The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-06-13
"COAL OIL JOHNNY"
NOW A PLAIN FARMER
Oil Croesus of Sixties Now Leading Simple Life.
How he Spent Fortune-Leased
Hotel and Theatre

Goal Oil Johnny" the man to whom
riches proved to be a bane, is re-
gaining his self-respect, after hard
fight, and has become a credit to
himself and to his family.
After several decades Of patient
labor, the one time oil king, now
nearly 70 years old, reviews his past
with regret, tinged with a certain
quaint philosophy of life that some
how lessons the enormity Of his Of
fenses against himself and society.
In the estimation of the world
Goal Oil Johnny" stands as the rep
resentative type of the spendthrlft
and oil region prodigal. Coming into
an immense fortune before his judg-
ment had matured and without any
one to advise him, he set out to see
the world, abandoning his wife and
child and friends; and he saw it. He
saw it ss few have seen it before or
since.
This young oil Croesus, who had
more thousands than he knew any
thing of, went a pace that set the
whole world agog with stories Of his
extravaganza. When he had finished
with the world Steele went back to
the soil, not as an oil producer, but
as an agriculturist, and he admits
that he has received more pleasure
welding the hoe than he obtained in
squandering his fortune.
Johnny was born of poor parents,
near Sheakleyville, Mercer county,
Pennsylvania. 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 II years old his foster
uncle died. A few years afterward
oil was was discovered, and Widow
McClintock, along with other land
owners in Oil creek valley, found
that she was encamped above an in
dependent fortune. She soon found
herself a 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, which in sub
sequent years came to number its
dead by the thousands. With her
death Johnny came into all her pos
sessions, his little sister having died
some years before.
Mrs. McClintock had boarded her
wealth in a safe, which was opened
after her death. The amount of cash
found has been placed as high as
100000, but Johnny claims that it
was less. At this time Steele was
Just of age. Wealth continued to
roll in on the innocent and well-be-
haved young man, and he soon lost
all 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 seemed to be disposi-
ton 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 Slo-
cum, the man at whose door Steele
lays the greatest blame for his undo
ing.
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia
Steele was met by w. H. Wickham,
of New York, who offered him ST.
100000 for the McClintock farm.
Johnny accepted, and received $780,
900 to bind the bargain. With more
than S1,00O,000 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 and Gaylord minstrel
show, that was then in sore financial
straits, and decided to finance the
concern. John w. Gaylord, mem
Der of the minstrel company, tells
an interesting story of Steele that
throws some side lights on the char
acter of the oil king that have never
been published.
"Yes," declares Gaylord, Goal Oil
Johnny was my particular friend
during his palmiest days. Johnny
saw our show perform in Philadel-
phia, got stuck on the business and