History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 34

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania > Part 34

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So Mulin Kingles

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THE BUTLER OIL FIELD.

ducer, for the time, was struck on Muddy creek, and one by the Clark Company near the village of Wurtemburg. In May, 1865, the well on the Robert Glenn farm, in Marion township, then owned by Robert Vanderlin, was drilled ; while a well was being put down at Buhl's mill in Forward township.

The officers of the Butler County Oil Company, in August, 1865, were Jacob Ziegler, president ; William Campbell, vice-president ; L. J. Cummings, treasurer ; L. Z. Mitchell, secretary ; John Berg, W. O. Brackenridge, Charles McCandless, John N. Purviance and Milton Henry, directors, and HI. J. Klingler, superintendent. James Bredin, Dr. Stephen Bredin, John M. Thompson, Alex- ander Lowry and James Campbell were also stockholders. They leased 12,000 acres of land between Martinsburg and Millerstown, and, indeed, came to control the lands from Millerstown to Herman. Five wells were commenced by this company, but not one was driven to the Butler sand, and thus, in an ocean of oil, they found only disappointment. The company dissolved, a new one organized and a second failure was recorded for the Butler men. This did not deter them, for in later days the names of all these men are found identified with successful operations.

A well was drilled at West Sunbury immediately after the Civil war, and the Sunbury Oil Company made their first sale of oil at Pittsburg in September, 1866, receiving $1, 100 for the first product of their two wells in Butler county.

C. D. Angell who, in 1867 was operating on the " Island Property," at Srub- grass, cast his eyes over other fields. Ile found at Foster, northeast of Srub- grass, the same conformation of soil and rock as on the " Island Property." In a southwestern direction, he found every indication of oil on a line extending to Harmony, through Bull valley and Prospect, and in a western direction on a line between Raymilton and Slippery Rock.

In 1868 the Butler borough men re-entered the field, under the name of Jacob's Oil Company, so called in honor of Capt. Jacob Ziegler, who never for a moment lost faith in Butler county as an oil field. The members of this company were Herman J. Berg, William Vogeley, James Bredin, R. L. Black, William Campbell, J. C. Redick, A. M. Neyman, Mr -. Judge Bredin, Rev. Laughlin, L. Z. Mitchell, Edward Lyon, J. Q. A. Kennedy, J. B. Storey, Mrs. E. Lyon, Milton Henry, N. S. Thompson, I. J. Cummings, Robert Black, Sr., and Jacob Ziegler. In February, 1869, oil responded to the drill in the Martinsburg well, but they did not observe a little sign like that and went down 100 feet below the producing sand. Time solves everything, and, in this instance showed the super- intendent that the pump was far below the sand. Gradually it was lifted until three barrels a day were produced, when the tools were removed and the well shot. A flow of sixty barrels rewarded the energy and industry of this com- pany, gave to Butler county her first paying well and demonstrated the fact that she possessed oil fields worth cultivating. In 1872, Robert Black purchased the lease and well for $1,000, and it continued a small producer until 1850.

The first well at Parker's Landing, known as Clarion Number 1, was pumped for the first time October 25, 1865, and yielded eighteen barrels a day down to 1869, when it became a twenty-five barrel producer. In July, 1569, there were twenty-five producing wells in the Parker's Landing oil field, yield- 18

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

ing 310 barrels daily. At the close of that month there were twenty-two wells rigging and eighteen wells drilling, so that the total in August was sixty-four. Before the close of August the old town of Lawrenceburg was invaded by the vanguard of the drillers, and many citizens of Butler went thither to share in the work and profits. Oil agreements were printed in the newspaper offices of Butler and everything pointed toward busy days. By the middle of November. 1869, there were 1.05> wells in the Parker and Lawrenceburg field. The first fire was reported November 21, when the Enterprise Well, above the Landing, was destroyed. It was the property of J. W. Christy, John M. Thompson, Allen Wilson, W. K. Potts and other Butler men. With the exception of the J. E. Brown well at Parker City, $79 feet above ocean level, and the Sulpher Water well on Thorn creek, 942 feet above ocean level, the well mouths ranged from 1,036 feet at the " Parsons " near Farrentown, to 1.490 feet above ocean level at the Columbia Number 3, on the Redick farm.

The Valley well at Church run, on Fullerton Parker's farm. was completed in January, 1870, for M. E. Adams, John Scott, John M. Thompson. George Pur- viance. B. C. Huselton and William McClung. The Barnes and Terrell well near by. and the new well on Bear creek. above its mouth, were completed also in January. ISTO. Before the close of the month, a five-barrel well was struck at Martinsburg, and excitement existed on account of discoveries on Thorn creek. The Berg well, on the Farren farm, owned by S. D. Karns, Herman J. Berg. Dr. Bredin. J. C. Redick. Louis Roessing. Martin Riesenman, John Dougherty. Mrs. Stein and C. P. Lippert, and the Atlantic well in that neighborhood, owned by Patrick Mc Bride and others, were reported in February, 1870.

The Thorn Creek Oil Company was organized February 2. 1570, with Harvey Osborn, president ; Franci- Laube, secretary : E. A. Helmbold, superintendent ; E. F. Adderhold, treasurer; J. M. Dowler and H. T. Merkel, auditors, and R. M. Donthett and Jame- Gribben, business managers, The " Maple Shade." near Risk village. 1.319 feet above ocean level : the Isabell, on Thorn creek ; the .. Wal- nut Shade," on the Fox farm, near Emlenton, and the " Church Run," on the Marshall farm, above the Valley well, came in in March, 1870. Then followed the " Golden Gate," owned by Butler men, and the . Shepard," near Lawrence- burg ; the .. Wyona." on the Farren farm, and the " Number 12," south of Bear creek, the " Northwest," the " Cataract," the " Eclipse." and others.

In April, 1 70, oil was discovered on the Aaron Beery farm, in Middlesex township : the wells on the Anchor farm, near Fowler run, owned by James Sut- ton and other Butler county men ; the ". McClelland." on the Farren farm, owned by Dr. McClelland and the Karns Brothers ; the " Youghiogheny," near Law- renceburg, and the Smith and Stewart well on the Fowler farm, came in early in April. The Glade Run and Cherry Valley Oil Company was organized that month. The "Dingbat." near the old furnace : the " Hoover." and the " California," on Bear wreck ; the 300 barrel well at Brady's Bend, drilled 1,261 feet : the " Rush." the ". Washington" and the " Turk and Shira." came in during the first half of 1-70. In July. the ". Cannon " well, on Great Bear creek : the " Dingbat " and the ". MeClintock," were promising properties. In August, the Parsons Brothers struck oil near Farrentown, on the Martinsburg road, their "Maggie." "Armstead"

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THE BUTLER OIL FIELD.

and " Parsons " becoming fine producers. The " Millbrook," on lease Number 7, Conley farm, was owned by Dr. Guthrie and William Gill, of Butler ; the " Estella," on the Logue farm, was owned by Dr. Cowden and Jacob Ziegler : while " Eudora, Number 2," on the Bailey farm,' was owned by Dr. Cowden, S. HI. Bailey and Newton, of Portersville. The " Nancy Adams," on the John B. Leonard farm, in Parker township, and the " Mullen," or " Glory Hole," were twenty barrel producers in October, 1870.

The MeGee & Atwell well known as " Ida May," on the Farren farm ; the "Oak" on the Robinson farm, owned by General Purviance, and the " Olive." on the same farm, came in October, 1870. In drilling the Cherry Valley well. in Venango township, down to 650 feet in November, 1870, the same sands were discovered as exist at Parker's Landing. The Wolf Creek Oil and Salt Testing Company, presided over by C. O. Kingsbury, of Centreville, began operations late in 1870. The Thorn Creek Oil Company had drilled to 800 feet, striking a heavy flow of gas.

The Wolf Creek well Number 1, drilled in 1870, for a Centreville syndicate. was abandoned at a little over $00 feet, the tools being stuck, the fishing tackle lost, and the heavy flow of gas driving back the workers. On one occasion a column of water was raised 100 feet above the derrick ; so that Number 1. though a financial disappointment, was at that time, a phenomena worth the expense.

In 1871 the same company drilled at a point in the hollow, near the creek. two miles northwest of Centreville. After the drill passed through six feet of fer- riferous limestone, slate, shale and sand were encountered down to 425 feet, where a thirty-five feet bed of sandstone was stuck. At 835 feet, a red rock eighty feet thick, was penetrated, then a shallow sandstone, and next a 231 feet bed of slate, with a show of oil at 1,080 feet. Grey sandstone was found at 1,182 to 1,152 feet, then ninety feet of slate, eighty feet of red slate and a 100 feet of black slate, brings the record down to 1, 122 feet of the 1, 123 penetrated. Beyond a -light flow of gas, this venture was only productive of geological knowledge.

Some years prior to the opening of the Bald Ridge oil field, or as early as 1×70, a well was drilled on the Muller farm, near Zelienople, to a depth of 25 feet ; but nothing further was done to develop this section until the eighties.

A man named Whann made a second attempt to find oil at Millerstown in 1870, but, in the language of the Daily Sand Pump, " he got no farther than to have the rig partly built, when a two-inch plank, falling on the head of the con- tractor, put a quietus on operations for two years."

The " Preston," the " Overly," the " Antwerp." and " Island King, Num- ber 2," proved producers in January, 1871; in May, the Adam Ritzert well in Oakland township, drilled in 1866, showed the existence of oil and this discovery led many to predict that Butler county would yet prove an extensive oil field. Striking sand-rock near Buffalo furnace, at a depth of 1,400 feet, and the drilling of new wells round Martinsburg, in August, 1871, showed that the time for pre- dicting was past and that oil reservoirs existed in many places throughout the county.

In October. 1871. the " Borland " well on the Robert Black farm : the . Ben- nett" on the Stone House farm. in Parker township : Badger & Karn's two well-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

at Stone House: the " Heiner" on the Say farm ; the " Lambing" on the Fletcher farm, and a new well on the Martin farm, marked the progress in the Martinsburg field. At that time the Thorn Creek well was down 1.345 teet, the last forty feet being in pebbly rock or stray sand.

The Campbell farm became the front of operations in November, 1>71, when a sixty-five-barrel well responded to the drillers industry. Then the well on the adjoining Walker farm, which in May, 1872, was purchased by B. B. Campbell and Walker Brothers, became noted as a producer. These wells were really the beginnings of the village of Argyle. Within six years the R. D. Campbell farm and the .A. L. Campbell farm were celebrated for at least a dozen of great well -. with openings from 1.156 to 1.171 feet above ocean level.

Early in the spring of 1872, A. W. MeCollough completed the " Maple Shade," on the Widow Hutchison's farm in Parker township, just south of Bear creek. It started off at 100 barrels a day and for a time was known as the greatest producer south of the creek.

The " Lambing " well on the Sheakley farm, the .. Lib." the " Walnut," the "Fannie." the " Collins Number 2," and the .. Milford," on the Milford farm, and the wells on the Jamison farm were all producers in January. 1-72. The Colum- bia Oil Company meeting success on the Redick farm and others on the Hutchison farm, such as the " Maple Shade," already mentioned, north of North Washington, pointed to the extension of the field. In February the Wilt farm, the Campbell farm, the Shepard farm, the Matthew Cannon tract, the Martin farm, and the lands around Martinsburg were literally invaded by the oil men and soon covered with rigs. James Say leased his 100 acres at $200 per acre and one-eighth royalty, while other farmers were equally fortunate in the possession of oil lands. In April the Lambings struck a 100-barrel well on the William Gibson farm near Fairview, and the MePherson well, also on that farm. proved a paying property. Around the new oil town of Argyle, of which A. L. Campbell may be called the father, land was sold from $500 to $1,000 per acre. The principal operators were the Lambing Brother -. B. B. and A. L. Campbell, J. B. Findley. Angell, MeKinney & Nesbitt, and MePherson and Blaney.

In Cherry township, on John Smith's farm ; in Washington township on the farm- of David Stewart and Rumbaugh ; in Clay township, on the J. H. Hind- man farm : in Fairview township, on W. C. Campbell's farm ; in Concord town- ship, at Ralston's mill ; in Donegal township, at Millerstown, and on the Forquer farm : at Boydstown : in Summit township, at James Stephenson's mill, and along Thorn creek, wells were being drilled and the scouts of the oil army were locating lands. Fairview made great advances; in April the " Fannie Jane " was struck, and in May, the village of Petrolia sprung up. On May 31. 1872, oil was found in the S. S. Jamison well, two miles north of Boydstown, the well extending down 1,085 feet to stray sand-rock. This was the first oil discovered on the Connoquenessing. In June, the " Bonny Brook," near the old Brinker mill, was drilled and many wells in the West Sunbury neighborhood were commenced. The burning of $00 barrels of oil, in tank on Bear creek, was one of the first big oil fires in the Butler field.

The MeClymonds farm, now the site of Karns City, became famous as an

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oil field in 1872. In December, 1871, the Cooper Brothers leased fifteen acres of land from Hugh P. McClymonds and fifteen acres from Samuel L. Riddle. The first well was located in the valley near the west line of MeClymonds' farm, and was named the "Shasta." In June, 1872. it was producing 120 barrels a day. On May 29, S. D. Karns had leased for a bonus of $200 an acre and one-eighth oil royalty, the entire 214 acres of the MeClymonds farm, the owner reserving the Cooper lease and fourteen acres surrounding his farm building -. On June 1, Mr. Karns also leased on the same terms, 204 acres from Samuel L. Riddle, who reserved the lease given to Cooper Brothers, and ten acres about his farm build- ings. Oil was then selling at four dollars a barrel. The new strike attracted great attention, and a fierce contention arose among the operators for the posses- sion of the MeClymonds farm. This was finally compromised and on June 15, IS72. MeClymonds sold his farm for $60,000, reserving his farm buildings and the surface of fourteen acres. The purchasers were O. G. Emery. S. D. Karns, William Thompson. William Parker and John HI. Haines. Soon afterwards, Karns City, named in honor of S. D. Karns, sprang up, and became the seat and center of the enterprise and excitement. The fields around the new town, as well as around Petrolia, Fairview, Millerstown and Boydstown, were filled with busy men.

The Morrison well. drilled on the farm of S. S. Jamison, north of Boydstown, by his son-in-law, David Morrison, came in on August 22, 1872, when a tremen- dous flow of oil and gas responded to the drill. Three hours later the rig caught fire and about 200 barrels of oil were consumed. By four o'clock in the evening a tank was in position and the estimated flow was about 700 barrels a day. This soon dropped to 300. then to 200, and by August 30, to 150 barrels. Greece City sprung up as if by magic. the surrounding country was soon dotted with derricks, and several gushers came in later. This was then believed to be a Third -and well, but later developments proved it to be the first Fourth sand well developed in Butler county. The Oilman's Journal of August 31. 1872. referred to the " large oil strike" near Boydstown. Clark Wilson, the editor, recognized the fact that the theories of "Uncle Jake" Ziegler concerning the Butler oil field were correct, and that the Morrison well should be regarded as the beginning of Butler county's new oil development.

On the Troutman farm, at Modoc City, a very fine well was struck, March 23, 1878, which also tapped the Fourth sand, though this fact was then unknown. So much has been said and written in regard to the discovery of this wand in the vicinity of Petrolia and Karns City, and so many conflicting claims made as to whom the honor is due, that we here give the opinion of Hon. A. L. Campbell, of Petrolia. In a letter written us on the subject, he says :

In the latter part of the summer of 1873, Foster Hindman, William Banks, Charles C. Stewart and John H. Gailey drilled a well on the Scotts heirs farm, near the corners of the McEleer and J. B. Campbell farms, west of Karns City, and when deep enough, as they thought, there was but little show of oil. Tack, Morehead & Company had fin- ished Number 1. McEleer, near by where I was superintendent of the farm and part owner, and had kept a record of the stratas as the well progressed. Charles C. Stewart was around frequently when I took samples of the stratas, and he claimed that in their well they did not finish in the same sand as we had in McEleer, Number 1. which showed

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for a fair producer. Gailey & Company concluded they were down and dry, all agree- ing to that opinion except Mr. Stewart, and, on a proposition to drill deeper, Mr. Gailey refused to pay any more expense. Stewart and Banks came to my office at Argyle with their measurements and consulted my registry and the samples I had taken at Number 1, McEleer. From the calculations and investigations made that day, it was decided their well was not deep enough. Drilling was begun again, and before oil was obtained all the others had sold their interests to Stewart. After drilling to some depth, sixty-nine feet I think, oil max struck in that afterwards was called the Fourth sand. West of this well a short distance, we were drilling Number 2, McEleer, and soon were finished in the Fourth sand. We then pulled out Number 1. McEleer, and drilled her down. All three wells flowed largely. We paid $100 to each of our men to say nothing about Fourth sand, but it was not many days until Mr. Jennings and all others in the neighborhood began drilling their wells deeper. The man that first risked his money in the enterprise is entitled to the credit, and he was Charles C. Stewart, now of Brady township, Butler county, I believe.

Though there may be an honest difference of opinion as to whom credit is due for the discovery and first development of this -and, there is certainly no conflict as to the wonderful influence they had in stimulating the oil business. The Fourth sand fever raged throughout the district affected, and nearly every operator hurried on the work of deepening his old wells and drilling new ones. Around Petrolia. Karn- City, Troutman, Modoc and Greece City, the excitement con- tinued to grow, and perhaps there never were so many large wells struck in so short a period and limited an area. The autumn of, 1878 and the year 1874 wit- nessed some suprising developments in the Fourth sand, and wells ranging from 100 to 1,000 barrels a day came in rapid succession.

In Parker township the "Long Range" well on the Anchor farm was struck August 16, 1872, and during the first week yielded forty barrels a day. Timblin. Wick & Conley, the owners, declared it to be the best well developed on that farm up to that period.

The first well in Washington township was a contemporary of the first at Greece City. Three months after striking sand, the owners thought of tubing it, when it yielded seven barrels a day. One hundred and fifty rods southwest of the old well another was drilled into a closer sand, which produced five barrels a day, or 1. 100 barrels prior to its abandonment. On the David Shira farm, east of the Rumbaugh farm, a four-barrel well was struck by James Frazier, James Monroe and other drillers. A. Scheidemantle drilled a well on the Alfred Shira farm, and other parties one on the Alexander Clark farm and one on the D. F. Campbell farm. These were the pioneer developments in this township.

The Evans well. 2,600 feet above Buhl's bridge in Forward township, where a small creek enters the Connoquenessing, was drilled early in the seventies to a depth of 626 feet ; but, beyond the knowledge of the strata obtained, the expen- diture of time and labor was profitless.

The Wallace well on the Grant farm, owned by J. A. Sedwick, Thomas L. Wallace, Robert McCoy. B. Singerly. John lines and Stephen Corbett was drilled into the Third sand. before the thirty days suspension, when a flow of 100 barrels per day was recorded. In October, 1572, it produced 100 barrels per day.

The well on the Denny lands in Winfield township was drilled in Novem- ber. 1972. in the valley of Buffalo creek. David Morrison and Curtis Jamison,

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who were connected with the older well on the Jamison farm, with Daniel Denny and William Stewart, were the projectors and owners.

Several wells in the Millerstown neighborhood were being drilled in the fall of 1872. The P'reston-Mckinney well, drilled to a depth of 1.600 feet, proved a dry one, while the Lincoln well on the McClymonds farm the Carpenter Broth- ers' well, the Brown & Stoughton well on the W. C. Adams farm, a new well on the Banks farm and Preston & Nesbitt's well on the Smith farm, proved to be fair producers. Near Fairview, Angell & Company's second well yielded 125 barrels a day, and near it, on the Wilson farm, Nesbitt's well proved profitable.

The Euresco Oil Company, composed of Dr. Findley, William Yates, Thomas McConnell, Sr., Dr. Taylor, E. S. Golden and others, began the development of the Peter Miller farm oil wells southeast of Petrolia, and of the MeGarvey farm, one mile east of Petrolia, in December, 1872. A well on the Boyd farm, in Clear- field township, was commenced, and one on the Stephen McCue farin, across the line in Armstrong county, was completed.

Before the close of 1872, the following named wells were recognized pro- ducers : The Grace and Barton on the Widow Erwin's farm on Bear creek, the Adams and Parker on the John B. Campbell farm, the John Vanausdel well on the James Wilson farm between Fairview and Petrolia, the Stoughton, Brown, Bruce, McFarland and MeQuistion wells on the Adams' farm. the Richard Jen- ning's well. the McCleary well, the William Morgan 300-barrel well on the W. A. Wilson farm, near Petrolia, the " Mary Ann" on the Riddle farm, the Dough- erty well near Petrolia, the " Monitor" on the Fronsinger farm, the Preston well on the Widow Smith's farm near Petrolia, the well of Templeton & Foster on the Jamison farm, that on the Storey farm, one mile east of Buena Vista, and several others.

Early in January, 1578, a well at Bonny Brook was drilled to a depth of 1,040 feet, when a heavy flow of salt water was struck. On the J. B. Campbell farm, near Petrolia, a 500 barrel gusher appeared to supplement the old Morrison well, which was then yielding 175 barrels. There were nine producing wells on the Blaney farm, while on the Ashback farm, a number of drillers continued their labors on a new well. The Given's well, on the Sheakley farm, which for over a month was a marvelous producer, fell to six barrels in January. The Jones well on the Dixon Barclay farm, near Martinsburg, drilled over 1, 100 feet, was non-productive ; but dry wells were the exceptions in the field. The Spider well on the MeCleary farm, between Petrolia and Fairview, five rods from the older Jennings well, introduced itself in February. IS73, as a 150 barrel producer. The Karns well, forty rods east of Karns City, was yielding 140 barrels per day in January and February, 1873, though experts had pronounced the venture to be too far east.

The oil firm of IT. L. Taylor & Company, who began operations in Butler county in 1871, and owned 300 wells, among them " The Boss" of 1871, on the Parker farm near Criswell, which yielded 2,000 barrels a day, sold their forty producers in the Petrolia, Karns City and Millerstown fields, for $100,000. The " Old Divener " of 1878, which yielded 1.400 barrels a day at the beginning, and 700 barrels a day for a long period, was the cause of the Miller-town stampede.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

The Bonny Brook well in Summit township, owned by Berg & Lambing, reached a depth of 1.500 feet in February, 1878, without striking oil.

The Donnelly & Butler well on Thomas Donnelly's farm, on Bear creek, in Parker township, was completed February 15. 1573, and yielded forty barrels per day, at first. increasing to seventy barrels and proving the leading well struck between the mouth of Bear creek and Martinsburg.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 34

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1658

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658