Drilling For Oil

Drilling For Oil. This capped casing is the site of Friendswood’s first and only oil well. It was drilled in 1922. There had been talk of oil in the general area, and some wells had been drilled nearby in Galveston and Brazoria Counties, but none in Friendswood itself., A group of local men headed by Willie T. Smith and his father-in-law, Solomon Allen, formed the Friendswood Oil Co. and became local wildcatters. Using a witching rod he had invented, Solomon felt sure he had located oil on his property here just across Coward’s Creek., Men in the community who were willing to gamble on the prospects (and there were quite a few) put up the money to hire a consultant, A. A. Tutin, from Boston. According to Solomon Allen’s diary it took about a year to get the project together and leases signed. They hauled in loads of lumber for the derrick, installed the boiler, engine and pump, set up an office with telephone at the well site, and went to work. , Their work was in vain – they brought up salt water. What a disappointment! Solomon was convinced that the “big guys” has paid off the driller to bring in salt water instead of oil. This casing, hidden in the dense undergrowth along the creek until now, is a poignant reminder that not every dream comes true.