W. H. McFadden
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| Born: | June 11, 1869 Moundsville, West Virginia |
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| Died: | 1956 Fort Worth, Texas |
| Occupation: | Steel Executive and American Oil Businessman |
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[edit] Early life
William H. McFadden, born in Moundsville, West Virginia on June 11, 1869, was an essential factor in opening up the oil fields of Oklahoma. At age 19 he apprenticed in the Mackintosh Hemphill Steel Foundry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and in 1909 at the age of 40, he became President of Mackintosh Hemphill, but resigned shortly thereafter due to ill health, suffering from lungs irritated by a galvanizing compound used in steel mills. He moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas thinking that he was going to die.
[edit] Oil Business Ventures
In 1910 he was approached by John G. McCaskey, a social acquaintance from Pittsburgh and E. W. Marland,President and founder of the 101 Ranch Oil Company of Ponca City, Oklahoma that was on the verge of failure having run out of money after drilling seven wells and only having found natural gas.(1) McFadden was impressed with Marland and after visiting the 101 Ranch property decided to invest in the company. McCaskey then raised additional funds from Pittsburgh investors, reorganized the company and was elected President, McFadden was elected Vice President, General Manager. Shortly thereafter a drilling lease was obtained on the Willie Cry Ponca Indian allotment and on June 11, 1911 the well “Willy-Cries-For-War” struck oil, bringing wealth to the company and its investors. (2, 3)
Later, after McCaskey sold his interests in the 101 Ranch Oil Company and the Kay County Gas Company to Marland Refining Company, later the Marland Oil Company McFadden was appointed President of the Kay County Gas Company, and also Vice President of Marland Refining Company and an executive at Marland Oil Company.
[edit] Political Activity
In 1914 McFadden was elected mayor of Ponca City, serving until 1920.
[edit] Philanthropic activities and Honors
McFadden funded and sponsored a private camp for Camp Fire Girls with over 5,000 girls attending the camp through 1950. He also financed the American Legion Orphans Home School in Ponca City.
In 1935 he was placed in Oklahoma’s Hall of Fame, and a statue of “The Plainsman” in Bartlesville, Oklahoma was cast in his likeness. In 1946 he was awarded the Gulich Award given by the Camp Fire Girls.
Married to Helen Charolette Williams Levi in 1920. They had no children. In 1928 he moved to Fort Worth, Texas where he died in 1956 at the age of 87.
[edit] Sources
- 1 American Biography a New Cyclopedia, Volume LXV. Published under the direction of The American Historical Society, Inc. New York. 1931. pg. 126 and 127.
- 2 The Pittsburgh Dispatch, 1913. Page 1.
- 3 E. W. Marland: Life and Death of an Oil Man, John Joseph Mathews, (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1951) ISBN 0-8061-1238-7.
