The Life and Times of Ernest Whitworth Marland Revised January 17, 2008 (References to Virginia in paragraphs 4 & 5 corrected to read West Virginia per Gary Pinnell & Ray Brown)
By Ray Brown Oklahoma Geological Survey

Introduction

Ernest Whitworth Marland was the builder of much of the company that was eventually called Conoco. Now that Conoco and Phillips are merging, it may be timely to consider the life of Ernest Whitworth Marland. He was one of the people to fund the first seismic reflection exploration in history. He also funded the first seismic refraction in the United States. J.C. Karcher and Ludger Mintrop were doing this work for him. Marland or Conoco was the first company in history in a number of other areas as well. However, this story emphasizes the roller coaster ride his life took as well as the personality behind the man. He seemed to love and trust people, but it was that trust that ended in his downfall. Despite some of his bad fortune, E.W. Marland represents in many ways the spirit of oil and gas exploration. Much of this story was taken from "The History of Geophysical Prospecting" by George Elliot Sweet. Another source used was the following internet Web page: http://www.marlandmansion.com.

Ernest Whitworth Marland was a pioneer oilman. His company was the first in the world to hire a seismic reflection crew formed by J.C. Karcher and his associates. His company was also the first in the US to hire a seismic refraction crew headed by Ludger Mintrop. The Marland oil and gas interests were the early core around which Conoco was expanded.

The Beginning, May 8, 1874

Ernest Whitworth Marland was born May 8, 1874 in Pennsylvania the third child of Alfred and Sara Marland. His father had a nice estate near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and the family lived in a 12 room house on a hill called "Mount Washington". Mount Washington contained a nice library and the children grew up reading Dickens and Scott. George Elliot Sweet suggests that Ernest Marland's reading may have been responsible for his apparent sympathy for his fellow man.

School Days -- Law Degree in 1893

Ernest Marland studied at two private schools: Arnold School and Park Institute. Then he went to the University of Michigan where he received his law degree in 1893. His chief diversion during these school days was beer drinking and playing poker. Sounds like the college experience of many that I know. All night games were common and poker remained one of the delights of his life.

The Early Life After College -- Married in 1903

Marland practiced law and promoted coalmines for the first two years after college. Eventually he turned from coal to West Virginia oil. He was a popular young man with the women and was apparently not motivated to rush into marriage. When he was 29, Mary Virginia Collins finally caught this eligible bachelor in 1903.

The First Rise and Fall - 1907

Marland made a million dollars in West Virginia oil by 1907. Unfortunately, the panic of 1907 dried up his credit and he lost almost everything that he owned including a new home just purchased. He ended up sharing a house with his brother-in-law Sam. He and Sam walked to work to save carfare during these days. In spite of being down and out, E.W. Marland dressed well and kept up a prosperous appearance. Just because one is poor does not imply he or she cannot look like a million dollars.

Oil Beckons Again - 1909

Marland had a nephew in the military stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. The nephew had made friends with a George Miller and had visited the famous Miller brothers' 101 Ranch near Ponca City in northern Oklahoma. The nephew wrote to his uncle that the Millers would lease their lands for oil exploration if E.W. Marland would come west and drill.

Marland came to Oklahoma and drilled a dry well in February 1909 near the "White House", the ranch headquarters for the Miller brothers' ranch. The next seven wells struck gas. Unfortunately, these wells were not commercial. During this time Marland and Virginia stayed in the Arcade Hotel in Ponca City. Marland was borrowing heavily to finance this early drilling. Fortunately Marland decided to use his practical knowledge of geology to pick a well site. He found an elongated and isolated hill near Bodark Creek that he thought was a geological high as well as a topographic high.

Back in the Money - 1910

The hill Marland picked was a burial ground for the Ponca tribe. Actually the Ponca bound their dead and laid them upon scaffolds. These scaffolds were on the crest of the hill in the exact location that Marland wanted to drill.

Marland and the Millers met with White Eagle, Chief of the Ponca and emerged with permission to drill off the crest of the hill toward Bodark Creek. The well drilled in 1910 struck oil for the first paying well in Ponca field. The rise of Marland from that date was spectacular.

The Picture At Home

As Ernest and Virginia gained in wealth, the size of their dwellings increased as well. The first Marland Mansion was built at Tenth and Grand, near the downtown area of Ponca City. That house had 22 rooms and was the site of the late-night discussions Marland has later with Dr. Irving Perrine. The Marlands had no children so they invited her sister's two children to come and visit them from Pennsylvania. This visit turned into a permanent stay so that the kids might benefit from the higher lifestyle offered by the Marlands. The nephew and niece were George and Lydie Roberts. These kids were sent to the finest schools and apparently enjoyed lavish parties in the home on Grand Ave. Eventually these kids were adopted and their names changed to George Roberts Marland and Lydie Roberts Marland.

Early Family Portrait - Pictured here clockwise from upper left - George Roberts Marland, Mrs. Sam Collins - Virginia's mother, Virginia Marland, Neighbor, E.W. Marland, and Lydie Roberts Marland

Rapid Expansion in the 1920's

By 1922, E.W. Marland controlled one tenth of the world's oil reserves. More than a third of the Ponca City population worked for Marland Oil Company. Fifteen years after the first paying well in Ponca field (1925), Shell oil would offer 59 million dollars for the Marland oil and gas interests. However, by that time in history, J.P. Morgan had control and he had no intention of selling. But this is getting ahead of our story.

Symptoms of Marland's Personality

George Elliot Sweet says in his book that Marland was eventually doomed by the following characteristics of his personality:

• He was generous to the extreme with friends, employees and charities.
• He was a perpetual promoter.
• He had no idea how to curb outgoing expenses to meet income.

English Heritage

Marland was proud of his English heritage and tried to introduce the English lifestyle into his part of Oklahoma. He tried to bring fox hunting to northern Oklahoma by hiring a Master of Hounds. When the field of hunters assembled for the first fox hunt and the fox was released, everyone took off in hot pursuit. However, the fox managed to turn back and was later found in the car used to bring the fox to the hunt. Marland also had a game preserve with a high fence to protect his pheasants, swans, geese, mallards and peacocks from the coyote population in the area. Later he decided to build an English Manor within the game preserve. This was bigger and more ornate than his home on Grand Avenue. He also bought a yacht.

Ponca City

He gave a great deal to Ponca City. He gave $100,000 to build a building to house the American Legion Post and the Alfred Marland Masonic Blue Lodge. He constructed a hospital for Ponca City and paid for the construction of the high school athletic field, grandstand and athletic field.

Charities and Employees

He was the founder of the American Legion's Orphans Home. He provided for clubhouses for the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA and YWCA. He headed the list of subscribers to build a student union and a stadium at the University of Oklahoma. Marland set up a special bank for his employees so they could borrow money at reduced rates. He was extremely giving to his employees in all respects (bonuses, benefits, extra time off, etc.).

Marland,Science and Growth of Wealth 1910-1928

Marland exhibited a good deal of geological insight by finding an anticline beneath the Ponca burial ground in 1910. In 1912, Jack Clary, a Vice President for the Marland company, suggested that he hire Dr. Irving Perrine, teaching at the University of Oklahoma, to do a geological report for some land Marland wanted to sell. Perrine and Clary had been classmates at Cornell University. After meeting, Perrine and Marland spent many hours talking about geology and walking the roads around Kay County. Marland's relationship with Perrine was very close in 1915 and it led to positions at Marland's company for at least 15 students from the University of Oklahoma. Marland was a firm believer in the application of geology. One of these students was William Casper Kite who would later participate with Dr. Irving Perrine, Dr. John Clarence Karcher and Dr. William Peter Haseman in the first seismic reflection exploration in history near Oklahoma City. It was the foundation in geoscience that led to exponential growth for the Marland Company.

In 1919 Marland was bidding along with the major companies in the town of Pawhuska when the Osage Nation opened its land for exploration. There was a post-war depression in 1920-1921 which might be the explanation for why Marland could not give the Geological Engineering Company, the first seismic reflection exploration company in history, more financial support in 1921. However, one of Marland's employees, Fritz Love Aurin (another OU graduate), plotted the first structure map based upon seismic reflections in history. Marland was innovative and willing to try new ideas.

Marland started a development program toward the big money in the period from 1920-1923 (Burbank, Thomas and Tonkawa fields). If Karcher and associates had started their efforts in 1923, there might have been a lot of companies named "Marland" today. Instead, Karcher and company went out of business and Karcher went back to the US Bureau of Standards after the famous experiments in Oklahoma. When Marland approached Karcher in the latter part of 1925, it was too late. DeGolyer had already made Karcher an offer that he could not refuse.

In 1921, the OU-based geological department launched a core drilling campaign. By 1923 this core drilling had reached East Texas and was working along the Mexia Fault as well. Marland's company was one of the first mid-continent companies to use the core drill. At the time, the Marland efforts in core drilling exceeded all others in number of crews and breath of operation.

In 1923, a world famous geologist, W.A.J.M. van Waterschoot van der Gracht quit or was fired from Shell. Marland talked van der Gracht into coming to work for him. Van der Gracht had a friend in Germany named Ludger Mintrop, who had organized the Seismos Company of Hanover on April 4, 1921. This company is the oldest seismic exploration company in existence. It was merged with the Prakla company during World War II (Prakla-Seismos).

After some initial testing in Germany, Shell hired the first Seismos crew for work in Mexico. Van der Gracht talked Marland into hiring the second seismos crew. Acting as Party Chief on this second crew was Ludger Mintrop himself. The Germans trusted no one with the secrets of their instrumentation. Two armed guards were used to "ride shotgun" on their technical equipment. Marland's seismic refraction crew never made any discoveries but Marland was the first to use seismic refraction work in the US. When Shell finished with Seismos #1 in Mexico without any luck, Gulf Oil corporation took the crew in April, 1924. In June, 1924, this party discovered Orchard Dome. In addition to the first refraction discovery in the US, other pieces of history were being assembled during this year of 1924. The Humble Oil and Refining Company organized its geophysical department under Dr. Norman Ricker. Burton McCollum (Remember the man who bought all of the equipment when the Geological Engineering Company went out of business?) did experimental refraction work near Tampico, Mexico for the Atlantic Refining Company.

In 1924 Marland set up the first research division for a company. He set up Dr. William Peter Haseman as the head of this division. He wanted his own physicists and geologists to guide the destinies of the company. Later this division was the foundation for the petroleum engineering division. In 1925 Marland asked Haseman to set up a geophysical department. Haseman hired Dr. E.A. Eckhardt, one of the men who worked with Karcher at the US Bureau of Standards during World War I, to set up this department.

In summary, Marland believed in science and applied it in many ways. This combined with his gambling spirit were responsible for his success and the rapid growth of his company.

J.P. Morgan and The Beginning of the End - 1923

J.P. Morgan requested a meeting with E.W. Marland in 1923 and talked Marland into letting his bank take care of the banking for the Marland enterprises. During the early days of the relationship, Marland was the master of the oil business and the bankers listened in respectful silence. All of this changed as time progressed. It is ironic that while Marland was making the company grow at its fastest rate, his control of the company was gradually moved over to J.P. Morgan and his bank. Some might interpret Morgan as having saved the Marland companies via their tight economics during the depression years to follow. Others might say that Morgan exerted a stranglehold on Marland and prevented him from building the badly needed pipelines that would have kept him going during tough times. The financial mistake of trying to run Gulf Coast seismic crews from Oklahoma was definitely Marland's responsibility. I will let the reader decide whether Marland could have made it if Morgan had not been a part of his life.

When It Rains, It Pours

In May of 1928, the world began to crash around Marland. Marland had lost control of the company and he was moved up to Chairman of the Board where he had less real control over the daily management decisions. New officers were assigned, under the control of J.P. Morgan. These new officers ended up firing a lot of Marland's people. When Marland found that he would be required to move away from Ponca City in order not to embarrass the new management, he resigned as Chairman of the Board. Since his financial affairs were in a sad state, you can imagine how hurt he was by the whole affair. His personal life was taking a hit as well.

Marland's Second Marriage - 1928

Virginia Collins Marland died in 1926 after a long illness. At this point in time, Marland had lost his company and his first wife. Apparently the extended illness was not a pleasant experience for either party. Ernest Marland is said to have given little sympathy while Virginia was sick. Virginia is said to have overplayed her tragic role. These were difficult times for Marland. However, in 1928 a legal plea changed the status of Lydie Roberts Marland back to Lydie Roberts. Later in July of 1928, Lydie Roberts and Ernest Marland were married in Flourtown, Pennsylvania. All of this was occurring while J.P. Morgan was taking the company away from him.

Virginia Collins Marland was Marland's first wife. She died in 1926 after a long illness.

The English Manor - 1928

The English Manor in the game preserve (a palace of sorts) was started in 1925 and finally finished in 1928 and was waiting for the newly wedded couple, Lydie and Ernest Marland. The new home was furnished with expensive furniture and rare art. Marland apparently kept spending as if he were still making a lot of money.

The Vanishing American -- 1929

As Marland's financial picture weakened, his commitments for spending had a forward momentum that apparently could not be stopped. For example, in 1929 one of E.W.'s staunchest friends, John Alcorn, made the suggestion that Marland commission Jo Davidson to create a monument of giant size to the "Vanishing American". Alcorn was thinking of the Ponca, the Osage or the Otoe Indians when he made this suggestion. Ernest Marland thought about the idea and then said "The Indian is not the vanishing American, the vanishing American is the pioneer woman." I wonder what role his wife's death played in this thinking.

Pioneer Woman Statue in Ponca City presented to the public April 22, 1930.

The Unveiling of the Pioneer Woman Statue-1930

Twelve different models for the pioneer woman were constructed and sent out and people were asked to vote. After spending $200,000 at a time when money was precious, Jo Davidson made the larger than life statue. The statue of the Pioneer woman was presented to the state of Oklahoma on April 22, 1930. The Governor of Oklahoma at that time declared the day a legal holiday. The date of the presentation was the 41st anniversary of the 1889 "Oklahoma Run" which opened up the Oklahoma territory.

Will Rogers was going to be a part of the program. Patrick Hurley, Secretary of War under Hoover, was scheduled to be the principal speaker but he could not make it. This left Will Rogers the job of being the principal speaker. This bothered Ernest Marland a great deal because he believed in decorum and propriety. Marland's fears became reality when Will Rogers opened his presentation by saying that he had "come all the way from California to undress a woman". Marland apparently was unhappy with this remark but the crowd loved Will Rogers. Marland now had had more to worry about than the humor of Will Rogers.

Another Bad Experience - 1931

A year later the English manor house became the Marland Estate, Inc. and was auctioned to the highest bidder on August 11, 1931. One of his early business partners bought the home and gave it back to him so that Ernest and Lydie would not lose their home.

Political Career 1932-1939

Marland was down but not beaten. In the summer of 1932, Marland became a candidate for Congress from the 8th Congressional District and won. His popularity in northern Oklahoma was considerable. You can bet that Marland used his position to blast bankers. Are we surprised?

After serving in Congress, Marland ran for Governor of Oklahoma and was elected. January 15, 1935 Marland was inaugurated Governor of Oklahoma. His platform was "Poverty must be wiped out". Unfortunately, his program required a huge taxation program that met with a lot of resistance. He was only able to get a small percentage of what he requested from the legislature.

In 1936, halfway through his term as Governor, Marland ran for the Senate and lost. As a result, he ended up finishing his term as Governor over the next four years. During this period, he and his former employee, William Casper Kite, crossed swords over the assignment of regents. Kite felt that Marland was assigning people based upon reasons not associated with the education program in the state. Does that sound like something Marland would have done? He ran again in 1939 for the Senate and was again defeated.

Died: October 3, 1941

After his time in politics, Marland retired to Ponca City and did not enjoy retirement. He soon became ill and passed away in the fall of 1941. The grey-stoned mansion was sold shortly before his death to the Carmelite Friars. Enest and Lydie Marland moved to smaller quarters before he finally died. A few years after the death of Ernest Marland, Lydie Marland disappeared from Ponca City and went into seclusion. Apparently George Elliot Sweet tried to find her in order to interview her for his book and was unable to do so.

In 1948 the Carmelite Fathers sold the Marland mansion to the Sisters of St. Felix for $50,000. The Sisters kept the property until 1975 before putting the property up for sale. At that time Conoco and Ponca City pooled their resources and bought the mansion. Lydie Marland returned to Ponca City during this time and wrote a letter to the citizens, asking them to support the sales tax and save the mansion. That mansion is a lasting testimony to Ernest Marland.

Summary

In summary, Ernest Marland was a man that I think all of us would have liked. He was a giving and caring person who pursued the technologies required to find more oil and gas. He was the epitome of the spirit that makes the exploratory portion of the oil industry. His company was the first in the world to use the seismic reflection method in 1921. Later in 1923 his companies were the first in the US to use the seismic refraction method of exploration. In other words, when you think of Karcher and Mintrop, think of Marland as well. His luck was such that neither of these methods were profitable at the time of application. Had he been able to utilize these tools the way they eventually became used, there might have been only one oil company today named "Marland". In spite of his bad luck pioneering the seismic methods, Marland constructed the core upon which Conoco was built. J.P. Morgan may have been saving the Marland companies from the oncoming depression when he took them over. However, Marland had his hands tied under Morgan's control and if he had been given the chance, I like to think he would have succeeded. In particular, Morgan prevented Marland from developing pipelines that might have allowed him to weather the harder times. Read the quote from Marland below and see what you think about his potential for survival.