The Abbott Home
William Hawkins Abbott was born in Connecticut in 1819, moved to Ohio, then came to Titusville in 1860. He invested in oil wells, including the Crossley which came in at 70 barrels a day. Recognizing oil as a marketable commodity when refined into kerosene for lamp fuel, Abbott enlisted the help of a chemist to learn to principles of refining. With partners William Barnsdall and James Parker, he formed William H. Abbott & Company and built the first oil refinery in the region. Abbott also set up an oil trading house, owned a pipeline system, and served as president of the Citizen's Bank.
Mr. Abbott was a leading citizen who was known for his generosity to the community. "In the building of the St. James Memorial church and in its support for many years afterward, and always until overwhelmed by financial reverses, Mr. Abbott poured out his money without measure."
(Our County and Its People, 1899)
[Photo captions, from left to right, read]
William Hawkins Abbott. "Drake was the pioneer producer, and Abbott was the pioneer in establishing petroleum as a marketable commodity." (Our
this page online
About 1870 the Abbott home was built from a design by his son-in-law, H.E. Wrigley, who was an area cartographer. The interior has been renovated over the years, but the exterior's original integrity has been preserved, and is an excellent example of Colonial Revival style with Neo-Classical Greek elements. [Photo] 1984
Erected by Oil Region Alliance and City of Titusville.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1819.
Location. 41° 37.702′ N, 79° 40.584′ W. Marker is in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in Crawford County. It is on Main Street west of Washington Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 224 West Main Street, Titusville PA 16354, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northwestern Pennsylvania and in Greater Erie. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Joseph Seep Home (within shouting distance of this marker); Scheide Home, 1864 (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Birth of George Washington Bicentennial (about 600 feet away); Veterans Memorial (about 600 feet away); Colonel Drake Park (about 600 feet away); Second National Bank, 1865 (about 700
Also see . . .
1. William Hawkins Abbott Finds the Energy to Power the Northeast (2016). (Submitted on August 29, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. William Hawkins at Abbott Find A Grave. (Submitted on August 29, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
3. Titusville (Oil Region Alliance). (Submitted on August 29, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 29, 2019. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 676 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 29, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
