Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-03-11
OIL CITY, Pa

OIL CITY, PA.
Mrs. John Steele, of Ashland, Neb.,
has been here on visit for the past
week. Mrs. Steele is the wife of q
man whom the discovery of petroleum
in Pennsylvania gave wider rep
utation than any other man; and one
concerning whom many true stories
as well as many fictions have been
related. He is none other than the
famous "Coal Oil Johnny" whose for
mer home was near Rouseville, this
county, and who now has farm near
the Nebraska town named.
Mrs. Steele was given an opportu-
nifty to correct in an interview some of
the Arabian Night tales told about her
husbands eccentric actions in the
days when he was reported million
aire, and when his source of wealth
seemed inexhaustible. She had been
wearied long ago by exaggerated in
terviews with her husband and herself
and declined to talk, but the following
interesting points were obtained from
an authentic source:
The wealth of MIR. Steele has un-
doubtedly been overrated-that is to
say, his wealth in cash. AT the time
the Pittsburg Sanitary Commission
made an offer to donate soldiers
monument to the county making the
largest contribution the producers of
this section agreed to set aside for
that purpose the proceeds from their
wells for one day, and Mr.. Steele's
contribution for that day was 81, 800,
which was fair gauge of what his
wells were doing.
The farm and other interests be-
queathed to him by his grandmother
he probably could have disposed of
for half million dollars or more when
the same came into his possession, but
it is doubtful if at any time he pos
sessed more than 100000 in cash. HIS
expensive eccentricities were many,
but did not include, as often reported,
the purchasing and giving away Of a
hotel in Philadelphia. That story
probably grew out of the fact that he
experienced some difficulty in securing
hack, and finally bought one out
right; that when he got through with
the rig the driver asked him what TO
do with it, and he told him to keep it.
1t was on that trip to Philadelphia
that he, while with Slocum, the fellow
who was showing him the world" "
attracted so much attention by going
about with bills of various denomina-
tions tied IN the battonholes of his
clothing; by making small purchases
with good sized bills, taking no change
back, and even lighting cigars with
money.
Another of his eccentricities on that
trip was the forming of a negro min
strel troupe, each of the members of
which he bought a suit of clothes when
he engaged them. He brought his
troupe here, and that was about all he
did with it.
The details of his dolngs in Philadel.
PHO, New York, Saratoga and else
where, including his experiences with
sharpers-notably his so, 900 acquaint-
ance with John Morrissey-have been
written threadbare.
Summed up briefly, the main points
in his life are these When quite young
he became an orphan and was adopted
by his grandparents, Mr.. and Mrs.
William McClintock. He was mar
ried two or three years before he be-
came ofage, and worked on farm
until the oil excitement began. He
then engaged in hauling oil down Oil
creek and hauling coal back, with a
pair of lean horses. The result was the
possession of good team of his own.
The McClintock farm became one OF
the most valuable along Oil Creek.
Mrs. McClintock survived her husband
several years, and when she died in
1866, the adopted son, Steele, became
sole heir to her property. He soon
concluded to see some of the world
with his wealth-and he saw it, He
sought notoriety-and he got it. He
spent bis money like man with Monte
Cristo backing-was bled by. leeches,
fleeced by sharpers, and in few years,
his oil interest, in the meantime rapid.
ly depreciating in value, he found him
self again a poor man. But no one
express regret over the loss of wealth.
At one time when he was at the heigtb
of his eccentric extravaganza, Capt. J.
j. Vandergrift, It. II. Williams and
others sent for him and kindly expos.
tulated with him, urging him to save
some of his money. He thanked them
for their friendly advice, but said that
he had made living by hauling oil
and could do it again if necessary
He couldn't rest until he had spent
that fortune and ultimately he reached
i Nht SohbAOiOh DItNte1lip w llltb it'l.
A cousin of Mr.. Steele maintains
that the estimates which have
been put upon Steeps wealth
have not, as general thing
been exaggerated. He says he person
ally knows that when Mrs. McClintocb
died, Steele inherited 1925, 600 in golo
and about 100000 in other money
The income from his wells then was
from 81, 900 to $1,000 day. The cousin
says that from his knowledge ot
Steele's affairs he should say that al
one time "Coal Oil johnny could have
produced 81 900, 900 in cash.-Pittsburp
Commercial Gazette
BIRTH AND DEATH CONDOLENCES.
Shakespeare was born April %, 1864, and
died April %, 1916.
Timothy Swan, composer, was born July
20, l75S; died July %, 1912.
Sir Thomas Browne, author Of "Religo
| Medici - yVaa horn Oct 10 1905. died Oct