Valentine Monroe Kirk
Valentine M. Kirk | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 10, 1883 Greene County, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | May 4, 1948 (aged 64) Lovell, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Oilman, rancher |
| Known for | Pioneer in oil exploration in Wyoming and Montana; founder of Kirk Oil Company and Park Refining Company |
Valentine (Val) Monroe Kirk (1883–1947) was a trailblazer in oil exploration and a rancher operating in Wyoming and Montana. Commonly referred to as "V.M." or simply Kirk, he was born on June 10, 1883, in Greene County, Tennessee, to Joseph Wiley Kirk (1839–1921) and Elizabeth C. "Katie" Drake (1849–1887). His lineage traces back five generations of Kirks who settled near Knoxville, Tennessee beginning in the 1730s, including prominent ancestors like Captain Joseph Isaac Kirk (1755–1821).
Wyoming background
In 1900, Kirk relocated to Wyoming to oversee operations at the Metcalf Land & Livestock Company based in Newcastle, Wyoming. Around 1908, he acquired a fifty percent stake in Metcalf; however, the enterprise eventually dissolved following substantial losses caused by severe winters during 1909–1910 and 1913–1914.
On March 4, 1908, Kirk wed Pearle Julia Burdick in Upton, Wyoming. They had three sons: Carroll Joseph Kirk, who later collaborated with his father in oil ventures; Valentine Monroe Kirk Jr. (1918–1919), who passed away as an infant; and Charley Lafayette Kirk (1920–early childhood), who succumbed to influenza complications.
The family briefly moved to Kansas City in 1918 but soon returned to Wyoming to pursue opportunities in the oil sector. In May 1934, Kirk contracted tuberculosis and received treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota before recuperating at a sanitarium in Arizona.
Following his recovery, Kirk experienced the arrival of three granddaughters at their residence in Frannie, Wyoming. He and Pearle traveled widely, including visits to Mexico and Hawaii. Additionally, Kirk contributed to initiatives such as the Buffalo Bill Scout Camp near Yellowstone National Park, a project supported financially alongside fellow oilmen Glenn Nielson, Paul Stock, and Lloyd Taggart.
Valentine M. Kirk passed away on May 4, 1948, in Lovell, Wyoming, with funeral services held in Billings, Montana before interment in Newcastle.
Oil industry ventures
Kirk began his career in oil drilling contracting across Wyoming, Montana, and Kansas starting in 1918. He was among the first drillers active in the Osage oilfield of eastern Wyoming and discovered the Frannie oil field in 1928. The Kirk Oil Company was incorporated in Cody, Wyoming; its formation documents were completed during Kirk’s hospitalization at the Mayo Clinic.
Cody Petroleum was another enterprise under his control that operated production activities within the Frannie, Oregon Basin, and Maverick Springs fields. In 1934, he established the Park Refining Company, which specialized in distributing heavy bunker fuel to Minneapolis and Chicago markets through Western Oil and Fuel. Additionally, Kirk marketed gasoline under license from Western Oil and Fuel via Husky-branded stations located throughout Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and western North and South Dakota. Western Oil handled Husky gasoline sales across eastern United States territories. During this time frame, Carroll Kirk assumed increasing leadership responsibilities as his father convalesced from tuberculosis.
On January 1, 1938, Glenn Nielson acquired Park Refining along with Cody Petroleum’s assets. Nielson then utilized the Husky brand to establish Husky Refining Company—today recognized as multinational Husky Energy. At the moment of sale, Park Refining operated with a daily output of approximately 900 to 1,000 barrels and employed nineteen workers; Cody Petroleum managed four wells producing between 400 and 500 barrels per day. Throughout his career until death, Kirk held the position of Vice President for Wyoming within the Independent Petroleum Association of America while maintaining presidency of Kirk Oil Company.
Livestock operations
In 1939, Kirk bought a 5,000-acre ranch dedicated to cattle and sheep raising located northeast of Choteau, Montana. This property was acquired from the Coffey Brothers for approximately $40,000. He managed the ranch up until shortly before his death.