Canadian Oil History Highlights 

1858   First commercially successful oil well in North            America brought into production at Oil            Springs , Ontario by James M. Williams
         
(Hey--Thats my name !!!---)

1866  Petrolia replaces Oil Springs as major oil           producer.

1894  Boom in Petrolia ends.

1901  Incorporation of Canadian Oil Refining Co.,           Petrolia.    H .A. Jamieson, President.

1901  Petrolia refinery begins operation.

1904  Canadian Oil Company Co. Ltd.,           incorporated. Wm. Irwin, President. T.H.           Hamilton, General Manager.

1906  Oil tanker "W.S. Calvert" purchased later           renamed "The En-Ar-Co".

1908  Canadian Oil Companies, Limited incorporated           on December 4 under aegis of National           Refining Co., Cleveland, Ohio.

1909  Calgary Division opened.Vancouver office           closed ,,Nelson B.C. divisional office opened           shortly after

1910 The first motor truck is purchased to assist           horse drawn deliveries.

1914  Company has branches in 12 centres across           Canada.

1917  Boy and Slate signs copyrighted.

1918  Branches in 30 centres coast to coast.

1920  J.I. Lamprecht passes away.

1927  Canadian Oil common stock slit six for one.

1934  'Refinery Sealed' quarts and gallons appear

1935  Petrolia Refinery modernized. Frank Fretter           passes away. Frank Littlefield becomes           President.

1938   Canadian Oil Companies, Limited, becomes            truly Canadian again through purchase of            control by Nesbitt, Thomson and Co. Ltd., of            Montreal.

1939  John Irwin becomes president. 
          The Gradual Elimination of the Boy and Slate           Logo in favour of the new White Rose emblem.

1942  Aviation products introduced.

1945  Large Postwar expansion approved.
          Frank Littlefield passes.

1946  Record sales year.

1949  John Irwin passses; is succeeded by           
          W. Harold  Rea. 

1951  Montreal L. & G. Plant in operation.
          (Lubricating Oils and Greases)

1952  Sarnia Refinery officially opened.

1953  Montreal L. & G. Plant destroyed in fire.

1954  New L. & G. Plant opened.

1955  Canadian Oil announces purchase of           Anglo-Canadian Oil Co., and $3 million           expansion program

1957  Innisfail, Alta., field discovered.

1957  $8 million refinery expansion program           announced.

1958  Canadain Oil Companies 50th birthday.

1958  Canadian Oil. purchases the site of the first oil           well in North America as a memorial and           museum called Oil Museum Of Canada at Oil           Springs Ontario. (519-834-2840)

1962  Shell Oil of Canada purchases Canadian Oil           Companies Ltd.


 | En-Ar-Co / White Rose |