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38-481: Drake was born in Greenville, New York , on March 29, 1819, the son of Lyman and Laura Drake. He grew up on family farms around New York state and Castleton, Vermont , before leaving home at the age of 19. He spent the early parts of his life working the railways around New Haven, Connecticut , as a clerk, express agent, and conductor. Drake was a Freemason . While petroleum oil was known prior to this, there

76-544: A hamlet also named Greenville . The area of the town was first settled circa 1774. The town was established in 1803 as "Greenfield" from the towns of Coxsackie and Durham . The adjoining town is "Freehold", just south of Greenville. In 1810, the Greenville town population was 2,300, but by 1900 that figure had fallen to 1,362. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has

114-481: A city. In 1871, the first oil exchange in the United States was established there. The exchange moved from the city, but returned in 1881 in a new, brick building, before being dissolved in 1897. The first oil millionaire was Jonathan Watson, a resident of Titusville. He owned the land where Drake's well was drilled. He had been a partner in a lumber business prior to the success of the well. At one time it

152-424: A major industry. Within a day of Drake's striking oil, Drake’s methods were being imitated by others along Oil Creek and in the immediate area. This culminated with the establishment of several oil boom towns along the creek. Drake's well produced 25 barrels (4.0 m) of oil a day. By 1872, the entire area was producing 15.9 thousand barrels (2,530 m) a day. Drake set up a stock company to extract and market

190-618: A medicine for both animals and humans. In the late 1850s, the Seneca Oil Company (formerly the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company ) sent Col. Edwin L. Drake to start drilling on a piece of leased land just south of Titusville, near what is now Oil Creek State Park . In the summer of 1859, Drake hired a salt well driller, William A. Smith. They had many difficulties, but on August 27, at the site of an oil spring just south of Titusville, they finally drilled

228-527: A memorial built in his honor. In 1934, the Drake Well Museum was opened in Titusville, Pennsylvania , highlighting Drake's career and role as the nation's first successful oil driller. Greenville, Greene County, New York Greenville is a town on the northern border of Greene County , New York , United States. The population was 3,741 at the 2020 census. The town contains

266-547: A report commissioned by Bissell and Eveleth showed that there was significant economic value in petroleum. Due to a disagreement between the shareholders and the pair, the company was split and Seneca Oil was formed in 1858. Before being offered a job by Bissell and Eveleth, Drake bought stock in Seneca Oil. But his job opportunity with the company arose because both parties were staying in the same hotel in Titusville. He

304-468: A tank of petroleum ether overturned. The petroleum ether ignited and, in the ensuing explosions, 60 men, women and children died. Another lightning strike in 1894 resulted in 27,000 barrels (4,300,000 liters) of oil being lost in a fire. Oil production in Pennsylvania peaked in 1891, after which other industries became established in Titusville. The iron and steel industries dominated the town in

342-490: A total area of 39.1 square miles (101.3 km ), of which 38.9 square miles (100.8 km ) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km ), or 0.49%, is water. The northern town line is the border of Albany County . The town is partly in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains . As of the census of 2000, there were 3,316 people, 1,345 households, and 918 families residing in the town. The population density

380-464: A well that could be commercially successful. Teamsters were needed immediately to transport the oil to markets. In 1862, the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad was built between Titusville and Corry , where the product was transferred to larger east-west railroad lines. In 1865, pipelines were laid directly to the line and the demand for teamsters practically ended. The next year the railroad line

418-512: The American oil industry and for a number of years was the leading oil-producing region in the world. It was also notable for its lumber industry, including 17 sawmills, as well as its plastic and toolmaking industries. It is part of the Meadville micropolitan area . The area was first settled in 1796 by Jonathan Titus . Within 14 years, others bought and improved land lying near his, along

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456-421: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km ), all land. Located 44.4 miles south of Erie, Pennsylvania 83.6 miles North of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 122.9 Miles East of Cleveland, Ohio 120.5 Miles South of Buffalo, New York 78.2 Miles North East of Youngstown, Ohio The City of Titusville is located in the southeastern Corner of Crawford County in

494-599: The Pittsburgh High Plateau. The city is drained by Oil Creek , a south-flowing tributary of the Allegheny River , and two tributaries to Oil Creek, Pine Creek , and Church Run . The lowest elevation in the City of Titusville is 1,150 ft (350 m) where Oil Creek flows south of out of the city. The highest elevation is 1,650 ft (500 m) on a high point at the northeastern corner of

532-420: The age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.01. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under

570-460: The age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 38,423, and the median income for a family was $ 45,880. Males had a median income of $ 35,217 versus $ 25,216 for females. The per capita income for

608-401: The banks of what is now Oil Creek . Titus named the village Edinburg(h), but as it grew, the settlers began to call the hamlet Titusville. The village was incorporated as a borough in 1849. It was a slow-growing community until the 1850s, when petroleum was discovered in the region. Oil was known to exist there, but there was no practical way to extract it. Its main use at that time had been as

646-540: The city. As of the 2017 United States Census , there were 5,418 people, 2,397 households, and 1,337 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,931.2 inhabitants per square mile (745.6/km ). There were 2,876 housing units at an average density of 901.7 per square mile (348.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White , 1.9% African American , 0.2% Native American , 0.9% Asian , 0.2% from other races , and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of

684-489: The company after hearing of reports that petroleum collected from an oil spring in Titusville, Pennsylvania , was suitable for use as lamp fuel. Until this time, the primary lamp fuel had been whale oil. Bissell found that the rock oil would be a practical alternative if a method could be devised to extract the oil from the ground. Interest in the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company was initially low until

722-465: The early twentieth century, with lumber eventually reclaiming its former pre-eminence. Oil still has some relevance, however. Charter Plastics, now located in a building that once manufactured pressure vessels, stationary engines and boilers for the oil industry, uses oil in its production processes. Titusville is located at 41°38′N 79°40′W  /  41.633°N 79.667°W  / 41.633; -79.667 (41.629, −79.674). According to

760-448: The ground. Drake tried the latter method initially when looking for oil near Titusville, Pennsylvania . However, it failed to produce economically viable amounts of oil. Alternative methods of digging large shafts into the ground also failed, as collapse from water seepage almost always occurred. The significant step that Drake took was to drive a 32-foot iron pipe through the ground into the bedrock below. This allowed Drake to drill inside

798-461: The necessary parts to build the well, which resulted in his well being nicknamed "Drake's Folly", Drake proved successful. Crowds of people began to gather to jeer at the apparently unproductive operation. By 1859, Drake was also running out of money. Drake's colleagues back in Connecticut gave up on finding any oil by April 1859 and after spending $ 2,500, Drake took out a $ 500 loan to keep

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836-591: The oil. But, while his pioneering work led to the growth of an oil industry that made many people fabulously rich, for Drake riches proved elusive. Drake failed to patent his drilling invention, and proceeded to lose all of his savings in oil speculation in 1863. He ended up impoverished. In 1872, Pennsylvania voted an annuity of $ 1,500 to the "crazy man" whose determination founded the oil industry. In 1845, he married Philena Adams, who died while giving birth to their second child in 1854. Drake remarried three years later to Laura Dowd, sixteen years his junior, in 1857. During

874-406: The operation going. On August 27, 1859, Drake had persevered and his drill bit had reached a total depth of 69.5 feet (21 m). At that point the bit hit a crevice. The men packed up for the day. The next morning Drake’s driller, Billy Smith, looked into the hole in preparation for another day’s work. He was surprised and delighted to see crude oil rising up. Drake was summoned and the oil was brought to

912-570: The pipe, without the hole collapsing from the water seepage. The principle behind this idea is still employed today by all companies drilling for hydrocarbons. Claims of prior art exist, including in Bóbrka, Poland in 1854, Wietze , Germany in 1857, and Oil Springs, Ontario , Canada in 1858. The importance of the Drake Well near Titusville was that it prompted the first great wave of investment and additional drilling that established petroleum as

950-607: The population was 15,000. But the oil soon ran dry and within four years the city was nearly deserted. Tarbell moved to Titusville in 1870. His daughter, Ida Minerva Tarbell , grew up amidst the sounds and smells of the oil industry. She became an accomplished writer and published a series of articles about the business practices of the Standard Oil Company and its president, John D. Rockefeller , which sparked legislative action in Congress concerning monopolies. Fire

988-399: The population. There were 2,322 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

1026-626: The summer of 1857, illness prevented Drake from carrying on with his job. He retained the privileges of a train conductor, including free travel on the railroads. In 1858, the Drake family relocated to Titusville, Pennsylvania and in 1874 to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania . He died on November 9, 1880, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania . He and his wife are interred in Titusville, Pennsylvania , next to

1064-472: The surface with a hand pitcher pump. The oil was collected in a bath tub. Drake is famous for pioneering a new method for producing oil from the ground. He drilled using piping to prevent borehole collapse, allowing for the drill to penetrate further and further into the ground. Previous methods for collecting oil had been limited. Ground collection of oil consisted of gathering it from where it occurred naturally, such as from oil seeps or shallow holes dug into

1102-543: The title of "Colonel" in order to impress the local townspeople. Drake decided to drill in the manner of salt well drillers. He purchased a steam engine in Erie, Pennsylvania , to power the drill. The well was dug on an island on the Oil Creek . It took some time for the drillers to get through the layers of gravel. At 16 feet (5 m) the sides of the hole began to collapse. Those helping him began to despair, but not Drake. It

1140-402: The town was $ 19,113. About 6.2% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. Titusville, Pennsylvania Titusville is a city in the far eastern corner of Crawford County, Pennsylvania , United States. The population was 5,262 at the 2020 census . Titusville is known as the birthplace of

1178-410: Was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.91. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males. The median income for

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1216-458: Was 85.2 inhabitants per square mile (32.9/km ). There were 1,694 housing units at an average density of 43.5 per square mile (16.8/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 96.95% White , 0.48% Black or African American , 0.15% Native American , 1.15% Asian , 0.27% from other races , and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.63% of the population. There were 1,345 households, out of which 30.8% had children under

1254-451: Was always a significant concern around oil and one of the worst blazes was on June 11, 1880. It came to be known as "Black Friday", when almost 300,000 barrels (48,000 m ) of oil burned after an oil tank was hit by lightning. The fire raged for three days until it finally was brought under control. The destroyed oil was valued at $ 2 million, but there was no loss of life. Another fire occurred on June 5, 1892, when Oil Creek flooded and

1292-436: Was at this point that he devised the idea of a drive pipe. This cast iron pipe consisted of 10-foot-long (3.0 m) joints. The pipe was driven down into the ground. At 32 feet (10 m) they struck bedrock . The drilling tools were now lowered through the pipe and steam was used to drill through the bedrock. The drilling, however, was slow. Progress was made at the rate of just three feet per day. After initial difficulty locating

1330-596: Was extended south to Petroleum Centre and Oil City . The Union & Titusville Railroad was built in 1865. That line became part of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad in 1871. That fall, President Ulysses S. Grant visited Titusville to view the important region. Other oil-related businesses were quickly established. Eight refineries were built between 1862 and 1868. Drilling tools were needed and several iron works were built. Titusville grew from 250 residents to 10,000 almost overnight and in 1866, it incorporated as

1368-453: Was hired on a salary of $ 1,000 a year to investigate the oil seeps on land owned by Seneca Oil. Drake was hired by the Seneca Oil Company to investigate suspected oil deposits in Titusville, Pennsylvania. James Townsend, President of the Seneca Oil Company, sent Drake to the site in the spring of 1858. The oil company chose the retired railway man partly because he had free use of the rail. Drake had no military experience, but Townsend gave him

1406-523: Was no appreciable market for it. Samuel Kier is credited with founding the first American oil refinery in Pittsburgh . He was the first person in the United States to refine crude oil into kerosene . Along with a new lamp to burn Kier's product, a new market to replace whale oil as a lamp oil began to develop. Seneca Oil Company, originally called the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company, was founded by George Bissell and Jonathan Eveleth . They created

1444-575: Was said that Titusville had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the world. One resident of note was Franklin S. Tarbell, whose large Italianate home still stands. He first moved a few miles south in Venango County and established a wooden stock tank business. About 10 miles (16 km) south-east of Titusville was another oil boom city, Pithole . Oil was discovered in a rolling meadow there in January 1865 and, by September 1865,

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