January, 1868 : Two Northern Baltimore grocers - John Wight and William Lentz - started this distillery as a small operation. Soon, Edward Hyatt expanded it, thanks in part to a deal with the U.S. army which wanted Sherwood Pure Rye for medicinal use. 
Source: http://pre-prowhiskeymen.blogspot.com/2011/07/sherwood-distillery-and-family-feud.html