Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

"A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891), page 434.

Harvey Hardison

Harvey Hardison, deceased, late one of the prominent business men and oil-well operators of Santa Paula, was born in Aroostook County, Maine, February 9, 1844. Natives of the same State were also his father Ivory and his grandfather Joseph Hardison; and it is believed that the family originated in Sweden. Harvey's mother, Dorcas (Abott) Hardison, was born in China, Kennebec County, Maine, and her ancestors were English and Irish. In their family were eight sons and three daughters, all of whom excepting one are yet living.

Mr. Hardison, the subject of this memoir, was the eighth in this family, inheriting a fine physical organization and a good disposition, and was reared to strict temperance habits, using neither tobacco nor strong drink. At the age of twenty-one years he began work for himself in the oil regions of Pennsylvania, drilling for oil. About two years afterward he obtained an outfit, began to take contracts and for five years drilled wells for Lyman Stewart, now of Los Angeles. He then began drilling for himself, as well as for others, having an interest in Shangburg and in Venango County, Pennsylvania. He bored about 300 wells, ranging from 800 to 2,000 feet in depth. The time required for sinking the deepest well then required about three months; but now the same work can be done in about one month.

In 1883 Mr. Hardison came to Newhall, California, and superintended the putting down of the Hardison & Stewart wells at Pico. They sank four wells before "striking oil." The fifth well, called the Star, was a good producer, yielding fifty barrels per day. In Adams, Saltmarsh and Aliso canons he superintended the drilling of oil wells. In tunnels from some of these electric lights are employed to work by, and all the latest improvements in the oil-well business are brought into use. One well in Adams Canon gave a flow of 1,000 barrels per day. In the Saltmarsh Canon the company has four producing wells, one of them having yielded 100,000 barrels of oil. In the Adams Canon one well produced 125,000 barrels. These wells are from 250 to 1,750 feet deep. They have also producing wells in Santa Paula Canon and three in the Aliso Canon and five in the Ojai. At the time of his recent death, Mr. Hardison had a fourth interest in the Santa Paula Horse and Cattle Company, who have a ranch of 6,400 acres stocked with horses and cattle, some of which are thoroughbred stock. Mr. Hardison owned other property.

Mr. Hardison was appointed Postmaster of Santa Paula in April, 1889, and his daughter Ida was employed as assistant and his son Frank as deputy. Mr. Hardison was a member of the A. O. U. W., of the Universalist Church and of the Republican party. April 4, 1890, he met his death from explosion of gas in one of the oil tunnels in Adams Canon, where he was superintendent. It was supposed that the explosion was so sudden and forceful that death was instantaneous. His bereaved wife and children bore the fearful calamity with great fortitude. Mr. Hardison was a noble, generous and large-hearted man, and a pleasant and kind husband and father, and was also esteemed highly by all who knew him.

His marriage took place in 1869, when he wedded Miss Delphina M. Wetherbee, a native of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, born September 14, 1848, a daughter of Franklin Wetherbee, who was born in New York. Mrs. Hardison is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Santa Paula, and has proved herself an excellent wife and mother. There are two sons and two daughters, all of whom are also members of the same church. Ida A. was born in Centerville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1870; Franklin I., January 20, 1872, in Parker City, Pennsylvania; Seth J., Noember 14, 1874, in Turkey City, Pennsylvania, and Ruth M., in the same place, January 16, 1877.

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Ventura County Republican Project: History and Rootsweb Genealogy posted by Jon Miller and Tony Larson.