Williams
Elijah Craig, November 15, 1738 (Orange County, Va.) – May 18, 1808 (Georgetown, Ky.)
VP candidate for Independent (2016)
Running mate with nominee: Evan Williams (1755-1810)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
The ticket of Evan Williams/Elijah Craig was one of the more interesting examples of the business sector using a Presidential election as a marketing venue. The candidates were, or had been, real people but both had died over two centuries prior to the 2016 campaign. Rather than campaigning with imposters in costume, Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky with the help of Ashton Advertising ran the actual deceased gentlemen for office, or perhaps their, heh, "spirits" (get it? [elbow nudge]). In addition to being historical figures, Evan Williams and Elijah Craig are also the label names for bourbon.
The press releases tell the story--
Oct. 19, 2016
Two legends of Bourbon running as American-made Independents
Bardstown, KY – Evan Williams and Elijah Craig kicked off their presidential campaign today from the Bourbon Capitol of the World – Bardstown, Ky. The historical figures started the Bourbon movement campaigning on support for America’s Military, smoothness and responsibility.
“In the current political climate, Rev. Craig and I believe that America’s Future is grounded in our past. As forefathers of the American Whiskey movement, we are seriously good alternatives to the current candidates,” said Mr. Williams.
To kick off their campaign, the two candidates made yard signs available imploring people to “Make American Thirsty Again.” The signs are available at evanwilliams.com beginning today. Proceeds from the sale of the yard signs will support our American Heroes, veterans.
Mr. Williams has been a staunch advocate of veterans through his American Heroes program which supports and highlights the stories of our brave military veterans. He is also an advocate of enjoying Bourbon democratically. “Since 1783, I’ve believed that the best way to enjoy whiskey…is the way you like it.”
Rev. Craig appeals to a sense of good taste grounded in his Southern roots. Always budget conscious, the good reverend is credited with using burned barrels to store his distillate thereby starting an American Whiskey revolution.
“I would appeal to everyone’s sense of good taste and personal responsibility this evening, in particular,” said candidate Williams. “Tonight, enjoy an alternative to the incivility of the presidential campaign with me and perhaps a couple cubes of ice in front of the TV watching America’s pastime.”
The candidates request you make your vote count throughout the campaign at your local beverage retailer. Thanks to twitter.com/brownwaterguy and Louisville-based Ashton Advertising (www.ashtonadvertising.com) for kicking off the Williams-Craig Campaign.
About Heaven Hill Distillery
Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.2 million barrels aging in 52 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the titles of Whisky Magazine’s Distillery of the Year, Whiskey Advocate’s American Whiskey of the Year and Rye Whiskey of the Year from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” For more information, please visit http://www.heavenhill.com/.
Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”
October 27, 2016 – As Americans prepare for the most contentious presidential election in recent memory, with many voters holding their noses to pick one of the two main party candidates, a new ticket is stepping forward to offer an alternative that could appeal to whiskey lovers of all parties. The Evan Williams/Elijah Craig “Make America Thirsty Again” ticket was the brainchild of Louisville advertising agency owner Hill Harcourt and local whiskey blogger Matt Evans, and features two of Kentucky’s Bourbon pioneers.
“He (Matt) made a t-shirt a couple of months back, and as a joke, I made a political sign…tweaked it a bit and printed it, and put it in his front yard when he returned from vacation,” Harcourt says. Evans posted photos of the yard sign on social media, and the campaign took off. “Heaven Hill caught wind of it, and they ordered 200 yard signs and 800 t-shirts!” The company makes both Evan Williams and Elijah Craig Bourbons, and saw the opportunity to have some fun while raising money for charity.
“That’s a good way to make America thirsty,” Heaven Hill president Max Shapira said Wednesday night at an Elijah Craig event in New York City. “You talk about history and heritage and tradition, long experience, names that are associated with quality, you couldn’t find two better names than Evan Williams and Elijah Craig.” Heaven Hill is selling the yard signs through the Evan Williams web site for $12.99 each, with proceeds to be donated to charities that benefit military veterans. According to Shapira, the site has already sold several hundred signs, and Harcourt’s Ashton Advertising agency is selling them as well.
Harcourt says the idea has become so popular that knockoffs are already appearing. “It’s all in fun…we basically were trying to figure out a third candidate based on the two choices we have right now, and not a lot of people are happy with that. It’s kind of fun seeing more of those signs that we did than Trump or Hillary ones, ’cause people are afraid to put them in their yards ’cause who knows what’s going to happen to their house.” Plans are already in the works for a post-election campaign project, but Harcourt won’t give any specifics yet.
As for Williams and Craig, a Heaven Hill news release quoted Williams as saying “In the current political climate, Rev. Craig and I believe that America’s Future is grounded in our past. As forefathers of the American Whiskey movement, we are seriously good alternatives to the current candidates.”
It should be pointed out that both Williams and Craig have been dead for nearly 200 years, which would pose an impediment to their being able to take office if elected. It should also be pointed out that the ticket does not appear on any state’s ballot, though that would not preclude someone from casting “write-in” votes for Williams and Craig.
The Welsh born Evan Williams was not only an early Kentucky distiller, but also a stonemason and harbor master. He actually held political office as well, in the capacity of a member of Louisville's Board of Trustees.
Elijah Craig was an active Baptist preacher and political activist who had worked with the likes of Patrick Henry and James Madison. He migrated from Virginia to Kentucky and became one of the early pillars of the Georgetown, Ky. area. Among his many civic contributions was the construction of a distillery, perhaps the achievement for which he is the most widely remembered.
John Taylor in his A History of Ten Baptist Churches (1827) summed up his view of Craig thusly--
In a very large association, in Virginia, Elijah Craig was among the most popular, for a number of years. His preaching was of the most solemn style, his appearance, as a man who had just come from the dead, of a delicate habit, a thin visage, large eyes and mouth, of great readiness of speech, the sweet melody of his voice, both in preaching and singing, bore all down before it; and when his voice was extended, it was like the loud sound of a sweet trumpet. The great favor of his preaching, commonly brought many tears from the hearers, and many, no doubt, were turned to the Lord by his preaching. He was several times a prisoner of the Lord for preaching. He came to Kentucky later than his brothers. His turn for speculation did harm every way. He was not as great a peacemaker in the church as his brother Lewis, and that brought trouble on him. But from all his troubles he was relieved by death, when perhaps he did not much exceed sixty years of age, after serving in the ministry, say forty years.
John Henderson Spencer in A History of Kentucky Baptists (1885) included--
Elijah Craig continued a career of eminent usefulness till 1786, when he removed to Kentucky. This move was unfortunate, both for the cause of Christ and himself. He was an enterprising business man. The new country offered excellent facilities for profitable speculation. The temptation was too strong. He was soon overwhelmed in worldly business. He bought one thousand acres of land, and laid off a town on it, at first called Lebanon, but afterwards, Georgetown. The speculation succeeded. He erected a saw and grist mill, then the first fulling mill, the first rope works, and the first paper mill in Kentucky. It seems that he had no intention to abandon the ministry, but vainly imagined that he could serve God and mammon both. He became irritable, and indulged a spirit of fault finding.
... He wrote two pamphlets, one to prove that a settled pastor of a church is not entitled to any compensation for his services in that capacity. The other was titled "A Portrait of Jacob Creath." They were both written in a bad spirit, and the latter is said to have been exceedingly bitter. This not only involved him in much trouble, but threw the whole of Elkhorn Association into confusion, and resulted in much harm to the cause of Christ. But it would be unprofitable to follow him through his varied and annoying conflicts. He continued to preach till near the time of his departure. He was accused of no immorality except his petulant fault finding; and it is confidently believed that he was a child of God, and a sincere man; but he allowed satan to take advantage of the weakness of the flesh, and do him much harm.
Election history: none
Other occupations: Baptist preacher, businessman, philanthropist, fire chief, author
Buried: Stamping Ground Baptist Church Cemetery (Stamping Ground, Ky.)
Notes:
Seagram's Captain Morgan character ran for President in 2000 and 2004, so the subgenre of alcohol industry figures running for office had already been established.
