William A. Smith
Jefferson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Known as "Uncle Billy" Smith. In 1859, he drilled the world''s first successful oil well with tools that he made in his blacksmith shop near Tarentum. The well, 69 1/2 ft. deep, was drilled near Titusville for Col. Edwin Drake. "Uncle Billy" died in 1890. He lies buried about 120 ft. southeast of here.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
William A. "Uncle Billy" Smith was the blacksmith whose hand-forged tools made the drilling possible when Colonel Edwin Drake struck oil near Titusville in 1859. Working the cable-tool rig he had built himself, Smith brought in the roughly 69-foot well that is remembered as the world's first successful oil well. The strike launched the petroleum age, and Smith, who died in 1890, is buried near this spot.
Why it matters
Drake's well, made real by Smith's craftsmanship, opened the American oil industry and reshaped the nation's economy and everyday life.
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Related people
- · William A. Smith
- · Edwin Drake
Related events
- · Drilling of the first successful oil well
Themes & tags
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