Jonathan Greenleaf Eveleth
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Greenleaf Eveleth (May 8, 1821 – December 10, 1861) founded the first oil company in America with George Bissell
in 1854. Partners in the Wall Street law firm of Eveleth & Bissell, the two formed the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company with 5 other investors from New York, New Haven, and Titusville, Pennsylvania
, to "raise, procure, manufacture, and sell Rock Oil."
Eveleth was born in New Gloucester, Maine
, on May 8, 1821 to James and Hannah Austin Eveleth. His father was a leather tanner and boot and shoe maker and a descendant of early colonial families of Massachusetts. He was a direct descendant of Joseph Eveleth, juror in the Salem Witch trial
of John Proctor
, and a second cousin of Theophilus Parsons
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Eveleth married Mary Weeks of Bath, Maine, in 1852.
He graduated from Bowdoin College
in 1847 and Harvard Law School
in 1854. He was Principal of the Liberal Institute (1848–1849) a college preparatory school in Norway, Maine, and then, following law school, joined Fessenden & Deblois, the Portland, Maine
law firm of U.S. Representative Thomas Fessenden's
family. He later formed his own firm with Bissell in New York at 14 Wall St. His New York practice was eventually closed in 1859 to allow the partners to fully pursue their oil business venture.
Bissell and Eveleth initially invested $5,000 to purchase and lease over 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of what they believed were the principal oil fields in Titusville, PA. The company collected oil in trenches and sold small quantities at high prices ($1.50 per gallon) primarily for medicinal purposes.
Believing in the mineral's greater economic potential and in order to gain the interest of additional investors, the two partners engaged at their own expense renowned Yale
chemist, Benjamin Silliman, Jr., to investigate crude oil samples from the Pennsylvania site for its properties and commercial usefulness. Silliman submitted in 1855 his historic report to "Messrs. Eveleth, Bissell, and Reed" concluding, "gentlemen ... there is much ground for encouragement in the belief that your Company have in their possession a raw material from which they may manufacture... very valuable products", thus marking a major scientific milestone for the university as well the birth of the American petroleum industry. The company was then reorganized to include additional New Haven investors, and Silliman was appointed president, with Eveleth and Bissell maintaining controlling interest.
Pennsylvania Rock Oil later leased its property to Seneca Oil, which under the management of Edwin Drake
, drilled the first oil well in the United States and became the first to strike oil in 1859. Bissell continued to considerably expand his and the New York investors' land in the Titusville region, in Franklin and Petroleum Center
, PA. However, Eveleth's life was cut short only 2 years later due to illness. Bissell went on to become known as "the father of the American oil industry".
Eveleth was described as "sage, cautious, and tenacious" and the "principal promoter" of the company who made many of the major decisions. He died in New York City on December 10, 1861 after suffering from nephritis. His son and only child, Charles W. Eveleth, died in Germany while a student at Ober Gymnasium.
George Bissell (industrialist)
George Henry Bissell is often considered the father of the American oil industry. He was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, the son of Isaac Bissell and Nancy Wemple....
in 1854. Partners in the Wall Street law firm of Eveleth & Bissell, the two formed the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company with 5 other investors from New York, New Haven, and Titusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...
, to "raise, procure, manufacture, and sell Rock Oil."
Eveleth was born in New Gloucester, Maine
New Gloucester, Maine
New Gloucester is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, in the United States. It is home to the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, the last active Shaker Village in the U.S...
, on May 8, 1821 to James and Hannah Austin Eveleth. His father was a leather tanner and boot and shoe maker and a descendant of early colonial families of Massachusetts. He was a direct descendant of Joseph Eveleth, juror in the Salem Witch trial
Salem witch trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
of John Proctor
John Proctor
John Proctor was a farmer in 17th century Massachusetts. He married three women in his life, and divorced the first two. The last one he married was Elizabeth Proctor, who gave birth to two children, William and Sarah...
, and a second cousin of Theophilus Parsons
Theophilus Parsons
Theophilus Parsons was an American jurist.Born in Newbury, Massachusetts, and the son of a clergyman, Parsons was one of the early students at the Dummer Academy before matriculating to Harvard College from which he graduated in 1769, was a schoolmaster in Falmouth from 1770–1773; he studied law,...
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Eveleth married Mary Weeks of Bath, Maine, in 1852.
He graduated from Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
in 1847 and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1854. He was Principal of the Liberal Institute (1848–1849) a college preparatory school in Norway, Maine, and then, following law school, joined Fessenden & Deblois, the Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
law firm of U.S. Representative Thomas Fessenden's
T. A. D. Fessenden
Thomas Amory Deblois Fessenden was a U.S. Representative from Maine, the son of abolitionist legislator Samuel Fessenden, and brother of Treasury Secretary William P. Fessenden and congressman Samuel C. Fessenden. He was an uncle of Union Army generals Francis Fessenden and James D...
family. He later formed his own firm with Bissell in New York at 14 Wall St. His New York practice was eventually closed in 1859 to allow the partners to fully pursue their oil business venture.
Bissell and Eveleth initially invested $5,000 to purchase and lease over 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of what they believed were the principal oil fields in Titusville, PA. The company collected oil in trenches and sold small quantities at high prices ($1.50 per gallon) primarily for medicinal purposes.
Believing in the mineral's greater economic potential and in order to gain the interest of additional investors, the two partners engaged at their own expense renowned Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
chemist, Benjamin Silliman, Jr., to investigate crude oil samples from the Pennsylvania site for its properties and commercial usefulness. Silliman submitted in 1855 his historic report to "Messrs. Eveleth, Bissell, and Reed" concluding, "gentlemen ... there is much ground for encouragement in the belief that your Company have in their possession a raw material from which they may manufacture... very valuable products", thus marking a major scientific milestone for the university as well the birth of the American petroleum industry. The company was then reorganized to include additional New Haven investors, and Silliman was appointed president, with Eveleth and Bissell maintaining controlling interest.
Pennsylvania Rock Oil later leased its property to Seneca Oil, which under the management of Edwin Drake
Edwin Drake
Edwin Laurentine Drake , also known as Colonel Drake, was an American oil driller, popularly credited with being the first to drill for oil in the United States.-Early life:...
, drilled the first oil well in the United States and became the first to strike oil in 1859. Bissell continued to considerably expand his and the New York investors' land in the Titusville region, in Franklin and Petroleum Center
Petroleum Center, Pennsylvania
Petroleum Center is a populated place in Cornplanter Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. In the 19th century the name was also spelled "Petroleum Centre". The town today is almost deserted.-Geography:...
, PA. However, Eveleth's life was cut short only 2 years later due to illness. Bissell went on to become known as "the father of the American oil industry".
Eveleth was described as "sage, cautious, and tenacious" and the "principal promoter" of the company who made many of the major decisions. He died in New York City on December 10, 1861 after suffering from nephritis. His son and only child, Charles W. Eveleth, died in Germany while a student at Ober Gymnasium.