Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Steve Stoessel
Taken: May 4, 2019
Caption: Pennzoil Plaque
Additional Description: The Pennzoil brand comes from a long history of foundings and mergers that date back to 1886 when local men Henry Suhr, Samuel Justus, and Louis Walz founded the Penn Refining Company.

In 1914, Penn Refining merged with Germania Refining Company, renaming the companyPenn-American in 1917. Seven years later, Penn-American merged with the Oil City Oil and Grease Company to form Pennzoil Corporation.

South Penn Oil Company was created in 1889 by Standard Oil in response to what Standard perceived as a serious threat from the Producers Protective Assocationnto its supply of crude in the Appalachian Field. South Penn was led by Titusville oilman Joseph Seep.

By the end of 1891, the firm had purchased several oil producers, including Union Oil and Midland Oil -- both owned by the McKinney brothers of Titusville.

SOuth Penn bought 51% interest in Pennzoil in 1925, increasing their ownership to 84% in 1953, and 100% in 1955.

Pennzoil and South Penn's Corporation Headquarters were located in Oil City at the Drake Building until 1965.
Submitted: May 8, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.
Database Locator Identification Number: p473971
File Size: 2.495 Megabytes

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