Edwin Drake
Edwin Laurentine Drake | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Greenville, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 9, 1880 (aged 61) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, oil driller |
| Known for | First successful oil drilling in the United States |
Edwin Laurentine Drake (March 29, 1819 – November 9, 1880), often referred to as Colonel Drake, was an American entrepreneur credited with being the first to successfully drill for oil in the United States.
Early life
Born to Lyman and Laura Drake on March 29, 1819, in Greenville, New York, Drake spent his youth working on family farms across New York and Vermont before leaving home at age 19. Early in his professional life, he held various positions related to railroads near New Haven, Connecticut, including clerk, express agent, and conductor. Additionally, Drake was affiliated with the Freemasons.
Seneca Oil
Prior to Drake’s involvement, petroleum had only limited industrial application. The first American oil refinery was established by Samuel Kier in Pittsburgh, where crude oil was processed into kerosene, creating a viable substitute for whale oil used in lighting.
The Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company, later renamed Seneca Oil Company, was founded by George Bissell and Jonathan Eveleth. They identified petroleum from a natural oil spring near Titusville, Pennsylvania as a promising alternative fuel source for lamps. Initial enthusiasm was low until a commissioned report validated petroleum’s commercial viability. Following disputes among shareholders, the company split in 1858, leading to the formation of Seneca Oil. Drake invested in the company and was employed at an annual salary of $1,000 to investigate potential oil seepage on company-held land.
In the spring of 1858, James Townsend, President of Seneca Oil, tasked Drake with exploring suspected oil reserves near Titusville. Leveraging his railroad experience granted him complimentary rail travel; although lacking military credentials, Townsend bestowed upon him the honorary rank of "Colonel" to bolster his reputation locally.
Drake Well
Drake adapted drilling methods used for salt well extraction and acquired a steam engine from Erie, Pennsylvania to power his drilling apparatus. The site chosen was an island in Oil Creek. Early difficulties included the sides of the borehole collapsing at a depth of 16 feet (5 m), which Drake resolved by inventing a drive pipe—a series of 10-foot cast iron segments driven into the earth. Upon reaching bedrock at 32 feet (10 m), steam-powered drilling through the pipe advanced progress by approximately three feet daily. Despite skepticism and financial hardships, Drake remained committed.
On August 27, 1859, after drilling down to 69.5 feet (21 m), the drill bit penetrated an oil-bearing fissure. Oil was extracted using a hand pump and collected in a bathtub. Drake’s key innovation involved using piping to stabilize the borehole walls, enabling drilling at greater depths than previous surface or shallow excavation techniques allowed. This approach effectively addressed water infiltration that had caused earlier shaft failures and continues to underpin modern hydrocarbon extraction processes.
While earlier wells have been reported in Bóbrka, Poland (1854), Wietze, Germany (1857), and Oil Springs, Ontario (1858), it was Drake’s well near Titusville that sparked the first significant wave of investment in petroleum exploration. Within twenty-four hours of striking oil, his drilling technique gained widespread adoption along Oil Creek, fueling rapid growth of boom towns and industry expansion. The well initially produced about 25 barrels daily; by 1872 regional production had increased to approximately 3 million barrels per day.
Drake formed a stock company to extract and sell oil but did not secure a patent for his drilling method and ultimately lost his fortune speculating on oil in 1863. Although he laid the foundation for the modern petroleum industry, he died financially ruined. In recognition of his contributions, Pennsylvania granted him a $1,500 annuity in 1872.
Personal life
In 1845, Drake wed Philena Adams, who tragically passed away during childbirth in 1854. He entered into a second marriage in 1857 with Laura Dowd, who was sixteen years his junior. That same summer, health issues curtailed his professional activities, although he maintained his status as a train conductor, granting him complimentary railroad travel. The family relocated to Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1858 and subsequently moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1874.
Death
Drake passed away on November 9, 1880, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He and his spouse were laid to rest in Titusville, adjacent to a monument recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to the oil industry.
Legacy
Established in 1934 in Titusville, the Drake Well Museum honors Drake’s pioneering achievements as the first successful oil driller in the United States and highlights his significant influence on the petroleum sector.
In popular culture
- Vincent Price portrayed Drake in the 1954 film Born In Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake, which was sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute.
- The Lucky Luke comic titled In the Shadow of the Derricks depicts Titusville and dramatizes Drake’s efforts against competitors vying for control over local oil fields.
- The 1963 television episode "The Colonel from Connecticut" from The Great Adventure portrays Drake’s mission to transform oil extraction methods.