Description
This collection consists of company
records, correspondence, ephemera, photographs, and audio/visual material related to the
Whittier family and company.
Background
Mericos H. Whittier (1867-1928) was an American real estate developer and a pioneer in the
early California petroleum industry. Whittier was born on March 11, 1867 in Caribou, Maine.
He was the son of Charles Green Whittier (1841-1912) and Ruth Emmons Keech (1841-1930).George Gregg Crane (1835-1919) was married to Adeline Huntley Crane (1836-1914). The couple
had two children: Amy and Abbie (1868-1943). George Gregg Crane was considered a pioneer in
horticulture. Adeline Huntley Crane was a charter member of the Universalist church in Santa
Paula, California."Max" Whittier and Burton Greene, along with four other families, were instrumental in
starting Belridge Oil Company in 1911. The obscure oilfield in Kern County, California was
the largest independent oil producer in the state. Leland K. Whittier would later sell the
company to Shell Oil Company. The purchase price was nearly $3.7 billion, the largest
corporate acquisition in United States history at the time. "Max" Whittier was also the
co-founder of Beverly Hills, California.
Extent
42 Linear Feet
(79 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader
Services Department. For more information, please go to following web site.