Jim Beam and The Abbey of Gethsemani: Or, Mr. Burl's Road Trip to Nelson County

When the news broke last week that Jim Beam had been purchased by a Japanese company, we knew immediately what excerpt from Mr. Burl’s writings we wanted to share with everyone.   You see, as a teenager, Mr. Burl spent some time in Colonel James B. Beam’s home.  He also spent time in the intelligence branch of the U.S. Army Air Force (as it was called at that time) in the Pacific theater during WWII, and he lived forever after with the concern that the Japanese, after their loss, would exact their revenge upon the United States through economic one-upmanship.  So, needless to say, he would not be a bit happy about the Japanese owning such a prestigious American label as Jim Beam, especially when he had such a wonderful memory of the company’s namesake.

But let’s put all worries about global politics and economic warfare aside for the moment and enjoy this tale about a local boy’s visit to Bardstown, where he met the renowned whiskey maker and a group of monks – all in the same trip!

From the journals: 

At the age of sixteen, I had the pleasure of driving three elderly men to Bardstown, KY.   Mr. Lee Brother, Mr. Clarence McCallister, and Mr. Hugh Cox were making the trip but none could drive, so they invited me.  Upon our arrival in Bardstown, we checked in at the historic Talbott Inn.  Cousin Hugh was reared in Nelson County and was a close friend of Mr. Jim Beam.  He called Mr. Beam from the Talbott Inn and informed him that we had arrived in town, so Mr. Jim invited Cousin Hugh to come visit in his home.  He thanked Mr. Beam but stated that he had a sixteen year old boy with him.   Mr. Beam then invited Cousin Hugh to come on and bring the boy with him.  I, of course, was the boy. To me, this was “big doings,” getting to spend several days in the home of a millionaire as they were very, very scarce in the early 1930’s. 

On that same trip, we also visited the Gethsemani Monastery.   The monks of that order did not speak to anyone; however, a guide who was a monk directed tours through the beautiful buildings.  All of us thought it strange that the monks would not speak to us, but Mr. Lee Brother, who was a lot of fun, was much impressed with their ability to never say a word.  We would meet them in the corridors and other parts of the buildings, but they never, ever, spoke.  Mr. Brother would say to me invariably as we met them, “It seems that they could at least say, ‘Hello.’”

              As we left the monastery late that afternoon, driving down a narrow country road, we met a herd of milk cows driven by one of the monks.  Mr. Lee spotted the monk and leaned out the window.  As we came alongside, Mr. Lee blatantly said to the monk, “Hi, Pard!”  He thought he was slipping up on the monk and that by taking him by surprise, the monk would answer, but Mr. Lee Brother’s tactic did not work and his scheme failed. 
             If Mr. Burl was only sixteen when he made this trip to Nelson County, the year would have been 1932, the year before Prohibition ended, and while he recalls Colonel Beam being a millionaire,  the reality is that Prohibition had greatly reduced the Beam family's wealth by that time.  In all likelihood, he still probably held many of the outward displays of his past wealth:  a fine house and a nice car, for example.  More importantly perhaps, his attitude never changed - he was as pleasant and confident as always according to those who knew him,  traits that no doubt helped mask his financial woes.  People in Nelson County, however, had evidently quit saying "he's as rich as Jim Beam" in regard to someone who was doing well financially. 
             Hope you enjoyed this story and we also hope you're surviving this wicked winter weather.  Stay safe and warm. ~ Ginger