The J & F Laval Distillery
RD #32, 7 th District
Woodford County, KY

The distillery was established ca. 1834 or earlier on the site of a large spring (the Johnson Miller spring) by Johnson Miller. The still produced the "Old Johnson Mlller" brand.

1843 (1849?): Miller joined the gold rush to California and sold out to Jacob & Ferdinand Laval. They produced about 500 barrels annually.

1892: The Lavals sold to Jno. T Barbee., who discontinued the Old Johnson Miller brand and sold the output of the still as "Old Barbee", a product of Jno. T Barbee & Co.

Insurance underwriter records compiled in 1892 suggest that the distillery was of frame construction. The property included a tobacco barn located 15 ft east of the still, and a cattle barn 100 ft west. There were three warehouses:
Warehouse A -- an old stone warehouse now serving as a cistern room.
Warehouse B -- iron-clad with a metal or slate roof, located 330 ft NE of the still.
Warehouse C -- iron-clad with a metal or slate roof, located 200 ft NE of the still.

The insurance records show that the still was owned by John T Barbee, late J & F Laval.

1900: Barbee died but the distillery continued under the control of the Jno. T Barbee Co.

1912: The President of Jno. T Barbee Co. (Herman F Volkerding) dies and the company merges with John C Weller Co., also of Louisville The company name remains Jno. T Barbee Co., but John C Weller was President and Ed. M Babbitt Vice President.

After 1921 when remaining whiskey had been moved to the Stagg concentration warehouse and bottled for medical use, the plant was partially dismantled. Schenley acquired the Old Barbee brand along with the Stagg plant and used it for a short period about 1934. (Coyte papers, cited in OASG).

Review bonded warehouse transactions for this distillery