Husband James McClurg Guffey 1 2
Born: 19 Jan 1839 - Sewickley Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 1
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Father: Alexander Guffey (1804-1863) 3
Mother: Jane Campbell (1807-1861) 4
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General Notes: Husband - James McClurg Guffey
In his time he was recognized as the largest individual oil producer in America, and the largest individual oil, gas and coal land owner in the world.
He attended the public schools, then pursued a course in a commercial school, and at the age of eighteen years accepted a clerical position in the office of superintendent of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, at Louisville, Kentucky, where he remained for several years. He next filled a responsible position with the Adams Express Company, at Nashville, Tennessee, and in 1872 returned to Pennsylvania. Locating in the oil regions, he engaged in the production of petroleum. He became probably the largest individual producer and operator in America, interested in all the fields of northwestern Pennsylvania and through the district extending to Pittsburgh. The famous Mathews well was drilled, and most of the phenomenal McDonald field was owned by him and a few others. In addition to the production of oil he also extended his labors to the development of the natural gas resources of the state, and with his business associates he developed the enormous gas fields of Weston and Allegheny counties, and became largely interested in the transportation of natural gas. He became the vice-president of the Westmoreland and Cambria Natural Gas Company, which supplied Johnstown, Pennsylvania; was president of the Southwest Natural Gas Company, which supplied the Connellsville coke region; vice-president of the Wheeling (West Virginia) Natural Gas Company; and president of the United Fuel Gas Company, whose pipe lines extended from Washington County, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh. He was an indefatigable and resourceful business man, and made it his plan to give personal supervision and executive ability to his large concerns.
His investments were also represented by vast coal properties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and by gold and silver mine interests in Idaho. He was the president of the Trade Dollar Mining and Milling Company, at Silver City, Idaho, and was one of the principal owners and an officer of the Florida Mountain Mining and Milling Company of the same locality. The town of Guffey thirty miles from Cripple Creek, was named in his honor. He was likewise interested in the production of petroleum in four states, and was connected with the financial circles of Pittsburgh as a director of the Columbia National Bank.
Mr. Guffey gave his political support to the Democracy, and was ever active in politics, recognized for many years as the leader of his party in Pennsylvania, serving as representative from his state on the Democratic national committee. He was a prominent member of the Duquesne club of Pittsburgh, a trustee of Washington and Jefferson College, a member of the Manhattan club of New York, and of other organizations. [HWC 1906 III, 340]