Ranger Oil Boom: McCleskey No.1

THE J. H. McCLESKEY NO. I

Agreement was made and drilling commenced. In October 1917, the coal company completed a well on the J. H. McCleskey farm, one mile southwest of Ranger. This well came in as a gusher making 1,600 barrels high gravity oil daily and was the discovery well, which started the rush to Ranger and brought about the development of one of the greatest oil fields in the country. [8] McCleskey No. 1 was drilled under the direction of W. K. Gordon ("Father of the Ranger Field"), Vice President and General Manager of Texas & Pacific Coal Company, the lease owner. Warren Wagner was the contractor, and Frank Champion was the driller when the gusher "roared in." [9]

The Ranger Boom was heard far and wide as evidenced by many articles, ie. one captioned "WAR NEED FOR OIL..." This same article related "The major part of the development work near Ranger, Texas... It was not until after the well at Ranger showed oil that other companies began to enter the field on an important scale." [10] Another statement, "... probably the most spectacular boom ever to have occurred within the United States." [11]

"Spectacular," indeed. Our United States, Great Britain, Italy, France and Russia were in the midst of WWI with Germany and the Central Powers. Russia had supplied the Allies with oil since 1914 and its withdrawal from the conflict in 1917 caused the Allies to have a "critical petroleum shortage, threatening to halt Allied ships, planes, tanks, trucks and locomotives." [12] Earl Curzon declared that the Allies cause had been "floated to victory on a wave of oil" because if it had not been for the great fleets of motor trucks the war could not have been won." [13] The Ranger Boom was to become noted as "The Boom that Won The War." Quote of a late Ranger resident...."Colonel Thompson, Chairman of the Railroad Commission... I've heard him make the statement 'that World War I, the rode to victory on the oil that was produced out of the Ranger Oil field'... And it was one of they great oil booms...because there was a demand for oil" [14]

"The World's Biggest Boom... The wildest, roaringest boom of them all - Ranger! ....Truly, California in 1949, the Klondike, Butte, Spindle top - none of the other great riches, whether produced by gold , silver, copper, or petroleum equaled Ranger." [15] And the J. H. McCleskey No. 1 started it all!

Although short lived the Discovery Well, J. H. McCleskey No. 1, was the birth of the Ranger Oil Boom. This well, that was so important to our country during WWI and, now such an important part of our United States history, was plugged on May 18, 1920. [16]

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