The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-02-21
COAL OIL JOHNNY
BACK TO NATURE
John w. Steele, Known Throughout
World As "Coa Oil Johnny"
Regaining Self Respect.
HE ONCE LIVED IN DENISON

House Situated Where Central
Together With Wife and Son Occupied
School Building Stands.
Many of the older citizens of Den
ison will remember John w. Steele
known as Coal Oil Johnny" who lived
in a house where the Central schoo
building now stands. While in Deni
son he ran a dray line. Afterwards
the family moved to Nebraska, where
he engaged in railroad work, and the
son became an expert telegrapher. As
will be seen from the following taken
from the Sioux City Journal, Mr.. Steele
is now operating farm near Frank
lin, Pa. His life's history may prove
interesting reading.
Franklin, Pa.-Quietly working out
his destiny on farm near here, John
w. Steele, known throughout the
world as Coil Oil Johnny" the man
to whom riches proved to be bane,
is regaining self respect after a hard
fight and has become a credit to him
self and his family.
After several decades of patient
labor the one time oil king, now near
ly 70 years old, reviews his past with
regret, tinged with certain quaint
philosophy OF life that somehow less
ems the enOrmity OF his Offenses
against himself and society.
In the estimation of the world Coal
Oil Johnny" stands as the represent
alive type of the spendthrift and oil
region prodigal. Coming into an i'm
mense fortune before his judgment
had matured and without anyone to
advise him. he set out to see the world
and abandoned his wife and friends.
And he saw it.
When he had finished with the world
Steele went back to the soil, not as
an oil producer, but as an agricul-
turist and he admits that he has re-
ceived more pleasure welding the hoe
than he obtained in squandering his
fortune.
Johnny was born of poor parents
near Sheakleyville, Mercer county. At
an early age he and his little sister
went to Venango county to live with
an uncle and aunt, Mr.. and Mrs.
McClintock, who had large farm on
Oil creek. When Johnny was IL years
of age his adopted uncle died. A few
years afterward oil was discovered,
ether land owners in Oil creek val.
ley, found that she was encamped
above an independent fortune. She
soon found herself rich woman. One
day while attempting to hasten a
fire by means OF oil, Mrs. McClintock
was burned to death-the first victim
of the treacherous oil can. With her
death Johnny came into all her
possessions, his little sister having
u1Su oOlllC JcdiS DclOlc
Had Too Many Advisers.
Mrs. McClintock had boarded her
wealth in safe, which was opened
after her death The amount of cash
found has been placed as high as
100000, but Johnny says it was less.
At this time Steele was just of age.
Wealth continued to roll in on the
innocent and well behaved young man
and he soon lost track of how much
money he had.
But like all youths who suddenly
acquire great wealth, he had advisers
by the score. They told him to save
his money" that he would need it
some day." The retort was that, since
there seeemd to be disposition on
the part OF everybody to get it away
from him, he guessed he would spend
it before it was stolen.
Johnny started for Philadelphia,
leaving behind his wife whom he had
married in 1862, and a baby son. He
took with him Seth Slocum, the man
at whose door Steele lays the great
est blame for his undoing.
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia
Steele was met by w. H. Wickham,
of New York, who offered him, $1,000
900 for the McClintock farm. Johnny
accepted and received 100000 to bind
the bargain. With more than mil
lion dollars dangling before his eyes,
Steele and his friend, Slocum, TO
whom Steele had given the power OF
attorney, started out to paint the town.
They did it, all at Steele's expense.
While in the Quaker city Johnny
came in contact with the managers
of the Skiff & Gaylord minstrel show,
that was then in sore financial straits
and decided to finance the concern.
John W. Gaylord, member Of the
IL L.. ..