“My grandfather worked in the oilfields all of his life.”
A subscriber to the American Oil & Gas Historical Society’s monthly newsletter in May 2026 contacted AOGHS to share her family’s early 20th-century connection to America’s oil patch. After reading the Great Oil Boom of Lima, Ohio, Grace Woodward explained:
“My mother who is 96 gave me handwritten pages that her dad wrote while working as a well shooter. My grandfather, Henry “Oscar” Kessler, mentions the names of several petroleum companies, including Manhattan Oil Company and Ohio Oil Company. His first payroll work was for the Ohio Oil Company (1901).
An 1885 drilling boom brought prosperity to Lima, Ohio, after a well drilled for natural gas found oil instead. Circa 1910 postcard published by Robbins Brothers, Boston.
“In addition to my grandfather, my great-grandfather Michael Kessler started working in oilfields in 1889, shortly after oil was discovered in the vicinity of St. Marys, Ohio, and worked as a roustabout building steam boxes that furnished steam for the oilfield engines used to run the wells and for heating, shipping the oil, etc. His roustabout pay was $33 per month. Room and board cost $3 per week.
“My great-grandfather leased his farm to the Manhattan Oil Company. Six wells were drilled, and they produced for many years, one or two lasting for nearly 30 years. The well nearest to their house supplied gas for heating, cooking and lighting.
“My grandfather Kessler worked in the oilfields all of his life, including California, where he eventually lived. Standard Oil Company in the McKittrick Field (western Kern County) was mentioned along with other fields. I have found his information to be very informative, and with my mom’s permission, I would be willing to share.
“Please let me know if you or any of your readers are interested in this history from an oil man who worked in the fields. Thank you, Grace Woodward.”
Post any replies in the Comments below or email bawells@aoghs.org
______________________
Recommended Reading: Ohio Oil and Gas (2008); Black Gold in California: The Story of California Petroleum Industry (2016). Your Amazon purchase benefits the American Oil & Gas Historical Society. As an Amazon Associate, AOGHS earns a commission from qualifying purchases.
_______________________
The American Oil & Gas Historical Society (AOGHS) preserves U.S. petroleum history. Support this energy education website, subscribe to our monthly email newsletter, and help expand historical research. Contact bawells@aoghs.org. Copyright © 2026 Bruce A. Wells.
Citation Information – Article Title: “A Life in the Oilfields.” Authors: B.A. Wells and K.L. Wells. Website Name: American Oil & Gas Historical Society. URL: https://aoghs.org/oil-almanac/a-life-in-the-oilfields. Last Updated: May 29, 2026. Original Published Date: May 29, 2026.
