Ritchie CountyFormed in 1843 from Lewis, Harrison and Wood. Named for Thomas Ritchie, Virginia journalist. In 1772, Elias and Jesse Hughes and Colonel William Lowther explored this region to the Ohio. Hughes River was named by them.
Wirt . . . — — Map (db m130368) HM
To the south, birthplace of
West Virginia’s oil industry.
On Hughes River oil was found
in gravel beds in 1810. As
“bank oil,” a medicine, Bushrod
Creel sold 100 barrels of it
per year in 1836. Volcano was
one of first boom oil . . . — — Map (db m173526) HM
Invented by W. C. Stiles and installed
here in 1870's by Volcanic Oil & Gas
Co. Pumped as many as 40 wells from
central power station via a system
of graduated handmade wooden wheels
and cables which conveyed motion to
walking beam and sucker . . . — — Map (db m173516) HM
William Cooper Stiles, Jr. July 27, 1939 – December 17, 1896.
William Cooper Stiles, Jr., born in Philadelphia on July 27, 1839, was one of the earliest operators in the West Virginia and Ohio oil fields.
In 1863 Mr. Stiles invested a . . . — — Map (db m173694) HM
Shortly before the end of the Civil War. Volcano emerged
as a major oil producing boomtown in the White Oak region
of Wood and Ritchie Counties. By 1870, Volcano had a full
compliment of retail establishments including: post office,
opera hall, . . . — — Map (db m174789) HM
William Cooper Stiles, Jr., born in Philadelphia on duly 27,
1839, was one of the earliest operators in the West Virginia
and Ohio oil fields. Mr. Stiles traveled to the White Oak
region of WV in 1864 where he purchased several thousand
acres . . . — — Map (db m174791) HM
