The local chapter of civil war roundtable knows all about this. I have seen the history books of oil wells and tank farms everywhere in olean ny. Olean genealogy in cattaraugus county, ny usa 1,015,348 new york 54,234 cattaraugus county 886 olean 95. The discovery of oil in pennsylvania and southwestern new york produced a booming new industry, whose effects were most felt in the olean area between. Places in cattaraugus county enchanted mountains of. The following is the story of the earliest days in portvilles history. It also served as a bootlegging juncture during prohibition. Oil also produced oleans highestranking politician.
James kinley obituary olean, ny olean times herald. The name is derived from the latin work oleum due to the discovery of crude oil in nearby ischua. This town was honeycombed with pipelines and train tracks and tank farms up untill the 1920s. Within three years, approximately 150 profitable wells were operating in the olean oil area. Slaves escaping through the underground railroad passed through the olean area en route to canada. He removed to olean when sixteen, perfected himself in mechanics, and has long been doing a profitable business in the manufacture of his inventions. Cochrane of california, in august 2018 published a fastpaced and.
Judge james brooks was the father of cornelius brooks and. According to history of allegany county, written in 1896 by county historian john minard, the oil was collected by laying blankets on the water and wringing them into vials, and the oil sold. Each change has been a challenge met and conquered, from the lumbering days, the days of the tanneries and glass plants, the oil boom and the days of railroads, olean has prospered. From 18651930, olean and its surrounding oil fields was the largest producer of oil in the world and there wasnt anyone running a close second. Oleanarea historical tornado activity is slightly above new york state average. It is from the history of cattaraugus county, new york. For 120 years, olean general hospital has been providing the highest in quality care to the residents of olean and the surrounding communities of new york s southern tier. Early days of oil a pictorial history of the beginnings of the industry. Texas oil and gas postcards of texas petroleum history. The internal combustion engine in use at the turn of the century created an enormous demand for the refined petroleum product gasoline.
Relative to new york, olean has a crime rate that is higher than 97% of the states cities and towns of all sizes. Abbott, inventor and manufacturer of sawmill machinery, was born in ischua, july 1, 1838. Oil also produced olean s highestranking politician. The bon air hotel located at rock city, olean, new york photo credit. A glimpse at the history of olean the pines healthcare and. This page primarily lists records kept at the city level. The new fields in the west were less than half as deep and werent hampered by rock formation. Brief history of olean welcome to the city of olean homepage. Saint stephens episcopal church olean, new york, church records, 18291938 salt lake city, utah. Resources libraries museums our history books societies links. The neighborhood of the oil spring suggests a name different in sound, though. Kinley, of olean and arlington, texas, passed away on monday july 20, 2015 at his olean residence.
New york fields drilled through hundreds of feet of soil and rock to reach the oil sands. Chautauquacattaraugus library system olean public library. The discovery of oil properly dates back to when the seneca indians gathered it by means of. Because of this history, many families from across the united states have roots and connections in olean, ny. Born may 27, 1927, in olean, he was the son of the late lewis f. Civic history and illustrated progress of cuba, allegany co. Higgins family owned grocery stores in the area, and higgins also ran this business before his political career. They married and raised their family in olean, cattaruguas county, ny. He moved to wv around 1900, worked for the oil companies and married nora riffee williams. It was founded in 1804, when ohio had just been admitted to the union, and the west was the symbol of challenge and adventure to hundreds of pioneers eager to build a new nation.
The name is derived from the latin word oleum due to the discovery of crude oil in. Herrick oil history collection, 17971963 bulk 19301949 1598. A family biography centering on the history of the messer oil company and of the petroleum industry in general in mckean county, pennsylvania and cattaraugus county, new york, and especially in the cities of bradford, pennsylvania and olean, new york. Olean s most celebrated industry was petroleum production. I felt i needed to add to the rich history of olean. In 1954, the socony oil company moved from olean to ferndale, washington and an era of olean history was over. Postcivil war oil discoveries create allegheny river boom towns. Olean ny my favorite place on earth collection by kathryn. Growing up in the bradford oil fields library of congress.
There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the free public library, this republic of letters. Oil was first discovered in north american in 1627 only twelve miles north of the city. Cold case tuesday the new york state police in olean continue to investigate the 1978 homicide of stephen c. Oil refineries in olean, ny historic path of cattaraugus county. The operations hq of standard oils new york affiliate, socony, was based in the city. Olean public library in olean enchanted mountains of. To this day, olean is one of the few smaller cities in new york state. We invite you to take a look around the site and visit us in person in machias, new york. However i only know of one remeent and that is the gas well at st.
This allegany bookshelf listing of books, pamphlets and manuscripts is just. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Shooting an oil well with nitroglycerine to stimulate production. Onoville marina is the largest inland marina in new york state. The 10 best things to do in olean 2020 with photos. Herrick wrote and published three books, bolivar, new york. Guide to olean, cattaraugus ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Reprint of portville history in history of cattaraugus county, new york early history of portville, ny. The general rules of the institution are, that books can be kept three weeks, and on those retained longer than that a. Olean had its origin in the historic need for a convenient route to the ohio country and the west. History mother of all the towns in cattaraugus county an area which included olean, the 29th largest town in cattaraugus county, was purchased from the indians by the holland land company in 1787. Books and audiobooks, periodicals and reference material, dvds and videos, free high speed internet access.
This is a pre1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Olean was home to manufacturing industries such as oil, glass, leather, tiles, and machinery. Eileen smith obituary olean, ny olean times herald. To this day, olean is one of the few smaller cities in new york state to be home to a governor. History of the town of olean chapter xxxix 39 page 897. Welcome to the cattaraugus county historical museum and research library website.
Olean eileen mccartan smith, of olean, passed away peacefully friday sept. It was originally used for medicinal potions, lubricants and as a replacement for whale oil as a heating fuel. All products available products sold products category. An area which included olean, the 29th largest town in cattaraugus county, was purchased from. John dean wilkins trolleys of the oil rich enchanted mountains is an impressively produced volume that details the history of trolley rail service in the region.
Olean, cattaraugus county, new york genealogy genealogy. He wrote much of the history of the vicinity for the county history. For the many rail history buffs in the olean area and beyond there is a new book out that you are going to want to get your hands on. The owners renamed the shop olean lumber antiques to pay homage to the buildings past and to. A heritage worth preserving the story of allegany county n.
Because of this history, many families from across. Oleans most celebrated industry was petroleum production. Historical museum and research center cattaraugus county. My dad worked for kendall in bradford, pa and we had a copy at home for years that i loved reading. Oil refineries in olean, ny historic path of cattaraugus. The discovery of oil in pennsylvania and southwestern new york produced a. Olean crime rates and statistics neighborhoodscout. Then and now greater olean area chamber of commerce. Medicine men, dance hall girls, missionaries, and industrialists all have written on the pages of our past. Oil prospecting began in the immediate vicinity of olean in 1876, north and east of the ridge, which separated the olean oil area from the fields around bradford, pennsylvania. The general rules of the institution are, that books can be kept three weeks, and on.
The olean public library is a historic beaux arts library located at 116 s. In his admirable series of articles on the early history of olean, james g. An area which included olean, the 29th largest town in cattaraugus county, was. Additional records are listed on the county and state pages. Sand pumpings tell the stories of the people who once lived in the olean area.
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