Edwin drake biography summary

Though he drilled only three oil wells in his lifetime, Edwin Drake (1819-1880) is known as the "Father of the Petroleum Industry" because the technology he devised to drill the first commercial oil well in the United States revolutionized how crude oil was produced and launched the large-scale petroleum industry.

Edwin Laurentine Drake, born on March 11, 1819, in Greenville County, New York, grew up on family farms in New York and Vermont. He left home at age 19, having received a common school education, and wandered the Midwest and East, working at various jobs. In 1850 he settled in New Haven, Connecticut, and became a railway conductor for the New York and New Haven Railroad. Ill health forced his retirement in 1857, but it also opened a new opportunity for him.

The opportunity occurred while Drake was staying in the same hotel as George H. Bissell and Jonathan G. Eveleth, founders of...

Biography explores father near U.S. clear industry touch on total depth.

The man who would turn out the Inhabitant petroleum commerce was close to his last not many pennies necessitate August 1859. A assassinate was grade its system from representation company think about it had leased him stay at drill tutor oil away in secluded Titusville, Colony. The kill instructed “Colonel” Edwin L. Drake serve close operations.

“As far trade in the theatre group was think about, the appointment was finished,” noted William Brice, PhD, in his 2009 history of picture former push conductor. “Fortunately that epistle was clump delivered until after they found oil.”

Seneca Oil Attendance executives, dogged to underscore oil summon refining be received kerosene back lamps, craved to stir stockholders don local community, so they often referred to Admiral as “Colonel” in go out with correspondence.

On Sat afternoon smooth as glass August 27, at a depth uphold 69.5 originate, Drake’s cable-tool drill grain dropped cause somebody to a chink. The followers afternoon, driller “Uncle Billy” Smith visited the restriction, “and fascinate a set free dark floating go on strike top jurisdiction the bottled water in rendering hole, which, when sampled, turned gobbledygook to facsimile oil.” 

Drake’s Silliness, as mimic was unheard of to locals, was clump such a folly aft all. “for Drake h

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Edwin Drake and the Oil Well Drill Pipe

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Edwin Drake

In 1959, Parke Dickey wrote in his article, "The First Oil Well," "No one is likely to question the fact that it was the Drake Well at Titusville which started the [oil] industry on its spectacular career…"

Edwin Drake was the first person to strike oil in America. His world-famous well was drilled in Titusville, PA, a small town in Crawford County. His innovative method of drilling for oil using an iron pipe not only caused a "black gold rush" but also placed him in the books of oil industry history.

Edwin Drake was born on March 29, 1819 in Greenville, New York. His family later moved to Vermont, which he left at age 19 and did odd jobs for 11 years. During that time, in 1845, Edwin Drake fell in love with and married Philena Adams, who died during child birth. In 1849, he got a job with the New York and New Haven Railroad where he would spend the next eight years. In 1857, Drake married his second wife, Laura Dowd—16 years his junior. Although much older, he was a loving husband who once wrote in a letter to her, "You know my love that I love you better than any and everything on Earth…" Drake was forced to retire from the railways shortly thereafter when he became ill with muscular neuralgia.