Greer, William Allison

W. A. “Al” Greer, born in Pennsylvania in 1875, gained extensive oil-field experience under his father before migrating to California in 1900. After drilling pioneering wells for several early petroleum ventures across the West Side, he entered the service of the Associated Oil Company in 1906. By 1908, he ascended to superintendent of the Coalinga division, successfully directing both production and modern field development for over eleven years.

In 1909, he married Los Angeles native Ethel McFee, the daughter of a prominent Southern Pacific Railroad veteran, and together they raised two daughters, Elinor and Pauline. Beyond his executive responsibilities, Greer became a pillar of local society through his active leadership in high-ranking Masonic orders and the Odd Fellows. Furthermore, he dedicated his energies to civic advancement by serving in the Growlers Club and directing critical home-front fundraising drives during the Great War.