Look Back: Oil industry giants
Trending
Lemmons [Lemon] Family Oil Pioneers
By Cordelia Moellendick of the Parkersburg News staff
The Lemmons, seven bearded giants, played a very important role in bringing to light the chief agency in the rapid development of this area more than a century ago. [This was written in 1953].
A father and his six stalwart sons were the first oil producers in these parts, locating and marketing petroleum in 1843, just 16 years before the Drake well was drilled at Titusville, Pa. in 1859.
The first attempt to gather and market oil was when shallow pools were seen along the banks of the Hughes and Little Kanawha rivers a few miles above Parkersburg. It was somewhat of a bother when settlers tried to sink a well for salt and have it fill with oil.
Eventually word reached remote sections that this oil was a wonderful cure for about every known ailment of men and beasts, and especially good for burns, bruises and sprains.
In the summer of 1843 there came a huge man named Lemmons and his equally huge sons in canoes to Marietta with five barrels of oil which were sold to Bosworth, Wells & Co. The Lemmons told H.P. Wells, buyer for the firm, that they obtained the oil along the banks of the Hughes River above Parkersburg.
Mr. Wells was keen for a bargain and paid the men 25c per gallon for their oil. The giants were delighted and promised more oil for the next year. Bosworth, Wells & Co. bargained with a customer to build them a boat, which, when completed, Mr. Wells loaded with beans, dried apples, clover seeds, deer skins and the oil and set out down the Ohio for New Orleans. From the southern port his oil was shipped to New York and Mr. Wells went right along with his cargo and was able to sell it in New York for 60c per gallon. Freight and transportation costs were $750 which left a profit of $172.50.
Lemmons Come Again
Early next spring came the "oil men" of Hughes River with several barrels of oil.
Their method of procuring the oil was to dig a shallow hole in the river bed or along the edge and sink a store box into the hole to hold back sand and gravel. Then with hoes, they stirred up the sandy shore around the box so the oil would seep into the box where it was dipped up. Some say with blankets which absorbed the oil and were then wrung out into containers.
Business got better and better until the output was 200 barrels a year. At 25c per gallon the father and his brawny sons were getting rich. The firm annually exchanged about $2,000 in cash and merchandise with the Lemmons. This went on for about seven years.
End of the Lemmons Prosperity
In August of 1850 a very prosperous man arrived in Marietta and found Mr. Wells in his office - "Is this the store of Bosworth, Wells & Co.?" boomed a deep voice. "Yes Sir." "You've been buying oil from old man Lemmons and his boys and I warn you not to buy another barrel, sir. They are squatters on my land and have been robbing me." "What is your name?" "Bushrod W. Creel, Esq."
To Mr. Wells this seemed a tragic ending to a fine business and being a diplomat, he set out to soften Mr. Creel and establish cordial relations.
On November 19, 1850, the store's ledger records the amount of $706.12 paid to Bushrod W. Creel by Bosworth, Wells & Co. brokers.
Excerpts from The Parkersburg News
July 19, 1953
***
More of the story -- In David McKain and Dr. Bernie Allen's book, "Where It All Began," is recorded that in December of 1855, Creel was credited as having delivered 153 barrels of oil, at 33 cents per gallon to Bosworth, Wells & Co
***
Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.