John Henry Fairbank
Encyclopedia
John Henry Fairbank was variously a surveyor, oilman, inventor, banker, politician and fire chief in Lambton County, Ontario
.
through Lambton County, Fairbank was contracted in 1858 to survey a local property and decided to buy one himself.
In 1862 Fairbank dug a successful oil well on land in Enniskillen, Ontario
Township that he bought from James Miller Williams
for ten dollars. Still operating today, Charles Fairbank Oil Properties Ltd. is the oldest oil company in the world.
The same year, he invented the Jerker-line pumping system, allowing as many as ninety wells to operate off a single steam boiler. This system was so successful that it was spread to Pennsylvania and then worldwide.
In 1865, Benjamin Van Tuyl and Fairbank together opened a liquor and grocery store which became known as Van Tuyl and Fairbank Hardware. The next year he organized the local producers to build a railway spur, connecting their wells to outside markets via Wyoming, Ontario.
In 1869 he and Leonard Vaugh established Petrolia's first bank, the Little Red Bank, which became part of the Crown Savings and Loan Company in 1872.
In 1873, Fairbank formed the Home Oil Company with James Williams and was its president. Home built and operated a local refinery until 1881.
He continued to expand his oil business, becoming the largest producer in Canada by 1880. Ultimately, Standard Oil
's affiliate, the Bushnell Company acquired ownership of Fairbank, Rogers and Company in 1896.
He was involved with John W. Sifton in building the Canadian Pacific Railway
west from Lakehead.
. He was elected as a federal Liberal
opposition Member of Parliament
in 1882, sitting in the 5th Canadian Parliament
.
Lambton County, Ontario
Lambton County is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county is located in Southwestern Ontario. It is bordered on the north by Lake Huron, which flows into the St. Clair River, the county's western border and part of the Canada-United States border. To the south is Lake...
.
Career
Surveying for the Grand Trunk RailwayGrand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
through Lambton County, Fairbank was contracted in 1858 to survey a local property and decided to buy one himself.
In 1862 Fairbank dug a successful oil well on land in Enniskillen, Ontario
Enniskillen, Ontario
Township of Enniskillen is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within Lambton County. It is located at the intersection of Highway 21 and Rokeby Line....
Township that he bought from James Miller Williams
James Miller Williams
James Miller Williams was a businessman and political figure in Ontario, Canada. He represented Hamilton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1879. He is also commonly viewed as the father of the petroleum industry in Canada.He was born in 1818 in Camden, New Jersey, and apprenticed...
for ten dollars. Still operating today, Charles Fairbank Oil Properties Ltd. is the oldest oil company in the world.
The same year, he invented the Jerker-line pumping system, allowing as many as ninety wells to operate off a single steam boiler. This system was so successful that it was spread to Pennsylvania and then worldwide.
In 1865, Benjamin Van Tuyl and Fairbank together opened a liquor and grocery store which became known as Van Tuyl and Fairbank Hardware. The next year he organized the local producers to build a railway spur, connecting their wells to outside markets via Wyoming, Ontario.
In 1869 he and Leonard Vaugh established Petrolia's first bank, the Little Red Bank, which became part of the Crown Savings and Loan Company in 1872.
In 1873, Fairbank formed the Home Oil Company with James Williams and was its president. Home built and operated a local refinery until 1881.
He continued to expand his oil business, becoming the largest producer in Canada by 1880. Ultimately, Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
's affiliate, the Bushnell Company acquired ownership of Fairbank, Rogers and Company in 1896.
He was involved with John W. Sifton in building the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
west from Lakehead.
Politics
Fairbank was three times elected as a reeve in Petrolia from 1868-1870, then was appointed as Fire ChiefFire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
. He was elected as a federal Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
opposition Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in 1882, sitting in the 5th Canadian Parliament
5th Canadian Parliament
The 5th Canadian Parliament was in session from February 8, 1883 until January 15, 1887. The membership was set by the 1882 federal election on June 20, 1882, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1887 election. It was controlled by a...
.