Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-31
GOAL OIL JOHNNY" A FARMER.
Oil Croesus of Sixties Now Leading
Simple Life.

Oil Croesus OF sixties NOW Leading
Simple Life.
Quietly working out his destiny on
a farm near here, John w. Steele,
known throughout the world as Coal
| Oil Johnny" the man to whom riches
proved to be bane, Is regaining his
self-respect, after hard fight, and has
become a credit to himself and TO
his family.
| After several decades Of patient la
bor the one-time oil king, now nearly
l7O years old. reviews his past with re-
gret, tinged with a certain quaint
philosophy Of life that somehow les
sens the enormity Of his offenses
against himself and society.
In the estimation of the world Coal
| OIL Johnny" stands as the representa-
tive type of the spendthrift and oil
region prodigal. Coming into an i'm
mense fortune before his judgment had
matured and without any one to ad-
wise him, he set out to see the world,
abandoning his wife and child and
friends; and he saw it. He saw 1t as
few have seen 1t 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 WELD
ing the hoe than he obtained in squan-
dering 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 coun-
ty to live with an uncle and aunt, Mr.
and Mrs McClintock, who had large
farm on Oil creek When Johnny was
| 12 years old his foster uncle died. A
few years afterward oil was discov-
cred, and Widow McClintock, along
with other landowners In OIL Creek
valley, found that she was encamped
above an Independent 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 or
the treacherous oil can, which in sub
seauent years came to number its dead
by the thousands With her death
Johnny came into all her possessions,
his little sister having died some years
before.
Mrs. MoCiintock had boarded her
wealth in a safe, which was opened
after her death. The amount Of cash
found has been placed as high as
$500, 900, but Johnny claims that 1t 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 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
L his money" that he would need 1t
some day." The retort was that, since
there seemed to be disposition on the
part of everybody to get 1t away from
him, he guessed he would spend it be-
fore 1t was stolen.
Johnny started for Philadelphia,
leaving behind his wife, whom he had
married in 1852, and a baby son. He
took with him Seth Slocum, the man
at whose door Steele lays the greatest
blame for his undoing.
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia
Steele was met by w. HI Wickham OF
New York, who offered him $1,OO0,0O0
for the McClintock farm. Johnny ac-
cepted, and received $4,000 to bind
the bargain. With more than $1,O0O,OOO
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 1t
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, a member OF the
minstrel company, tells an interesting
story of Steele that throws some side
lights on the character Of the oil king
that have never been published.
YES" declares Gaylord. Coal OIL
Johnny was my particular friend dur
ing his palmiest days. Johnny saw
our show perform in Philadelphia, got
stuck on the business and bought q
one third interest In the show. We
went on the road, did monstrous bus
mess, turned people away, and were
prosperous.
Reaching Utica, N. Y, Johnny gave
a supper to the show that cost him
$1,000. He then conceived the idea
of travelling by his own train, and ac-
cordingly purchased an engine, sleep
er and baggage car Dates for two
weeks ahead were Cancelled and we
went junketing, Johnny footing the
bills. At Erie we had a $500 supper,
and so 1t went. 1t was in Philadelphia
that Johnny bought his first hack
After short drive he presented it to
the driver. Our dates being Cancelled,
Johnny indemnified us for the loss, es-
timating the probable business re-
ceipts on the basis of packed houses.
I'm Chicago he gave another exhibit
tion of his eccentric traits. He leased
the Academy of Music for the season,
and we did a big business. Finally he
proposed a benefit for Skiff and Gay
lord and sent over to rent the Crosby
opera house, then the finest in the
country. The manager sent back this
insolent reply:
1--WE don't rent our house for an in
fernal niger show
Johnny got warm under the COL
lar. He went down to the office In
Root & Cady's music store.
What will you take for your house
to sell it outright" he asked M"
Root.