Antedating of "Root Beer"

[Shapiro, Fred]

root beer (OED 1840)

1815 _Dedham Gazette_ 4 Aug. 4 (America's Historical Newspapers)  From the MASSACHUSETTS SPY ... She makes no use of salt, because it dries up the fountain of life; and always keeps by her plenty of rhubard, motherwort, yellow-dock, and root beer, to keep the blood in order.

Fred Shapiro

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