Our country and its people. A historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania., Part 37

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Boston : W. A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1044


USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Our country and its people. A historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. > Part 37


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Shepherd Lodge, No. 74, A. O. U. W., was instituted May 30, 1874, when the following officers were elected and installed: C. L. A. Shepherd, P. M. W .; W. C. Plummer, M. W .; A. O. Paul, Foreman; Eli Parsons, Over- seer; A. G. Davis, Guide; V. A. Haines, Recorder; J. R. Levan, Financier ; Daniel Wingart, Receiver; Andrew Robinson, Watchman. The trustees were C. L. A. Shepherd, A. O. Paul and C. H. Smith. Its present officers are G. Bodamer, P. M. W .; Fred Schultz, M. W .; C. D. Mook, Foreman ; G. Hoffman, Overseer; J. A. Palm, Recorder ; J. A. Mather, Financier ; C. M. Hayes, Receiver; W. J. Curry, Guide; H. Volkstadt, I. W .; W. N. Hancox, O. W. The trustees are F. H. Aldrich, B. Abel and George W. Barr, M. D. The Medical Examiner is George W. Barr, M. D. J. A. Palm, representa- tive to the Grand Lodge.


Queen City Lodge, No. 304, I. O. O. F., was chartered April 19, 1888,


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and instituted May 8, the same year. Its first officers were T. W. Main, N. G .; R. B. McDannell, V. G .; M. C. Robinson, Secretary ; C. W. Newton, Assistant Secretary ; R. D. Cooper, Treasurer. Its present officers are Jacob Rupersberger, N. G .; Frank Robinson, V. G .; W. S. Strong, Secretary; Elam Davidson, Assistant Secretary; C. B. Friedman, Treasurer.


The Queen City Lodge is exceptionally a prosperous institution. The number of its members is larger than that of any other social organization in Titusville. In 1894 it erected a large three-story brick block on the south- east corner of Central Avenue and Washington Street. This block is in several respects the handsomest in the city. The lodge, with its halls and quarters, occupies the entire third floor, and rents all the rest of the building below.


The Western Pennsylvania Odd Fellows' Relief Association, which has its home office in Titusville, was organized November 21, 1872, and char- tered in April, 1873. It insures Odd Fellows, their wives and daughters only. Its general office is in the Queen City Odd Fellows' Building. Its present officers are R. D. Crawford, President; Joseph Henderson, Vice- President ; R. D. Cooper, Treasurer ; W. W. Pennell, Secretary ; J. M. Waid, M. D., Medical Inspector.


Titusville City Lodge, No. 291, K. of P., was chartered April 15, 1871. It surrendered its charter in 1877, but regained it in 1879, and reorganized by the election of the following officers: Thomas Allison, C. C .; Simon Strauss, Jr., V. C .; Thomas Whitby, K. of R. and S .; Robert H. Bailey, K. of F .; John Bentz, K. of Ex .; A. H. Stein, Prelate; John H. Smith, M. at A. At present P. J. Corell is C. C., and Thomas Whitby, K. of R. and S.


Also No. 329, K. of P., was instituted in May, 1898, with H. M. Sackett, C. C., and W. W. Pennell, K. of R. and S.


Also as auxiliary to the two lodges of K. of P., the Rathbone Sisters were organized in October, 1898, with Mrs. Gardner as E. C., and Miss Dane, Secretary.


The Uniform Rank, No. 29, K. of P., was organized in 1887, with Simon Strauss, Jr., Captain, and Thomas Whitby, Recorder. The present officers are John G. Dane, Captain, and Thomas Whitby, Recorder.


Endowment Rank, K. of P., insurance branch of No. 29, composed of the members of that lodge, was organized in 1881, with S. Strauss, Jr .. President, and D. P. Roberts, Secretary. The present officers are John H.


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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


Smith, President; S. Strauss, Jr., Secretary. The order has paid to Titus- ville members in death claims from $12,000 to $15,000.


The Hebrewe Ladies Benevolent Society was organized in 1866. It is auxiliary to the B'nai Zion Congregation.


Titusville Lodge, No. 264, B. P. O. Elks .- This branch of the order was organized June 21, 1893. Its first officers were W. W. Tarbell, E. R .; George H. Coburn, E. L. Kt .; William McEnaney, E. Loyal Kt .; R. L. Rice, E. Lect'g Kt .; William Schwartz, Secretary; George A. Chase, Treasurer; A. C. Love, Tyler. The present officers are C. F. Lake, E. R .; Samuel G. Maxwell, E. L. Kt .; J. A. Dunn, M. D., E. Loyal Kt .; C. H. Ley, E. Lect'g Kt. ; H. W. Brann, Secretary ;. G. H Chase, Treasurer ; Hugh Boylen, Tyler.


Titusville Branch, No. I, C. M. B. A .- On April 15, 1877, this branch organized with fifteen charter members. The first officers chosen were Rev. J. D. Coady, Spiritual Adviser ; C. B. Friedman, President; Joseph Fleming, First Vice-President; T. F. McManus, Second Vice-President; John Coots, Recording Secretary: David Shannahan, Assistant Recording Secretary; D. D. Hughes, Financial Secretary; John Theobald, Treasurer; William Lynch, Marshal; William Dillon, Guard. The Board of Directors were Joseph Fleming, Hugh O'Hare, John F. Theobald, William Dillon and T. F. McManus.


On June 1, 1877, Deputy L. J. McParlin, of New York Grand Council, organized the branch with a charter and installed the first officers. This branch was the fourth branch organized. It was the first branch of the order organized in Pennsylvania, and on April 7, 1878, it was designated as Branch No. I, under the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania Grand Council, which had just been organized. This branch has the honor of receiving the first benefit, amounting to $2,000, paid by the order. The number of deaths in this branch is twenty-two in all, on which have been received in benefits a total of $43,000.


Officers for 1898 are: Chancellor, Francis McDonald; President, M. Quinlan ; First Vice-President, H. A. O'Hare; Second Vice-President, Jas. E. Gray; Recording Secretary, P. J. Callahan; Assistant Secretary, F. A. Doherty; Financial Secretary, P. Cummisky; Marshal, Frank Reardon; Guard. M. Curtin : Trustees, Henry Seep, Peter McDonald, Peter Mullen, John Coots. James Kennedy.


The St. Walburga Branch, No. 125, was instituted November, 1892. Its


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first officers were Rev. Joseph Nau, Spiritual Adviser; John S. Bohn, Presi- dent ; Henry W. Mayer, Jr., First Vice-President ; John W. Andres, Second Vice-President; J. T. Geser, Recording Secretary ; A. E. Vinopal, Assistant Secretary ; P. J. Hoenig, Financial Secretary ; B. Dorschel, Treasurer ; George J. Dartois, Marshal; John Leisgang, Guard. Trustees, P. J. Hoenig, Henry WV. Mayer, Jr., B. Dorschel, Casper Graf, A. Faremyer. The present officers are: Rev. J. Nau, Spiritual Adviser : Charles Fuchs, Chancellor; H. Bes- selman, President; Edward J. Mayer, First Vice-President; H. C. Roueche, Second Vice-President; J. T. Geser, Recording Secretary; Assistant Secre- tary, H. W. Maier; Financial Secretary, Karl Schoppert ; B. Dorschel, Treas- urer ; W. R. Buser, Marshal; W. A. Maier, Guard. Trustees, George Man- gel. John Geser, A. E. Vinopal, John Rombach, H. W. Mayer.


The St. Titus Branch, No. 144, C. M. B. A., was instituted November 12, 1895. Its first officers were M. H. Acton, President ; L. L. Gilson, First Vice-President ; Samuel Kerr, Second Vice-President ; J. J. O'Hearn, Record- ing Secretary ; M. O'Hearn, Assistant Secretary; John M. Dunn, Financial Secretary; John P. McGrath, Treasurer; Joseph Moran, Marshal; James Nash, Guard. Trustees, John Bly, V. S. Fuller, F. L. Kelly, George Popeney, John McGrath. The present officers are M. J. McMahon, Pres- ident; T. J. Callahan, First Vice-President ; A. Hanovan, Second Vice-Pres- ident : Francis H. Powers, Recording Secretary; J. J. O'Shaughnessy, As- sistant Secretary; R. J. Fisher, Financial Secretary; John McGrath, Treas- urer ; J. Hanovan, Jr., Marshal; Thomas Donohue, Guard. Trustees, M. H. Acton, Samuel Kerr, A. Hanovan, J. J. Shaughnessy, M. J. Lynch.


Charter Branch, No. 3. L. C. B. A., was instituted February 23, 1890. Its first officers were Mrs. Margaret Seep, President; Mrs. Anna Condra, First Vice-President; Mrs. Julia Maier. Second Vice-President ; Miss Susie Nugent, Recording Secretary; Miss Fannie Herlehy, Financial Secretary ; Mrs. Kate Seep, Treasurer; Mrs. Ella Kelch, Marshal; Mrs. Mary Arm- buster, Guard. Its present officers are Mrs. Margaret Franz, Past Presi- dent ; Mrs. Frances Callahan, President ; Mrs. Mary Flynn, First Vice-Pres- ident; Mrs. Johanna O'Rourke, Second Vice-President; Mrs. Josie Jennings, Recording Secretary; Mrs. Josie Gahan, Assistant Secretary; Mrs. Letitia Reardon, Financial Secretary; Mrs. Mary Breen, Treasurer; Mrs. Mary Andrews, Marshal; Mrs. Margaret Smith, Guard. The Trustees are Mrs.


24


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Mary McDonald, Mrs. Ellen Lowman, Mrs. Jennie McMahon, Mrs. Alice Lynch, Mrs. Mary Willoughby.


Santa Maria Branch, No. 117, L. C. B. A., was instituted March 17, 1894. The first officers were Miss Lilian Seep, President ; Miss Mary Pow- ers, First Vice-President ; Miss Anna Fisher, Second Vice-President; Miss Mary O'Neill, Recording Secretary; Miss Mary Gallagher, Assistant Secre- tary ; Mrs. Mary Taylor, Financial Secretary ; Mrs. Nellie Brann, Treasurer ; Miss Margaret Moran, Marshal; Miss Mary Oxner, Guard. The trustees were Miss Mary Seep, Miss K. Taylor, Miss Margaret Bergen, Mrs. Anna Keating, Mrs. Louisa Potts. The present officers are Miss Mary Taylor, President ; Miss Alice Whalen, First Vice-President ; Miss Elizabeth Maurer, Second Vice-President ; Miss Margaret Bergen. Recording Secretary ; Miss Catherine Loehr, Assistant Secretary ; Mrs. Margaret McDonald, Financial Secretary : Miss Elizabeth Lang, Treasurer; Miss Anna Fisher, Marshal; Miss Teresa Lacey, Guard. The Trustees are Mrs. Carrie Fleming, Mrs. Anna Keating, Mrs. Mary Edmonds, Mrs. Mary Lee, Miss Mary Welsh.


Petrolia Encampment, No. 226, I. O. O. F., was instituted March 30, 1872. Its first officers were W. R. Weaver, C. P .; N. A. Lanphear, H. P .; George R. Oliver, S. W .; J. S. Merrill, J. W .; J. T, McAninch, S .; F. M. Hills, T. : S. B. Logan, I. S. At the present time J. W. Wood is C. P., and W. W. Pennell, Secretary.


Titusville Council, No. 109, Royal Arcanum, was chartered May 3, 1880. Its present officers are Charles Stingle, Regent; W. E. Thompson, Post Regent: C. M. Robison, Secretary; J. C. Edmondson, Jr., Collector ; C. F. Lake, Treasurer; J. A. Todd, Chaplain: A. K. Howard, Guide; G. G. Mack. Warden: A. C. Lang, Sentry; William M. Varian, M. D., Medical Examiner ; J. A. Todd, Deputy Grand Regent.


Rebecca Lodge, No. 149, Odd Fellows' Auxiliary, has for N. G. Mrs. Mary Meyers, and Miss Susie Hayes for Secretary.


St. Joseph's Verein is a local benevolent association, composed of the members of St. Walburga's congregation. This society is twenty-six years old, and it is in a highly prosperous condition. It has accumulated a fund of good size, showing thrifty management. It extends a helping hand to persons in distress. It pays to sick members $5 a week for six months, and for six months more $2.50 a week. When a member dies the society pays $65 to the family for the funeral expenses.


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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


Scandia is a benevolent organization connected with the Swedish Lutheran congregation, similar to St. Joseph's Verein of St. Walburga's church. The members pay an admission fee of $1 each, and 25 cents a month as dues. A member who is confined to his home by sickness draws $5 a week for thirteen weeks. In case of death the society pays $50 for funeral expenses.


The Maccabees, Titus Tent, No. 24. K. O. T. M., started October 9, 1885. The first Commander was R. P. Halgren, and the first Record Keeper was R. S. Hampton. The present Commander is Walter J. Smith, and the Record Keeper is Simon Strauss, Jr. The total benefits received up to the present time by the widows of deceased members in Titusville amount to nearly $20,000.


L. O. T. M., Hive No. 20, was instituted in 1893. This is a woman's branch of the Maccabees. The present officers of the society are Mary E. Locke, Commander; Loretta Murphy, Record Keeper; Margaret Kelly, Financial Record Keeper.


L. O. T. M., Hive No. 92, was instituted in 1895. The present officers are Carrie Crone. Commander : Eliza Aldrich, Record Keeper; Nellie Marsh, Financial Record Keeper.


Petroleum Lodge, No. 462, The Knights of Honor, was instituted Octo- ber 12, 1877. The Silver Creek Lodge, started in 1880, was subsequently absorbed by this first one. The present officers are S. Stettheimer, Dictator ; H. W. Fisher, Reporter: William Falkinburg, Treasurer : D. P. Johnson, Financial Reporter.


St. Titus Council, No. 530, C. B. L., was instituted June 3, 1895. Its first officers were Rev. Joseph M. Dunn, Spiritual Adviser; M. J. Hughes, President : Daniel Foley, Jr .. Vice-President : George A. Hughes, Orator ; John J. Hartery, Chancellor; George A. McAnarny, Secretary; Julius Franz, Collector : H. W. Brann, Treasurer : Napoleon Antill, Marshal; Frank Mack, Guard. The Trustees were E. F. Hughes, E. M. Herlehy and Thomas Kennedy. The present officers are Rev. Joseph M. Dunn, Spiritual Adviser ; William F. Besselman, President; William Fews, Vice-President; John J. Daily, Orator: M. J. Hughes, Chancellor; George A. McAnarny, Secretary ; J. Franz, Collector; H. W. Brann, Treasurer; Napoleon Antill, Marshal; Patrick O'Neill. Guard. The Trustees are William Fews, William Smith and Thomas Kennedy.


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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.


Titusville Lodge, No. 120, D. O. H., was instituted September 14, 1865. The Harugari Society of Germans is a benevolent order. It pays to a sick member $5 a week. If a member dies the lodge pays the surviving members of the deceased $300. If a member's wife dies it pays to the surviving hus- band, $100. As reported to the Grand Lodge at its meeting in August, 1898, the Titusville Lodge had in its treasury at the time $3,167.38. During its existence in Titusville, a period of thirty-three years, it has paid in benefits from $35,000 to $40,000. The showing is exceptionally creditable to frater- nal association. The present officers of the lodge are John Knapp, O. B .; John Hartwig. U. B .: John Blinzig, Secretary; S. Shertzinger, Financial Secretary ; John Gutman, Treasurer.


Luise Lodge, No. 19, D. O. H., was instituted March 25, 1891. It is a woman's branch of the Harugari, in the "Hertha Degree." It is strictly independent in its functions. A sick member receives a benefit of $3 a week, and when a member dies the surviving family receives $50. The lodge has at present in its treasury $837.40.


C. S. Chase Post, No. 50, G. A. R., was first instituted not long after the close of the late Civil War. Business excitement, however, at that period tended to cause a neglect of social organizations, and because of this the charter of the Chase post was surrendered. But it was afterward recovered, and a reorganization took place on June 21. 1879. with the following officers : Joseph H. Cogswell. P. C .; William H. Wisner, S. V. C .; C. M. Coburn, J. V. C .; Robert P. Halgren, Adjutant ; Ed. W. Bettes. Q. M .; Dr. J. L. Dunn, Surgeon; Norris Crossman, Chaplain; L. L. Shattuck, O. D .; P. N. Robinson, O. G .; E. R. Sherman, S. M. The present officers are George W. Barr. M. D., P. C .; John B. Wheaton, S. V. C .; H. W. Beverly, J. V. C .; L. L. Shattuck, Adjutant; W. P. Mccutchen, Q. M.


Titusville Council, No. 354, Knights and Ladies of Security, was or- ganized November 19. 1895. Its officers are H. W. Brann, President ; Mrs. Rosa Matson, First Vice-President; Mrs. P. Brice, Second Vice-President ; W. J. Davidson, Secretary; J. H. Main, Financial Secretary ; W. H. Bevins, Treasurer; Miss Kate Hancox, Prelate; Mrs. Wakeman, Conductor; B. Dorschel, Guard; C. W. Sager. M. D., Medical Examiner. The Trustees are H. W. Brann. B. Dorschel and J. B. Bratt.


CHAPTER V.


PETROLEUM, AND OUR CONNECTION THEREWITH.


BY M. N. ALLEN.


K NOWLEDGE of petroleum is perhaps as old as civilization. Long before the beginning of the Christian era, it was found in Persia, in China, in India and other ancient countries. In later times it is known to have existed in several parts of the globe. But up to the present period of less than forty years the product had been collected only upon the surface of water, springs or streams, and then in small quantities. The origin of the substance is not known, though various theories upon the subject have from time to time been suggested. Previous to 1859, so far as is now known, because of its limited production, it had not been an article of general com- merce. Before proceeding to an account of the oil trade which relates to Titusville, Pennsylvania, it is proper to describe the chemical character of petroleum. As expressed by the etymology of the word, it means rock oil.


From the Encyclopedia Britannica the following quotation is made: "The proximate principles of petroleum have been determined and exam- ined chiefly by Schorlemmer in England, Pelouze and Cahonis in France, and C. M. Warren and S. P. Saddler in the United States. Many other chemists have contributed valuable assistance to the work. These researches have established the fact that Pennsylvania petroleum consists chiefly of two homologous series of isomeric compounds, having the general formula Cn H2n+2, at one extremity of which marsh gas is found, and solid paraffine at the other." In other words, petroleum is a compound of a series of hydro-carbons, beginning with a union which contains the smallest possible quantity of carbon with the largest possible quantity of hydrogen which could unite with such an infinitesimal particle of carbon, and descending in the series with each union in the course containing less hydrogen and more carbon than the one above it, until the union last formed is all carbon, except the faintest conceivable trace of hydrogen. This last in the series is solid


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paraffine, while the beginning, next to pure hydrogen, is the lightest of gases. Petroleum therefore includes, not only oil of various gravities in a liquid state, but also the substance spoken of in the oil country as "natural gas," and also paraffine, whether in a semi-liquid or in a solid condition. Heavy oils contain more carbon and less hydrogen than oil of lighter gravity. Ohio oil and Baku oil are noted for the large amount of carbon in their composi- tion, while most of the oil produced in western Pennsylvania, excepting the Bradford field, has less carbon. The yield of illuminating oil is, of course, greater from Pennsylvania oil than from that produced in Ohio. This is because of the excess of carbon in the latter. It is well to note the fact that the great bulk of oil produced in the United States is found on the western slope of the Alleghany Mountains, or upon the plane of their base, though in part, as in Ohio and Indiana, some distance westward from the foot of the slope. Oil is found in Colorado, Kansas and California in paying quan- tities, but the production in these localities is limited to small areas and small deposits.


As early as 1833 the older Silliman, of Yale College, contributed to the "American Journal of Science" an interesting account concerning a petroleum spring in Allegany County, New York, after he had in person visited the spring and examined the oil upon its surface. Nearly fifty years later there was opened in the vicinity of this spring, a large territory of oil production. In 1855 the younger Silliman made a thorough chemical analy- sis and test of oil brought from Venango County, Pennsylvania, the results of which he embodied in a report to Eveleth & Bissell, of New York, who, with others, afterward sent Drake to Titusville to aid in increasing the production of oil already begun by the dipping process.


In 1846 Samuel M1. Kier, of Pittsburg. a druggist, began to collect oil, which rose to the surface of salt wells, at Tarentum, Pennsylvania, twenty miles above Pittsburg on the Allegheny River, and, from a knowledge of some of the medicinal properties of petroleum, he bottled the liquid, adver- tised and sold it as a healing remedy. In this connection it may be said that the product was then called "Seneca Oil," from the fact that the Seneca Indians, a tribe in Venango County, had long used it as a medicine. For years after Drake's discovery the inhabitants of the oil country continued to speak of petroleum as "Seneca Oil." The association represented by Drake in his original venture called itself the "Seneca Oil Company."


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A contract by and between Brewer, Watson & Co., and J. D. Angier, for procuring oil from the spring at which Drake subsequently located his initial well, read as follows :


"Agreed this fourth day of July, A. D., 1853, with J. D. Angier, of Cherrytree Township, in the county of Venango, Pennsylvania, that he shall repair up and keep in order the old oil spring on land in Cherrytree Town- ship, or dig and make new springs, and the expenses to be deducted out of the proceeds of the oil, and the balance, if any, to be divided, the one-half to J. D. Angier, and the other half to Brewer, Watson & Co., for the full term of five years from this date, if profitable.


"BREWER, WATSON & CO., "J. D. Angier."


Oil had previously been collected by absorbing it into blankets spread upon the water. After the oil had come to the surface and filled the blanket, it was expressed and caught in a tub. Pits were also dug in the soil, into which oil and water mixed entered by seeping through the ground. The oil rose to the surface and was then dipped or skimmed off. Angier dug trenches and then pumped the oil and water into a basin. The pump was worked by machinery in a saw-mill belonging to Brewer, Watson & Co., near at hand. After the oil settled at the surface of the water in the basin, it was skimmed off.


It is rational to assume as a theory that, whatever natural forces have created petroleum, the formation occurred far below the earth's surface, and where intense heat acted. The petroleum thus formed was in a gaseous state, and by its expansive force it was pressed into all the openings in the rocks. As the gas rises toward the surface, the temperature falls and con- densation begins, the heavier hydro-carbons in the series first becoming liquid. The gas, as it rises through fissures in the rocks, sometimes finds its way into porous sand-rocks, where it is sometimes imprisoned by imper- vious rock above, and at other times the gas makes a partial escape upward, the more volatile parts being the last to condense. Petroleum thus coming to the surface, either as a liquid or as a gas, strikes a water course, and then there is found a gas spring, or an oil spring. Sometimes the oil oozes through the soil. In 1877 there was opened in the vicinity of East Titus- ville a considerable production of oil found in the ground fifteen or twenty feet below the surface. This was first discovered by accident, in digging


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a hole for a water well, or some other purpose. Afterward pits were sunk expressly to find the oil. Whence the oil came no one knew.


In 1854, about a year after Angier entered into an agreement with Brewer, Watson & Co., as mentioned above, George H. Bissell, of the firm Eveleth & Bissell, New York, gave his attention to the subject of petroleum. He was led to believe that a production of important magnitude could be got from the undertaking begun by Angier. It has been reported that a certain Professor Crosby, of Dartmouth College, from which Bissell had been graduated, to get a place for his son, induced Bissell to interest himself in forming a stock company for procuring oil by the Angier process. Late in the fall of that year Brewer, Watson & Co. sold to Eveleth & Bissell, as in- dividuals, the Willard farm, on which was the oil spring and appliances for gathering oil, already described, containing one hundred and five acres. The consideration named in the deed was $25.000, while the real price was $5,000. As had been the intention, the deed was transferred to a stock company. The fiction resorted to as to the purchase price of the property was enacted for the purpose of helping the sale of stock.


In the following January, 1855, Eveleth & Bissell deeded the property to a corporation formed in New York City. The trustees of the corporation had among their number, Francis B. Brewer, of Titusville, with Eveleth & Bissell at the head. The name of the corporation was the "Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company." The capital stock was fixed at $250,000; the num- ber of shares, 25,000, at $10 a share; the age of the company, fifty years.


Eveleth & Bissell had much trouble in placing the stock. To add to their troubles they accidentally discovered an old Pennsylvania statute, which provided for the forfeiture to the State of the lands owned within its limits by a foreign corporation. But fortunately neither the deed to them exe- cuted by Brewer, Watson & Co., nor their deed to the corporation had been put upon record. They therefore made haste to have the company transfer by deed the property to Asahel Pierpont and William A. Ives, of New Haven, Connecticut, who in turn leased it to a new company for the term of ninety-nine years. The new association was formed on a capital of $300,000, divided into 12,000 shares of $25 each, Eveleth & Bissell taking a majority of the stock. The headquarters of the new company were fixed at New Haven. The title of the corporation was the "Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company." Mr. Pierpont, a practical mechanic, was sent to Titusville to assist Mr. Angier




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