bourbon, there’s more to celebrate than ever.