There is a local record to the effect that natural gas was 
first used in a small way in lighting houses at Fredonia, 
Chautauqua County, N. Y., in 1821. In C. B. Tergo’s 
“Geography of Pennsylvania,” published in 1843, occurs the 
following: “Oil Creek derives its name from the substance 
called Seneca oil, which rises in. bubbles from the bed of the 
stream, and on reaching the top of the water these bubbles 
explode, leaving the oil floating on the surface. Though this 
oil is found in many places throughout the whole course of 
the stream, it is most abundant two or three miles from the 
mouth. Several of the owners of the land make a business 
of collecting the oil during the dry season, as it is most plenti- 
ful at low water. From two to twelve barrels are collected 
in a season by the proprietors, the quantity depending on 
the prevalence of dry weather and low water. In the low 
grounds along this creek oil may be obtained by digging to 
a level with the bottom of the stream, but when thus pro- 
cured it is not so pure and clean as that taken upon the sur- 
face of the creek. This mode of obtaining it has evidently 
been practiced by the Indians, or some other people, long 
vefore the white man set his foot upon the soil of this region.” 
After the news of the Drake well became known there was 
a rush to the oil regions comparable to the rush of gold 
seekers to California and other gold fields at different times. 
Hundreds of wells were started in the Oil Creek valley, and 
up and down the Allegheny river. In the following year oil 
was found at Tidioute, Henry’s Bend, Franklin and Smith’s 
Ferry, and the production of the year 1860 is estimated at 
over 500,000 barrels, In 1861 the first flowing well was 
struck, near Rouseville, a suburb of Oil City, at the depth of 
400 feet. This well was followed by others which produced 
from 2000 to 3000 barrels a day. Naturally the market was 
overstocked, for uses for the product were few, and prices 
declined disastrously. The estimated production for 1861 
was 2,118,600 barrels, but much oil was lost, being carried 
away by the waters of Oil creek and the Allegheny river. 
An era of oil stock companies ensued, many of which 
made money, but the failures, with consequent losses, were 
very numerous. Later widening markets were found for 
petroleum, and the search for new fields spread into Clarion.