Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-25
OIL COUNTRY FORTUNES.
Farmer Who Kept Halt Million in a
Log Cabin.

No obscure oil region farmer ever
jumped into fame with greater rapid
ity than John Bennehoff OF Bolivar
y. y, just about thirty years ago.
He became famous in a night. His
fame came from his habit OF keeping
half a million dollars in gold ANA cur
rcncy in a safe in his log house be-
cause he was afraid the banks were
not safe.
Bennchoff was a typical hackwoods
farmer who Vas land poor when the
oil boom swept along Oil Greek in
Pennsylvania early in the sixties. He
owned a big block Of land al a bend in
OIL Creek midway between Titusville
and Oil city. Down across his clear
ing flowed Eennehoff Run. trout
stream that he named after himself
He lived in a roOmy log house. with a
rocf made Of shingles shaved by hand
His nearest neighbor lived quarter
Of mile away. He was satisfied Ia
grub a living from his sidehill farm.
When the spring floods came he plotted
Il ! al 4 NpN II ~ llitShIiS anu NdIN'i
back. That satisfied his desire to see
the outside world until spring came
around again He was a hard headed
old fellow, With little sentiment about
him and not a touch OF vanity. When
the oil boom made him rich he did
not quit work. nor did he change his
mode of living He continued t. carry
eggs and butter To the country store
| keeper, and drove just as close en-
change bargains as before.
Bennehon's 300-acre tract was Won
derfully productive. Some Of the wells
flowed 400 barrels a day. The oil was
bought al the wells ana paid for on the
spot by dealers who carried big rolls
of currency in gripsacks. Bennehoff
received $1,000 an acre bonus and a
royalty of one-h half the oil produced for
some sections of his tract. In those
days oil frequently sold for $40 and ST.
| a barrel at the we'll and WAS either
shipped down Oil Creek in hatboats or
hauled away in barrels on wagons
| Benuehoff' income was enormous. and
the money came so fast that he was
heWildered. one piece Of land he re
fused to part With at any price, be-
cause he reserved it for 4 potato patch
| When he had accumulated big wad
of money he carried it to a bank and
deposited it. Before long the bank
failed and he lost his money and his
confidence in banks. Then he bought
a safe. placed it in his house, and car
ried the key in his pocket. In this safe
he stored his wealth as it poured in to
him. 1t gradually became nOSed about
that ne had safe full Of gold and
greenbacks. His neighbors warned
him to be Watchful of thieves. He in
variably replied that his money was as
safe in his house as in any bank The
story Of his safe full Of money finally
reached Jim Seager, a gambler at
SeagcrtoWn. thirty miles away. Sea
ger got four young fellows TO help him
and sent to Baltimore for two profess
sional burglars to do the job A night
| on which Bennehoff's son was to at
tend a dance was decided on for the
robbery. 1t was Jan. q. 1868.
The gang drove to the Bennehoff
farm about midnight. put their team
in the barn. and walked quickly to the
house. The hired man was gagged and
Bennehoff, his wife and his daughter
were securely bound The burglars
forced the safe door open and took out
$3.50, 900, tWo-thirds of it in gold. The
thieves then went leisurely about get
ting supper for themselves, sampling
Mrs. Bennehoff's mnce pies and bread
and butter. They found two pans OF
milk in the pantry. and drank every
drop of it. This act enraged the frugal
Mrs Bennehoff more than the loss Of
the money. In reciting her troubles to
a neighbor the next day she said:
What do YOU think. those dirty scamps
drank two pans of milk, cream and all.
/ asked them to let me skim it. but
they Knocked me. the wretches!"
After bidding their victims good
night, the gang hitched up and drove
away. On the barn floor the next
morning was found a package contain
ing twenty odd thousand dollars that
had accidentally been left behind by
the robbers. When the money was
divided Seager and the two Baltimore
cracksmen took the bulk of it. The
latter hurried to Canada, where they