Martin Wilkes Heron
Encyclopedia
Martin Wilkes Heron was an Irish American
bartender
, saloon
-keeper, and liquor manufacturer best known for creating the liqueur known as Southern Comfort
.
Heron was, born in St. Louis, Missouri
, the son of an immigrant boat-builder.
According to the Brown-Forman Corporation
(manufacturers of Southern Comfort), in the early 1870's Heron was living in New Orleans, working as a liquor rectifier and bar tender. According to company "legend" Heron created the formula for Southern Comfort
(reportedly originally known as "Cuffs and Buttons") in 1874 while working at Arthur McCauley’s saloon at the southeast corner of the intersection of Richard Street and South Peters Street in the Lower Garden District
section of New Orleans.
By 1883 Heron had returned to St. Louis, where he was employed by A.M. Hellman & Company Liquor Wholesalers. Helman & Co. was a partnership owned by Abraham Hellman and Myer Harris, located at 122 Pine St. in downtown St. Louis. Heron lived at 3004 Pine.
He later moved to Memphis, Tennessee
, where he operated as a "Liquor Dealer". Heron's Memphis business (and residence) was located at 515 Main St. In 1889 Heron patented his formula, and began selling it in sealed bottles with the slogans, "W.H. Heron's Famous Southern Comfort" and "None Genuine But Mine". By 1890, Heron hired an assistant, Grant M. Peoples who served as clerk and book keeper. Peoples worked with him for the rest of his life, producing and marketing Southern Comfort.
By 1910 Heron returned to St. Louis, Missouri
, where he operated a drinking establishment on the St Louis river front and continued to market Southern Comfort. He served a "St. Louis Cocktail" which included Southern Comfort. His bar featured a sign which informed patrons: "Two per customer. No Gentleman would ask for more." Mr. Heron's "saloon" was famed for the high quality of his liquors, its "ante-bellum gentility", and the host's skill as a raconteur.
Gould's St Louis Red Book (a city business directory) located Heron's saloon at 319 Pine Street near the St. Louis riverfront. The former location of Heron's tavern is approximately 1000 feet from the north leg of Gateway Arch
at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
(the current day location of the garden cafe at the St. Louis Crowne Plaza Hotel).
In his old age, Wilkes lived at 4950 McPherson Ave, in a St. Louis neighborhood now known as the Central West End
. Martin Wilkes Heron died in St. Louis on April 17, 1920. He left an estate valued in excess of $90,000 (in 1921) with the majority of assets being distributed to family members. His Pine street establishment and his liquor patents were left to his business associate Mr. Peoples. Heron is buried in St. Louis' Calvary Cemetery
Martin Wilkes Heron is buried in his family plot in Calvary Roman Catholic Cemetery. Martin W. Heron does not have an individual headstone, but his grave lies directly in front of the family plot marker, which is topped by an individual stone dedicated to his sister Margaret.
In 1904 Heron was awarded a Gold Medal for Southern Comfort at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
(the St. Louis World's Fair).
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
, saloon
Saloon
Saloon may refer to:* Saloon , a style of car body.* Saloon , a musical group.* Western saloon, a historical style of American bar.* Bar , a venue for alcoholic beverage consumption....
-keeper, and liquor manufacturer best known for creating the liqueur known as Southern Comfort
Southern Comfort
Southern Comfort is an American liqueur made from neutral spirits with fruit, spice and whiskey flavourings. The brand was originally created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans in 1874, and is now owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation...
.
Heron was, born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, the son of an immigrant boat-builder.
According to the Brown-Forman Corporation
Brown-Forman Corporation
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.Some well-known brands of the corporation include Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Canadian Mist, Early Times, Old Forester, and Korbel champagne.-...
(manufacturers of Southern Comfort), in the early 1870's Heron was living in New Orleans, working as a liquor rectifier and bar tender. According to company "legend" Heron created the formula for Southern Comfort
Southern Comfort
Southern Comfort is an American liqueur made from neutral spirits with fruit, spice and whiskey flavourings. The brand was originally created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans in 1874, and is now owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation...
(reportedly originally known as "Cuffs and Buttons") in 1874 while working at Arthur McCauley’s saloon at the southeast corner of the intersection of Richard Street and South Peters Street in the Lower Garden District
Lower Garden District, New Orleans
Lower Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St...
section of New Orleans.
By 1883 Heron had returned to St. Louis, where he was employed by A.M. Hellman & Company Liquor Wholesalers. Helman & Co. was a partnership owned by Abraham Hellman and Myer Harris, located at 122 Pine St. in downtown St. Louis. Heron lived at 3004 Pine.
He later moved to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where he operated as a "Liquor Dealer". Heron's Memphis business (and residence) was located at 515 Main St. In 1889 Heron patented his formula, and began selling it in sealed bottles with the slogans, "W.H. Heron's Famous Southern Comfort" and "None Genuine But Mine". By 1890, Heron hired an assistant, Grant M. Peoples who served as clerk and book keeper. Peoples worked with him for the rest of his life, producing and marketing Southern Comfort.
By 1910 Heron returned to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, where he operated a drinking establishment on the St Louis river front and continued to market Southern Comfort. He served a "St. Louis Cocktail" which included Southern Comfort. His bar featured a sign which informed patrons: "Two per customer. No Gentleman would ask for more." Mr. Heron's "saloon" was famed for the high quality of his liquors, its "ante-bellum gentility", and the host's skill as a raconteur.
Gould's St Louis Red Book (a city business directory) located Heron's saloon at 319 Pine Street near the St. Louis riverfront. The former location of Heron's tavern is approximately 1000 feet from the north leg of Gateway Arch
Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is in St. Louis, Missouri, near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was designated as a National Memorial by Executive Order 7523, on December 21, 1935, and is maintained by the National Park Service .The park was established to...
(the current day location of the garden cafe at the St. Louis Crowne Plaza Hotel).
In his old age, Wilkes lived at 4950 McPherson Ave, in a St. Louis neighborhood now known as the Central West End
Central West End, St. Louis
The Central West End is an affluent neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri, stretching from Midtown's western edge to Union Boulevard and bordering on Forest Park with its outstanding array of free cultural institutions. It includes the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis on Lindell Boulevard at...
. Martin Wilkes Heron died in St. Louis on April 17, 1920. He left an estate valued in excess of $90,000 (in 1921) with the majority of assets being distributed to family members. His Pine street establishment and his liquor patents were left to his business associate Mr. Peoples. Heron is buried in St. Louis' Calvary Cemetery
Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries
Bellefontaine Cemetery and the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri are adjacent burial grounds, which have numerous historic and extravagant tombstones and mausoleums. They are the necropolis for a number of prominent local and state politicians, as well as soldiers of the...
Martin Wilkes Heron is buried in his family plot in Calvary Roman Catholic Cemetery. Martin W. Heron does not have an individual headstone, but his grave lies directly in front of the family plot marker, which is topped by an individual stone dedicated to his sister Margaret.
Awards
In 1900, the liqueur was awarded a gold medal at the Exposition Universalle (the 1900 Paris World's Fair).In 1904 Heron was awarded a Gold Medal for Southern Comfort at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
(the St. Louis World's Fair).