Mark L. Requa

Mark L. Requa
Born	Template:Birth date Virginia City, Nevada, U.S.
Died	March 6, 1937(1937-03-06) (aged 70) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Mining engineer, petroleum conservation advocate
Known for	Leading the Oil Division of the United States Fuel Administration during World War I; managing Herbert Hoover's presidential campaigns in 1928 and 1932

Mark L. Requa (December 25, 1866 – March 6, 1937) was a prominent American mining engineer and advocate for petroleum conservation. During World War I, he led the Oil Division of the United States Fuel Administration and played a significant role in managing Herbert Hoover's presidential campaigns in both 1928 and 1932.

Early life

Born on December 25, 1866, in Virginia City, Nevada, Mark Lawrence Requa was the son of Sarah Jane (née Mower) and Isaac Lawrence Requa. His father, Isaac, who had amassed wealth through silver and gold mining in Virginia City, also served as president of the Oakland Bank of Savings. Additionally, Isaac Requa worked as an engineer for Comstock Mining and held the presidency of the Central Pacific Railroad. Mark received his education at the Requa School located in Piedmont, California along with other private institutions. Although he gained admission to Yale University, he did not enroll due to issues with his eyesight.

Career

Requa took charge of the Eureka-Palisades Railroad and founded the White Pine Copper Company in 1902. Two years later, he merged this company with the Boston and Nevada Copper Company to create the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company. He also founded the Nevada Northern Railway, which was used to transport copper ore from the Robinson Mine near Ely, Nevada to Cobre, Nevada.

In 1905, Requa met Herbert Hoover, and by 1917 he had joined Hoover at the United States Food Administration as his assistant. By 1918, Requa had advanced to lead the commercial relations division and simultaneously served as a consultant for the United States Bureau of Mines.

In January 1918, Requa was appointed director of the Oil Division within the United States Fuel Administration, where he coordinated production and marketing strategies to meet U.S. military demands during World War I. He remained in this position until the agency's closure in June 1919. During this period, he also acted as Petroleum Waste Conservator, introducing measures such as "motorless weekends" to conserve resources. At the World Engineering Congress held in Tokyo in 1921, he warned against excessive petroleum waste.

Following World War I, Requa returned to California and contributed to managing Hoover's presidential campaigns in 1928 and 1932. From 1932 to 1936, he served as a California committeeman for the National Republican Committee. In 1930, he chaired the San Francisco Bay Bridge Commission, where he oversaw decisions regarding the bridge’s site location. After Hoover's presidency, Requa collaborated with him on various mining enterprises.

He held vice president (1917–1920) and trustee (1917–1919) roles at the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers and was affiliated with the American Petroleum Institute. Requa authored two works: Grubstake and The Relation of Government to Industry.

Personal life

In 1895, Requa married Florence Herrick from Oakland, California. The couple had three children: two daughters—Mrs. John Henry Russell and Mrs. William David Coy Filmer—and a son named Lawrence Kendall Requa.

His sister Amy Requa was married to General Oscar F. Long.

Later life and death

During his later years, Requa lived in Santa Barbara, California. He passed away on March 6, 1937, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Santa Barbara due to complications following an abdominal surgery performed three weeks earlier. His final resting place is at Santa Barbara Cemetery.