California Biographies 

Source:
History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California
by: C M Gidney - Santa Barbara. Benjamin Brooks - San Luis Obispo. 
Edwin M Sheridan - Ventura
Volumes II - Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, ILL., 1917

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JOHN IRWIN. When John Irwin came to California in 1883 from his native state, Pennsylvania, 
it was with the plan and purpose of interesting himself in the ranching and stock-raising 
business. The possibilities presented by the state in the oil producing industry proved more 
attractive to him, in the light of experiences in similar fields in Pennsylvania than did the 
ranching prospect, and he accordingly turned his attention to the exploration of new oil fields. 
His success in that line has been a highly creditable one, and he has developed unsuspected 
fields into producing wells in various locations where he has seen fit to begin operations. The 
Sespe Oil Company was established and organized by him, and it has long been one of the 
most successful companies in this section of the state. Up to the year 1900 Mr. Irwin was head 
of the company, but in that year he retired from active participation in the work of the 
concern, his son, Ralph Irwin, succeeding to that position.
 
A brief review of his early life and something pertaining to his ancestry must prove a valuable 
addition to the biographical matter included in this work.
 
John Irwin was born in Cherry Tree, Venango County, Pennsylvania, on May 4, 1841, and he is 
the son of William and Eliza (Stewart) Irwin. William Irwin was a native of Cherry Tree and his 
father before him early settled in Venango County and there passed his life. Richard Irwin, the 
great-grandfather of the subject, was of Irish birth and ancestry, and was born in County 
Armagh, Ireland, in 1740. He was the emigrant ancestor of John Irwin, and he came to 
Pennsylvania from his native land when he was twenty-one years old. His son, Richard Irwin, in 
1809 built the first grist mill that operated in Cherry Tree, and the first saw-mill in the 
township was built in 1823 by Richard Irwin, a cousin of the other Richard. Both these men 
were leaders in their communities, and held various offices in the public life of the town and 
county.
 
The mother of the subject was the daughter of Elijah Stewart, a native of Pennsylvania. To her 
and her husband were born seven children, John being the first born, and when he was 
nineteen years old the husband and father died. They were farming people, and the care of 
the farm and his younger brothers and sisters naturally fell upon the eldest son. He was a 
slender youth, none too prepossessing in appearance at that time, and it is noteworthy that at 
the age of twenty-one he only weighed 100 pounds. But what he lacked in weight he seems to 
have made up in wit, for he managed the farm successfully and kept a comfortable home for 
the family until his younger brothers were able to step into his place.
 
The family home was located just about four miles from the site of the Drake Oil Well, the first 
producing well in the oil regions of the state. It was opened on August 27, 1859, and young 
Irwin used occasionally to hire out at the well and earn a little spending money, when his 
duties at the farm would spare him for a time. He acquired a good deal of miscellaneous 
knowledge of the well-drilling business and after a while decided to go into the work on his 
own responsibility. He accordingly purchased an outfit and began taking contracts to sink 
wells. He spent twelve years in this work, enjoying a degree of success that permitted him to 
step into wider and more lucrative branches of the work, becoming an owner and operator on 
his own responsibility
 
In the years that he spent in the oil business in Pennsylvania Mr. Irwin says the "Old Sherman" 
was the most productive well he ever brought in. That well flowed 1,200 barrels daily for many 
months, and it is estimated that it produced in that time 1,900,000 barrels. After it began to 
run down they resorted to pumps and it yielded in paying quantities for twenty years longer. 
The well was sunk to a depth of 600 feet before they ceased drilling.
 
Mr. Irwin felt himself interested in the stock-raising business as a result of his early connection 
with that work, and in 1883 he gave up his oil operations and came to California with a view to 
engaging in the stock business here. On the trip he was accompanied by Mr. Lyman Stewart, 
and before they made any move to investigate the ranching prospects of the country they 
turned their attention to the oil fields. The prospects were excellent, and they abandoned all 
thought of the other enterprise and decided to devote their time to the oil industry.
 
Mr. Irwin and Mr. Stewart were joined soon after by Mr. W. L. Hardison, an eastern man, and 
the three went to work in earnest. In May of 1883 Mr. Hardison returned to the East to secure 
machinery and men for the work, while Mr. Irwin made the preliminary arrangements for the 
wells at Newhall, after which he came on to Santa Paula Canyon and made preparations to 
drill and develop. They continued there for three years, when they moved on to the Sespe 
Canyon in 1887, that place being located about eighteen miles east of Santa Paula. The work 
was pushed rapidly at Sespe Canyon and they brought in a number of producing wells, later 
building a pipe line to the refinery. For years Mr. Irwin was acting superintendent of the work 
there, his activities covering the sinking of the wells, the handling of their product and the 
building of roads to them. This company was organized under the name of the Sespe Oil 
Company, which is still operating. Mr. Irwin, however, is no longer connected with the 
concern, having sold all his oil interests in 1900, since which time he has lived quietly in Santa 
Paula, a town that owes something to him for his labors in its upbuilding and advancement.
 
In 1868 Mr. Irwin married Miss Caroline B. Canfield, of Niagara County, New York. Their only 
child is Ralph, who was born in Cherry Tree, Venango County, Pennsylvania, in 1874. He has 
succeeded to certain of his father's business interests and gives his time to operations in oil 
well drilling.
 
Mr. Irwin became of age in time to cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and he has stuck to 
republican politics down to the present time. Never a politician in any sense of the word, he 
has yet given some attention to the political activities of his county and has always done his full 
duty as a citizen. His property interests are varied and include a pleasant home in an attractive 
spot in Santa Paula, where the family has long enjoyed the friendship and regard of a wide 
circle.