What date was rootbeer made?

There are conflicting opinions on when the term root beer originated. Some believe it can be traced back to 1840 when a man by the name of Mr. Brown began selling a sassafras-flavored concoction in Philadelphia, while others believe it was Charles Elmer Hires, a Philadelphia chemist, who created root beer in 1876. Hires is often called the "Father of Root Beer" and was the first to market the beverage in a glass bottle with a distinctive root beer label.