James M. Guffey

James McClurg Guffey (January 19, 1839, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania – March 20, 1930, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ) was an American pioneer in the petroleum industry in Pennsylvania and elsewhere and a longtime Democratic politician in his home state.

At 18, he found work as a clerk for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in Louisville, Kentucky, before landing a better-paying job with the Adams Southern Express Company in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1872, he returned to his home state to become a salesman in the burgeoning oil industry (see Pennsylvania oil rush), learning the business and starting to work for himself. He was involved in developing oil and gas fields in Ohio and West Virginia. or 1886. At one time, it was the largest oil producer in the world, outputting 40,000 barrels per day.

Politics

In late August 1897, Guffey was named the Pennsylvania representative to the Democratic National Committee, replacing William F. Harrity. In 1912 he was again elected to the Democratic National Committee following the death of James Kerr.

In the 1901 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania, he came second to Republican Matthew Quay, with 22% of the vote. In the 1903 Senate election, he lost to Republican Boies Penrose.

Later life In 1910, his properties were placed in receivership because he did not have the ready cash to cover his liabilities of about $7,00,000, but the receiver stated that Guffey had assets of over $15,000,000. It was chartered on behalf of the British Ministry of War Transport for World War I.