101 Ranch Oil Company

101 Ranch Oil Company
Company type	Private
Industry	Oil and gas industry
Founded	1908; 118 years ago
Founder	E. W. Marland
Defunct	1917
Fate	Purchased by Marland Oil Company in 1916
Successor	Marland Oil Company (later Continental Oil Company, now Conoco)
Headquarters	Ponca City, United States
Area served	Northeastern Oklahoma, including towns such as Mervine, Newkirk, Blackwell, Billings, and Garber
Key people	E. W. Marland (President), John G. McCaskey (President after restructure), W. H. McFadden (Vice President and General Manager), J. M. Weaver (Secretary and Treasurer), Lewis Haines Wentz (Secretary)
Products	Oil

Established in 1908 by oil industry pioneer E. W. Marland, The 101 Ranch Oil Company was based in Ponca City, Oklahoma on the grounds of the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch. The company's breakthrough oil discovery in 1911 within Northeastern Oklahoma ignited development across Eastern Oklahoma, extending to towns such as Mervine, Newkirk, Blackwell, Billings, and Garber. This success eventually led to the formation of the Marland Oil Company, which later became known as Continental Oil Company and is presently recognized as Conoco.

Background

Born on May 8, 1874, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ernest Whitworth Marland graduated with an LL.B. from the University of Michigan Law School at just nineteen years old. He initially practiced law in Pittsburgh, representing prominent oil investors like James M. Guffey, which introduced him early on to the petroleum sector. By the age of thirty-three, Marland shifted his focus from legal work to oil enterprise, amassing a modest fortune before losing it amid the financial crisis of 1907. By 1908, he was actively exploring new entrepreneurial opportunities.

Founding

Prompted by his relative Lt. Franklin Roosevelt Kenney, Marland relocated to Ponca City and formed a partnership with the Miller brothers—Joseph "Joe" Carson Miller, Zachary "Zack" Taylor Miller, and George Lee Kockernut Miller—owners of the 101 Ranch. Observing surface geological signs suggestive of oil reserves, Marland returned to Pittsburgh to secure roughly $500,000 in funding for a new company named 101 Ranch Oil Company, where he assumed the role of president. The initial board consisted of O. W. Ainslie (chef), J. G. McCaskey (sauerkraut manufacturer), F. R. Kenney (retired industrialist), George Miller (ranch proprietor), and Samuel Collins (Marland’s father-in-law and Treasurer).

Drilling for oil

Operations commenced with drilling near the ranch’s headquarters known as the "White House." The first borehole extended to 2,500 feet but failed to find oil; subsequent wells yielded gas that was not commercially viable. By 1910, despite being situated in a promising oil-producing region, the company faced severe financial challenges and was on the brink of collapse.

Restructure

John G. McCaskey, a wealthy Pittsburgh investor nicknamed the “Sauerkraut King,” undertook reorganization efforts and was appointed President. He attracted additional capital from Pittsburgh financiers including W. H. McFadden—former President of Mackintosh, Hemphill & Co.—who became Vice President and General Manager, along with J. M. Weaver who took on Secretary and Treasurer duties. By 1911, principal shareholders comprised E. W. Marland, McCaskey, McFadden, G. W. Baum (Vice President of Pittsburgh Rubber), N. A. Hemphill (co-founder of Mackintosh, Hemphill & Co.), Pittsburgh Alderman J. J. Kirby, Brownlee Harper Gibson (Princeton alumnus and insurance agent), C. L. Stevens (member of Pennsylvania Medical Society), J. J. Kearns (President of Electric Service Company), and Samuel C. Collins (Marland’s father-in-law). McCaskey subsequently appointed Lewis Haines Wentz—an employee from his sauerkraut enterprise—as company Secretary.

Ponca lease

With fresh investments and improved geological understanding, Marland identified a drilling location atop a hill near Bodark Creek believed to be a geological high point. This site was part of a Ponca tribe burial ground featuring scaffolds for their deceased at the summit—the precise area targeted for drilling.

Negotiations between Marland, the Millers, and White Eagle—the Chief of the Ponca—secured permission to drill on an allotment belonging to Ponca Indian Willie-Cries-for-War. The lease agreement included an annual payment of $1,000 plus a 12.5% royalty override. On June 11, 1911, the "Willie-Cries-For-War" well began producing oil at a rate of 120 barrels per day and remained productive until 1976—the year Willie Cries for War passed away—generating considerable profits for both the company and its shareholders.

Marland Oil Company and CONOCO

Based in Ponca City, the firm operated independently until November 1916, when it was purchased through a combination of cash and stock by the Marland Oil Company. Officially incorporated in Delaware on January 3, 1921, Marland Oil expanded its holdings by acquiring control of both Marland Refining Co. and Kay County Gas Co. via stock swaps. On June 26, 1929, following the acquisition of assets from the original Continental Oil Company—a Maine-based corporation established in 1875 and headquartered in Ogden, Utah—the company adopted the name Continental Oil Company (CONOCO). The original Continental was recognized for distributing coal, oil, kerosene, grease, and candles across the Western United States, which allowed the newly named entity to considerably broaden its market presence and operational reach.

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