The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-07-22
J. v. RATHBoNE. NOW DEAD ONE
OF PIONEERS IN OIL BUSl-
NESS IN WEST VIRGINIA.
STORIES OF OLD DAYS
IN THE GREAT GAME
DESIGNER OF STATE SEAL PRE-
DlcTED A PocL OF GOLDEN
FLUID UNDER popo.
RIDGE COUNTY.

The history of early oil development,
In West Virginia, contains much tina.
Is OF great interest TO the talent Of TO.
day, with its more approved methods
OF seeking liquid fortunes that lie hid
den hundreds Of feet below the earths
surface and many old men OF this
state can look back with tender mem.
cries TO the days now long gone. when
oil wells were drilled with spring poles
and the golden fluid taken from tbs
holes with sponges and wooden blan
kets.
Among the pioneers in the game
that has bankrupted as many men as
II has made rich was John V. Rath.
bone, of Petersburg VINO died sew.
eraf years ago leaving a large estate
10 his heirs. In his day there were no
tanks sufficient 10 hold the production
of a gusher and when the Burning
Springs field first became famous. the
streams were covered with oil TO?
miles. 1t is said that Mr.. Rathbone
got his start by dipping oil from the
streams with blankets, squeezing the
oil so collected into barrels and selling
it, Oil in those days wrought some.
thing like 81 per barrel and after d
while John V. Rathbone. then a poor
young man. secured enough TO start
drilling for himself, rapidly building
up n large fortune from which there
sprang a number Of fortunes held in
the families best known in Parkers.
burg to this day.
a writer op the early oil history OF
the state in recent article appearing
in the Parkersburg State Journal says:
"lt is close question as 10 whether
the first crude oil in West Virginia was
found in Writ Or Richie county. 1t Is
said that it Just seeped out OF the
ground up along Hughes river and al
frst was taken up in large sponges
and saved. Little was 1t realized then
what an industry the developing OF
Gil, operations for II. the vast demand
for It and uses OF it, would became.
The tale of developing oil in the
county of Doddridge is an important
and interesting one. The late ]. #
Diss De Barr, who designed the state
seal OF West Virginia and who was d
very learned man. had unbounded
faith that the fluid underlaid Dodt.
ridge county, and once made the re.
mark to the late John Wanstreet:
Where we are now sitting and IN
sight Of US will In time become an
oil field
That prophecy has been fulfilled
De Barr backed UP his theory by TAX.
ing leases OH farms other than the
land which he himself then owned
hut was unable 10 develop them as
deep drilling was then unknown. this
being in the years between 1868 and
1868.
About the year 1867. Elias Black
shere 4 Co., came into the county and
icok leases and bought some land in
Mcclellan district and located vel;
near the mouth OF Sycamore, and
drilled 1t TO depth of 800 feet and
abandoned II by reason OF lack of IA
cilities for deeper drilling. Jos. Fl
Bee located well. in the town of Yves,
Union. in the ravine between his
house and the Weston turnpike, and
achieved a depth OF about 288 fee,
with spring pole; he claimed at the
Gepth of about sc feet he encountered
Il vein of coal seven feet in depth
many feet below the surface vein a,
that point Another company drilled
well on the Captain F. NJ. F. Smita
farm. opposite the present residence
Of his daughter. Mrs. E. c Jones. ant
attained a depth of about loo feet
AT that time two men could load \
stem on wagon and take 1t TO n
blacksmith shop TO have repairs made
on it,
John Robinson now of Manning
ton was the managing director of tho
effort 10 Obtain oil. and is nov con
sidered to be on Of West virginia.