Edward L. Doheny

Edward Laurence Doheny (August 10, 1856 - September 8, 1935) was an American oil tycoon.

Related Topics:
August 10 - 1856 - September 8 - 1935 - America - Oil - Tycoon

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He was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His family history reaches back to Ireland when his family fled in the wake of the Great Famine. He came to Los Angeles looking for opportunity as his previous attempts at striking it rich had failed. While in Los Angeles, he found out that there was tar hidden beneath the soil. Along with his friend Charles Canfield, who made some money from the mining industry, he decided to dig for the pitch. The pitch, or brea in Spanish, could be mixed with soil to form oil. At first, they dug by hand to find the source of the brea, but later turned to drills to reach its depths. By the spring of 1903, they struck the brea and, in so doing, struck it big. They made a fortune by digging around the area and selling the oil to nearby factories.

Related Topics:
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin - Great Famine - Los Angeles - Tar - Charles Canfield - Mining - Pitch - Spanish - Soil - Oil - Drill - 1903 - Factories

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