Discovery of Oil in Pico Canyon
How did the discovery of oil in Pico Canyon happen? Either one or two Mexicans were hunting either a deer or a bear. For some reason, they thought it was important so they hurried off to either Rancho Camulos, the San Fernando Mission or Lyon's Station. Doctor Vincent Gelcich (often incorrectly spelled as Gelsich) was almost always the one who identified it because he once lived in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately for that statement, according to his biographies, he never lived in and probably never even visited Pennsylvania. However, Gelcich was familier with petroleum for two reasons. First, as a surgeon who spent some time in the army during the Civil War, he probably used it.(Note 1) Second, in 1864 he was involved in the oil business in the Santa Clara County (Note 2) and knew what both crude and refined oil looked like.
We don't really know what the real story was, but Jesus Hernandez and Ramon Perea were recognized as the discoverers (of course, not including the Native Americans). In a March of 1865 letter to Romolo Pico from Robert S. Baker, this fact was clearly stated.
Here are some examples of accounts starting with the earliest one that I could find.
LA Evening Express, December 29, 1876:
"The Pico oil spring was discovered by an accident, it is said. A Mexican while hunting on the mountain wounded a buck, which he tracked into a ravine or canyon, destined in all probablity to become as famous in the future of Californian developments as Oil creek has been in the past of Pennsylvania. Close by the dying buck he saw a dark, oily substance oozing from the mountain side, discoloring the water and emitting a disagreeable smell. He reported his discovery, and the use of petroleum being then generally known, steps were taken to utilize it."
Los Angeles Times, April 2, 1882:
"The Pico Oil Spring was discovered in January, 1865, by Ramon Peria [Perea], a Mexican hunter. One day while hunting for deer he wounded a buck. He followed the trail and found it dead near the spring. The quality of the oil in the spring attracted his attention, being of a dark, green color and very thin, and so different from anything that he had ever seen, that he concluded that it must be valuable. So he notifed a friend of his, Jesus Hernandez, and they located the oil claim."
Standard Oil Bulletin, August 1918: (in a "Birth of an Industry" article. Standard didn't know more about the early oil history than anybody else. Their accounts typically contained more fiction than fact.)
"A Mexican hunter, who had followed a deer trail to the head of Pico Canyon, in Los Angeles County, near the present town of Newhall, came upon a seepage of sticky, black fluid that was unknown to him. Presumably prompted by curiosity, he collected a small quantity of it in a canteen and took it back to the mission settlement at San Fernando. There a Doctor Gelsich, who had formerly resided in an oil-producing district of Pennsylvania, immediately identified the canteen's contents as petroleum. He lost no time in forming a company and staked out placer claims covering the find. That was in 1865."(Note 3)
Los Angeles Evening Express, September 8, 1918: (story by William Biscailez)
"Ramona Pirea, a Mexican hunter, came in the Pico canyon in 1865 in search of deer. Arriving at the head of the canyon, he came upon a sticky substance which aroused his curiosity. He poured some of it on a rock and set fire to it. To his amazement it burned. He then reported the incident to Romolo Pico, son of the first Governor of California. Pico took a sample of the fluid to the mission settlement at San Fernando, where a Doctor Gelsich, who had formerly lived in an oil producing district in Pennsylvania, identified it as petroleum."
Oakland Tribune, November 3, 1918:
"The discovery of oil at this place dates back more than half a century, to 1865, and is credited to a Mexican, Ramon Perea, who was hunting for deer in the Newhall hills when he found a black, sticky fluid exuding from the side of the canyon wall. Taking a sample to J. Del Valle of Piru, who was then living on the Camulos rancho (Ramona's home), he asked him what it was. Del Valle in turn submitted the sample to Dr. Gelsich, who had lived at one time in a Pennsylvania oil district. He pronounced it petroleum."
Oakland Tribune, November 4, 1918: (letter in the Standard Oil Bulletin)
"Gentlemen: I was very much interested in your article, 'The Birth of an Industry.' It may be of interest to you to know that my wife's father, J. Del Valle, of Camulos ranch, has often told me about the discovery of oil in Pico canyon. The discoverer, Ramon Perea, worked for Mr. Del Valle's father, and instead of taking the oil to Dr. Gelsich, as you say, he brought it to Mr. Del Valle, who in turn showed it to Antonio Pico and Dr. Gelsich, and they formed a company to exploit the property. Perea was given a small interest, but later disposed of it for a small sum."(Note 3)
The Signal, February 17, 1922:
"It was here that a Mexican named Ramon Perea, discovered a black, sticky fluid, which excited his curiosity, while hunting deer in the Newhall hills. He carried a small quantity of the fluid to J. Del Valle of Piru, who was then living on the Camulos Rancho, Ramona's home, and showed it to him, who in turn submitted the sample to Dr. Gelsich, formerly a resident of an oil section of Pennsylvania. Dr. Gelsich pronounced it petroleum and a company was soon formed to exploit the property, which was staked out and filed as placer claims."(Note 3)
Los Angeles Times, June 7, 1925:
"The first known discovery of petroleum in California was made in 1865 by a Mexican hunter, who had followed a deer trail to the head of Pico Canyon in Los Angeles county, near the present town of Newhall. He came upon a seepage of sticky fluid that was unknown to him. Prompted by curiosity, he collected a small quantity of it and took it to the Mission Settlement at San Fernando. There a Doctor Gelsich, who had formerly resided in Pennsylvania, identified it as petroleum and at once formed a company and staked out claims."(Note 3)
San Francisco Examiner, February 28, 1926:
"History records that Ramon Perea found a seepage of black fluid while hunting deer in the Newhall hills about 1875[1865] and his curiosity was such that he gathered some of the oil in his canteen and later showed it to J. L. Del Valle, who was then living on the Camulos ranch, better known as Ramona's home. To get a chemical analysis of the mysterious fluid Del valle gave the sample to Dr. Gelsich, who had come to California from Pennsylvania, and he pronounced it petroleum."
Scientific American, July 1928, pp. 60-61 (by Herbert Otis Warren)
"The enormous oil industry of California had its birth in Pico Canyon, near the town of Newhall in Los Angeles County, in 1865, when Ramon Perea, a Mexican deer hunter, followed a trail to the head of the canyon and came upon a seepage of sticky, black fluid that was unknown to him. Probably on the spur of curiosity, he gathered a small quantity of it in a canteen and returned to San Fernando to the Franciscan mission settlement. Doctor Gelsich, a former resident in an oil-producing district of Pennsylvania, was given the canteen by J. L. Del Valle - to whom Perea had given the fluid - and he promptly declared the contents to be petroleum. He lost little time in forming a company and staking out placer claims covering the find under the then existing laws of California."(Note 3)
Los Angeles in the Sunny Seventies, Ludwig Louis Salvatore, McCallister & Zeitlin, Los Angeles, 1929, p. 93:
"In a lone spur of the San Fernando Range about 35 miles from Los Angeles, oil was discovered in February, 1865, by Mexicans who, while out hunting bear, became thirsty and began to search for water. Finding a brook that emitted a strange odor of petroleum, they struck a match which immediately ignited. Cognizant of the importance of their discovery one remained on the ground to establish possession while his partner hurred off to Los Angeles to inform some of the most influential citizens - among them General Andres Pico, Dr. Vincent Gelcich, Todd, Lyon, and Andere - of this discovery. These men decided to go out and stake claims measuring 1500x600 feet apiece in conformity with the mining laws, and instruct the discovers how to protect their claims."
Oakland Tribune, February 11, 1935: (This was in a Standard Oil Company advertisement and, as usual for Standard, was mostly wrong.)
"Over the steep walls of Pico Canyon, in southern California's Santa Susana Mountains, clambered the Mexican sheepherder Ramon Perea, tracking a deer. Suddenly, his boots mired in soggy ground. He looked down on a seepage of something black and sticky. Curious, he filled his canteen. To San Fernando Mission, a center of learning in the year 1860, he carried his find. 'Petroleum' - the first discovered in California - said Dr. Gelsich, a guest from the eastern seaboard. Perea staked out a claim. But nothing was done about it."
Bakersfield Californian, April 25, 1938: (This was also in a Standard Oil Company advertisement and is also mostly fiction.)
"It was hot. Ramon Perea would have enjoyed a drink. Thirsty work it was, tracking a deer up the broken floor of Pico Canyon in the Santa Susana Mountains. So Ramon cheered when his eye fell upon a spring. Only it was not cool, dark water. It was a spring of black, clinging, slippery liquid, quite beyond the knowledge of one who from his earliest memories had been a sheepherder. 'But if I do not know,' Ramon reasoned, 'certainly the wise padres at the mission can tell me.' So he filled his canteen with the mysterious liquid and back he trudged - to Mission San Fernando. The brown-robed padres didn't know, either, but a visitor, a Dr. Gelsish, fresh from the East where it was a new marvel, recognized petroleum."
The Signal, May 3, 1940: (by Addi Lyon, son of Sanford. As might be expected from Addi, Sanford got more credit than he deserved.)
"In 1864 a sheep herder, Ramon Poreda [Perea], hunting in Pico canyon, six miles west of Newhall, shot a deer which fell over a creek bank into a pool of black oily substance emitting an unpleasant smell. Not knowing what it was his curiosity was aroused and filling his canteen he proceeded with his find to Lyon Station, located on the flat in front of the old burial ground on the Needham Ranch just northwest of the junction of Highway No. 6 and the new Solemint cut-off and run by Sanford Lyon, a 49er. Mr. Lyon pronounced it crude oil and Dr. Gelsich, a Pennsylvanian stopping at the San Fernando Mission, verified it as similar to the oil produced in his home state. A company was soon formed, headed by Mr. Lyon, to develop the find."(Note 3)
Los Angeles Times, August 13, 1950: (by Raymond M. Holt)
"Unaware that they were making history, two Mexican hunters stalked a bear deep into the mountains north of Los Angeles one day in February, 1865. With their prey still far ahead of them they began searching for water to quench their thirst. So far as recorded history is concerned they found neither drinking water nor bear on that trip. But what they did discover was oil. For a film of oil discolored the surbade of the stream they stumbled upon. The strong odor of crude oil was all about them and a match blazed brightly when struck in the gaseous atmosphere. Sitting down, the two hunters took stock of the situation. Speculation in petroleum during the preceding five years had recently declined from its fevered pitch. Yet, they were well aware of the possible importance of their find. The question was, what should they do about it? Finally they reached an agreement. Ramon Perea dipped his canteen into the oil-laden stream and filled the container full. Leaving his companion alone to guard the property, Perea set off for Los Angeles to contact certain men whose interest in developing oil resources had been aroused before the oil boom had collapsed."
Formulative Years in the Far West - A History of Standard Oil Company of California and Predecessors Through 1919, by Gerald T. White, Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1962, p. 28:
"The Picos had learned of the spring from Hernandez and Perea, who, according to one colorful account, stumbled upon it while on a hunting trip. Romulo's hurried action in filing for what soon became known as Pico Springs, without any recompense to the vaqueros, aroused their resentment."
(Note 1) Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel, May 21, 1864 (article on California Petroleum):
"As a deordorizer it is found most effectual in neutralizing fetid emanations of decayed matter. Applied to wounds it arrests gangrene and putrefying sores which are instantly deordorized and disposed to heal. For this purpose it has been used extensively by surgeons of the United States armies."
(Note 2) Sacramento Daily Union, May 9, 1864 (quoting the San Jose Mercury of May 4th):
"A few days ago we saw in the possession of Dr. Gelcich, a bottle of the crude petroleum, and also a bottle of the clarified petroleum oil. The former had a strong smell like tar; the latter was very clear and beautiful, and we are informed burns finely, giving a brilliant light. Dr. Gelcich has secured an interest, or perhaps it would be more proper to say, a lease for fifty years, upon a tract of land near Moody's mill, not far from Lexington [Santa Clara County, California], where it is known the petroleum exists... The Doctor and his associates have sunk wells to the depth of perhaps thirty feet, and have found the strongest evidence of the existence of the oil in large quantities, but have not reached the main current of oil, which, when struct, will probably gush up with all the force of our artesian wells of water. About six or seven gallons of petroleum are gathered in the wells every day, which are the drippings from surcharged beds of clay which form the walls of the wells."
(Note 3) The only company formed in Los Angeles in 1865 to exploit the newly found oil was the Los Angeles Pioneer Oil Company. Gelcich, Lyon, any Pico, and Del Valle were not among the organizers. These men were only involved in staking claims, at least in 1865. Hernandez and Perea sold their claim to Robert S. Baker on May 22, 1865, for $300.