McLane, Harry Elmer

Harry Elmer McLane was born on March 12, 1863, in Derry township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, to George McLane. After losing his father in the Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, he lived with his uncle William Best from 1873 to 1876 before entering the oil industry at age fourteen in Petrolia, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Beginning in 1879, he worked for the Standard Oil Company across Clarion, Venango, McKean, Butler, and Warren counties, assisting with early commercial natural gas installation. He later moved to production in Maxburg and North Baltimore, Ohio, and became production foreman in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 1888, followed by the McDonald, Pennsylvania field in 1892.

After operating as an independent producer in Pennsylvania from January 1, 1900, to 1910, McLane relocated to California, bringing his family to Coalinga in 1911. Rejoining Standard Oil on Section 28 as a pumper, he was promoted to production foreman in March 1912, assistant superintendent in January 1914, and field superintendent of the Coalinga division on March 1, 1916. In addition to supervising operations and 300 employees across Section 28, Section 20, Section 22, and Section 2, he successfully standardized the company school’s curriculum so its graduates could enter Coalinga High School. He married Mary Keighron in Petrolia, raising children including Leo, Victor, Harry, Frank, Loretta, Bernadette, and Marion, and remained active as director of the Coalinga War Fund Association, member of the Growler’s Club, former Democratic committee member and justice of the peace in McDonald, and member of the Coalinga Chamber of Commerce.