Browse Items (25 total)

William E. Youle (1847-1926) came to California in 1877 and helped drill the first commercial oil well in the state, in Bakersfield. He was active in the Maricopa and McKittrick oil fields, and he drilled the first oil well in the Midway field.

William E. Drury (1869-1944) founded Bakersfield Garage and Auto Supply Company and was director of the Kern County Automobile Club of Southern California.

Thomas (Tom) Eveleth was born in Tehachapi, California. He served as a Bakersfield City Councilman in the 1950s. He was an internal revenue collector, an income tax consultant, and an accountant. He was survived by a son, also named Thomas, of…

Stephen Barton started the town of old Isabella, which was located on the site of the present Isabella Lake, He died July 1912. Photo courtesy of A. O. "Gus" Suhre.

Stanley Abel (1892-1975), who served as Kern County's Fourth District Supervisor for 24 years. He served as publisher of Taft's Oilfield Dispatch. Mount Abel (Cerro Noroeste) and Abel Canyon were named after him. He resided in Kern County…

Peter Gardett was a pioneer of the Greenhorn Mountain area in Kern County. He was at least 45 when this picture was taken.

Peter Gardett was a pioneer of the Greenhorn Mountain area in Kern County. This picture was taken in Coslin, Germany, which is now part of Poland.

Sarah Glenn was the wife of James Madison Glenn, who lent his name to the town of Glennville. She was survived by 5 children: Mrs. Morris Borgwardt & Mrs. William Glass of Bakersfield, Mrs. Frank Beale of Visalia, John Glenn of White River, and Neil…

Lew Suverkrop (1895-1965) was an inventor, geologist, and engineer. He made the front page of the Bakersfield Californian on April 15, 1939, for his hand transit, an optical instrument that proved useful in surveying.

Leonard Pressley St. Clair (1871-1960) was a pioneer in the development of Kern County's oil industry and former president of Union Oil Company.