B
est known as the favorite nephew and heir
of Jack Daniel, proprietor of Jack Daniel’s
distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Lem Motlow
was also an accomplished breeder of Tennessee
Walking Horses. Throughout his life, Lem was an
admirer of horses, fancier of blooded cattle, and a
producer of quality mules. In the 1930s he turned
his attention to Tennessee Walking Horses, which
he believed greatly benefited from the influence of
saddle horse blood.
Lured by the gaits of Tom Hays’ old Roe’s Chief
F-35, a five-gaited champion, Lem became a pioneer
of crossing that strain of saddle horse with the
Allens of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed. His
great bay stallion, King O’ Chiefs was by Roe’s
Chief F-35 by Bourbon Chief by Harrison Chief,
which was a line known for their speed and action.
King O’ Chiefs, who was retired to stud in 1937 after
an undefeated career competing in gaited classes,
produced Chief ’s Allen who was out of Mary Queen
O’Allens. Chief ’s Allen was the reserve champion
stallion at the 1939 Celebration. Shown 23 times as a
three-year-old, Chief ’s Allen won a total of 20 blue
ribbons.
As a breeding stallion, Chief ’s Allen produced
Belle Of Bedford, a strawberry roan filly who
walked her way to weanling and yearling blues at
the 1939 Celebration and the 1939 Tennessee State
Fair before embarking on successful careers under
saddle and as a broodmare.
In addition to the get of King O’ Chiefs and
Chief ’s Allen, Lem Motlow was the proud breeder
and owner of Fairy Queen O’Chiefs, a mare out of
Mary Queen O’Allens and by Roe’s Chief F-35. By
the time she was nine years old, this talented mare
had won 200 ribbons, 150 of which were championships.
A true Tennessee Gentleman, Lem Motlow embraced the Tennessee Walking Horse. The care and
commitment he put into producing top quality
stock mirrored the care and commitment he put into
distilling the finest Tennessee Whiskey.
–Sarah Gee
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