Richard Aites

The Legend of Coal Oil Johnny Richard Aites

John W. Steele was raised on a farm in the serene Allegheny Mountains in NW PA. The poor farm boy spent his days doing chores, exploring the surrounding hills and fishing the numerous streams that meandered through the secluded little valleys. In 1859 a yankee named Edwin Drake, drilled the first successful oil well in Titusville, PA. With his success, an influx of oil prospectors, business tycoons and laborers swarmed the area. After the tragic death of Johnny's Aunt Sally, young Steele inherited the farm and a fortune in royalties from oil leases. He later became known as one of the biggest spendthrifts in American history and went from multi-millionaire to bankrupt in a matter of months. Johnny would later recover from his financial hardfall and become one of the greatest legends of his time.