Fresno County, California Biographies Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919) History By Paul E. Vandor Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919 Notes: Missing+page1185-1186 Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm HARRY ELMER McLANE. � Prominent among the men who have achieved success in the California oil fields largely because they have been experienced men in the industry in the East, having worked and studied in every department, becoming conversant with its every detail, is Harry Elmer McLane. field superintendent of the Standard Oil Company in Coalinga. who doubtless owes some of his recent prosperity to his wisdom in deciding, when at the turning in the road, to cast his fortune solely with the Standard and their future development. He was born in Derry township. Westmoreland County, Pa., March 12, 1863, the son of George McLane, who was born near Glasgow, Scotland; from which it will be seen that the family originated in a country that has undoubtedly given us some of its brainiest and most enterprising citizens. The father came out to America with his parents and settled at Derry ; and later, during the Civil War, he enlisted in a Pennsyl- vania regiment and was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, in 1863. Harry McLane lived with an uncle, his mother's brother, a Mr. Wm. Best, from 1873 to 1876, and having received a good education in the public schools, when fourteen years of age he started for the oil fields at Petrolia, Butler County, Pa., and there began, at the bottom rung of the ladder, to learn the business. In 1879 he was in the service of the Standard Oil Com- pany in different fields, Clarion. Venango, McKean, Butler and Warren counties, Pa., choosing the construction department: and it so happened that his first task was to assist in installing the first supply of natural gas used for domestic purposes and sold commercially. This gas was piped to Petrolia and Parker's Landing, and excited great interest and hopes. He was next engaged by the company at Maxburg and North Baltimore, Ohio, but after a while was transferred from the construction to the produc- tion department, and in 1888 was made production foreman in the Mount Morris Oil Fields of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. While his district was on the West Virginia side of the Mason and Dixon line, he made his residence at Mount Morris, Pa. In 1892 he was transferred to the McDonald oil field in Pennsylvania where he continued in the same capacity with dili- gent care and faithfulness, so that wherever he went, and whatever he under- took he was able to demonstrate capability above the average and so made both an enviable reputation and many friends. Wishing to engage in the oil business on his own account, he resigned his position with the Standard Oil Company on January 1, 1900, and for ten years he was engaged as an oil operator and producer in the Pennsylvania fields, making his home and headquarters at McDonald, Pa., and during the time was very active and energetic. However, unfortunate investments and the drilling of too many dry holes, decided him to seek a new field, so choos- ing California, he came hither in 1910 and after a period of six months was so well impressed with conditions and possibilities that he decided to locate. Returning to Pennsylvania he shaped his affairs and brought his family to Coalinga in 1911. Desiring to again engage his services with the Standard Oil Company, with which he had already served so many years, he applied for a position with them on Section 28, and found that the only opportunity was a place as pumper. He knew full well it did not make any difference where he started, he only wanted a chance to show his ability and work up, for he had controlled hundreds of wells and managed hundreds of men in the East for the Standard, as well as for himself, and had such confidence in the Standard's disposition to reward merit and fidelity that he decided to accept the offer and began his duties. From pumper he was advanced March, 1912, to be production foreman, and then, in January, 1914, he was made assistant superintendent of this division. Finally, on March 1, 1916, he was made field superintendent of the Coalinga division of the Standard and he has held that responsible position ever since. He is in charge of all the properties in the producing department of the Coalinga field, and as 300 hands are employed, it will be seen that much depends upon his fidelity and common sense management. At camp there are machine and blacksmith shops and an ice plant, and natural gas is used for fuel for the boilers as well as for cooking and heating in the camp. Besides section 28, there are three other camps of the Standard in this division � Section 20, Section 22, and Section 2. The Standard, in this division, have their own school for the education of the children of their employees which is maintained by the company. The management of this school is a part of the duties of Mr. McLane as superintendent of the division. At first the county school authority did not recognize this school so the graduates had difficulty in entering the high schools of the county. Mr. McLane saw to it that their school had the same uniform textbooks and grades as the public schools of the county, so through his efforts it is now accredited and the graduates of the school on Standard 28, have no difficulty in entering the intermediate school and the Coalinga High School. Harry McLane is endowed with much native ability and business acumen which, coupled with years of valuable experience, makes it but natural that he presides successfully over large affairs. He is a very busy man, but finds time to look after the comfort and higher interests of the em- ployees for whose welfare he is very solicitous and leaves nothing undone to provide for their health and happiness. In this sensibly beneficent work, so important to the employer as well as to the employed, he has the hearty cooperation of the Standard Oil Company, whose fair attitude toward its workmen and representatives, the world over, is proverbial. During the war, when personal solicitation for funds for patriotic purposes had its objectional sides, as was shown in many communities, and perhaps even thwarted the good efforts of many to swell the campaigning funds, Mr. Mc- Lane originated the much preferred system of providing a general fund, to which each workingman would be invited to subscribe according to his means, and authorizing a committee, when the Red Cross and other approved agencies wished the sinews of war, to distribute according as the general fund subscribed permitted at the time. This resulted in the organization of the Coalinga War Fund Association, which accomplished the purpose desired. While at Petrolia, Pa., Mr. McLane was married to Miss Mary Keigh- ron, by whom he has had ten children, seven of whom grew to maturity. Leo, Victor, and Harry, in the United States Navy, the heavy artillery and the army overseas, are all experienced oil workers, and Frank is in the aviation section of the army that went to France. Loretta and Bernadette are at home; while Marion, next to the youngest, is Mrs. Richard B. Flynn of Fort Worth, Texas, the wife of a first lieutenant in the United States Army. Besides being chairman of the organization committee, and a director of the association having charge of the collection and distribution of war funds, Mr. McLane is both a member and a director of the Growler's Club. In Pennsylvania he was prominent in politics as a Democrat and a member of the county and state Democratic committees ; and in McDonald, where he resided during his active oil operations, he was elected justice of the city several terms, although the community was a Republican stronghold. He is also a vigorous member of the Chamber of Commerce at Coalinga.