Cato Alexander (c. 1780–1858) was a freedman and bartender. Cato was born a slave in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
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* ...
, where he was forced to work in an inn where he frequently waited on
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
.
After gaining his freedom in 1799, he continued to work in hotels and inns, before opening his own bar, Cato's Tavern, located on what is now the site of
2nd Avenue, 54th Street in
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
.
Famed Irish actor
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...
considered him "foremost amongst cullers of mint ... for
julep" and "second to no man as a compounder of cock-tail."
He was known for his expertise in crafting punches as well. The ''New York Post'' published a poem in celebration of his wedding.
Alexander's tavern closed in the 1840s, following a series of bad loans to his customers. He briefly opened a smaller restaurant, which lasted only a year.
Some cocktail historians consider him to be "America's first celebrity bartender."
References
{{reflist
American_bartenders
1858 deaths
1780s births