Ammi and Ezra Williams began operations in 1825, in a log building standing where Ammi Williams, jr., now resides. Nothing now remains of the structure or the apparatus of the still, the last vestige —- a great, heavy, black-walnut trough, into which the still swill was poured —- having been chopped for firewood only two years since. Ammi Williams, sr., died suddenly in 1826. In the following year Ezra Williams, having completed a building at the foot of the east side-hill on the south side of State street, moved his still therein, and continued operations.
The building was a substantial, unpainted frame one, of two stories in height. It was close to the foot of the hill, and afforded a fine basement in which the high-wines and whiskey were stored. The furnace and steam tubs were also below, On the main floor was located the mash tubs and worm, and the second story was used as a grain floor. This structure was afterwards torn down in 1839. Ezra Williams was a very conscientious man. The whiskey he manufactured was absolutely pure, and although even preachers drank in those days, no cases of delirium tremens were ever known to result from even an over-load of this early-day liquor. The whiskey jug had its place with more necessary articles of consumption in the cabin of the settler, and at meal time helped set off the table. The Indians were great imbibers of "fire-water," and bought it at the distillery by the pint, quart or gallon. They were generally very much excited under its influence, and Williams avoided selling to them as much as possible, this course being agreeable to the old chief, Hard Hickory, who was desirous to altogether prevent the sale to them.
The article manufactured was distilled from corn and rye -- two-thirds of the former to one-third of the latter. Copper boilers were not used, but to render it better it was distilled by steam in air-tight wooden tubs or casks. Joseph Edwards was the head distiller, and under his experienced management one bushel of grain produced from eleven to thirteen and one-half quarts of whiskey. From twelve to thirty-three bushels of grain was distilled per day, the distillery running generally all the year round, with from two to three men in attendance. In those days corn was worth from twenty-five to fifty cents per bushel, and rye from sixty to ninety cents. The whiskey retailed at from thirty-five to fifty cents per gallon, and from twenty-eight to forty cents per gallon by wholesale. It was of the color of purest spring water, and held a good bead for the length of a minute. Burnt sugar was the only foreign material used in its composition, and this was introduced to give it the rich, yellow color, indicative of mellow old age.
A treadmill, to do the grinding, was connected with the establishment. Williams also occupied himself with farming, and was necessarily a butcher, as he raised large numbers of hogs and kine on the refuse matter of the still.
It seems that the subject of temperance was little discussed, at least not openly, in those days, and no demonstrations of a crusade nature ever disturbed the serenity of these primitive distillers; but about 1830 a temperance society, known under the name of the Washingtonians, began to exert some influence in the county. Religious revivals were held here in ensuing years, and with this movement the temperance organization grew stronger. In 1837 Ezra Williams joined the church, and the same year, deeming that spiritual and spirituous matters (in spite of the seeming paradox), could not consistently blend together, he, in keeping with his recent profession of faith, abandoned a pursuit which was opening to him a sure road to wealth.
The manufacture of whiskey was of considerable benefit, in a commercial light, to the county. It was the chief source of revenue to the farmers. Corn was then the principal production, and the rates of transportation were so high that any undertaking to convey it to the markets of the East assured financial failure on the part of the operator. The distillery acted as a medium. The corn was sold to the distillers; the whiskey was exchanged for goods with the traders and merchants, and then easily shipped to the metropolis.
Source:
History of Sandusky County, Ohio: with Portraits and Biographies of Prominent Citizens and Pioneers (1882), p425-26
