Midwest Oil Corporation records

Midwest Oil Corporation records, 1889-1960

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Midwest Oil Corporation
Title: Midwest Oil Corporation records
Dates: 1889-1960 (inclusive)
Date of CollectionDate of Collection
Quantity: 48.15 cubic ft. (107 boxes)
Collection Number: 00664
Summary: The Midwest Oil Corporation was an oil company that contributed to the development of the Salt Creek Oil Field in Wyoming. The collection contains records of the predecessor companies that merged over the years to create the Midwest Oil Corporation.
Repository: American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions: Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Midwest Oil Corporation was the result of a merger between the Midwest Oil Company, Saltmount Oil Company, and Mountain Producers Corporation in 1951. However, their origins began with the discovery of oil in the Salt Creek Oil Field of Wyoming during the late 19th century. Development of this field began with a rush on the area in the 1900’s were men such as Cy Iba, Frederick J. Lobell, and Verner Z. Reed began to acquire oil claims, leases, and permits to drill for oil. Over time a variety of companies were formed by these men to acquire capitol in order to mine and continue developing the Salt Creek Oil Field. Many of these companies invested in each other leading to mergers, take-overs, and other business dealings that have caused legal disputes over oil mining claims, leases, accounting practices, and taxes.

Midwest Oil Corporation can be traced back to some of these oil claims made by Cy Iba, Frederick J. Lobell, and Verner Z. Reed. Their companies and investments are the predecessors of the Midwest Oil Corporation. Most of these companies were subsidiaries or affiliates of each other and have merged over the years to create the Midwest Oil Corporation. They include the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Company (1895-1904); Petroleum Maatschappij Salt Creek of Wyoming (1907-1928); Central Wyoming Oil and Development Company (1907-1936); Societe Belgo-Americaine des Petroles du Wyoming (1903-1926); Franco Petroleum Company (1913-1914); Natrona Pipe Line and Refining Company (1911-1935); Wyoming Oil Fields Company (1911-1936); Midwest Oil Company (1911-1951); Midwest Refining Company (1914-1926); Mountain Producers Corporation (1920-1951); Salt Creek Producers Association, Inc. (1918-1940); Central Salt Creek Company (1920-1921); Wyoming Associated Oil Corporation (1919-1942); Wyoming Associated Royalty Company (1922-1933); Saltmount Oil Company (1929-1951); Saltmount Oil Corporation (1930-1940); and the Argo Oil Corporation and subsidiaries (1916-1936).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Midwest Oil Corporation records contain the business records of the predecessor companies of the Midwest Oil Corporation, the largest being the Midwest Oil Company (1911-1951) and affiliates. They include corporate records regarding incorporation, annual reports, stock records, board meeting minutes, and dissolution; agreements and contracts; financial statements and reports; correspondence regarding business operations and tax issues; engineers and revenue agent reports; legal proceedings files containing correspondence and legal documents; maps; oil production, reserve, depletion, and property valuation reports; and tax records regarding income taxes, refund claims, depletion calculations, and legal tax case files for each predecessor company.

The collection also contains an annual report, correspondence, charts, and stock and property holdings regarding the reorganization of these companies from 1920-1951, as they became the Midwest Oil Corporation. There are also depletion and valuation reports, correspondence, memorandum, stock records, and tax records of the Argo Oil Corporation and affiliates that the Midwest Oil Company maintained because they had owned stock in the Argo complex of companies.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by the Midwest Oil Corporation at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

This material was received from D.R. Murphy, President and Douglas W. Knox, Vice President of the Midwest Oil Corporation from 1958-1962.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Jamie J. Greene in January 2013.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Salt Creek Oil Field (General files), 1889-1940Return to Top

This series contains general files about the Salt Creek Oil Field and the various individuals and companies, as they relate to Midwest Oil Corporation, involved in the oil fields development.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
1	Claims	1911
1	Land and mining deeds, claims, and affidavits	1889-1920
1	Land and stock transfers and sales	1910-1921
1	Lease and permit average distribution summaries	1921
1	Lease assignments	1920-1923
	Legal proceedings	1890-1931:
Box
1	F.G. Bonfils, Lease application	1920
1	James H. Bury vs. W. G. Henshaw; Midwest vs. Bury	1893-1917
1	Cy Iba claims	1890-1918
1	Frederick J. Lobell claims	1890-1920
1	H.E. Stock vs. Little Reed Companies	1931
Box
1	Location certificates	1910-1911
2	Maps	1900-1940
3	Newspaper clippings	1916-1925
3	Production reports and valuations	1919-1934
3	Publications, reports, and drafts about the Salt Creek Oil Field and it's history	1910-1925
3	Pennsylvania Oil and Gas meeting minutes, including first charter meeting	1895-1904
	Research data	1900-1932:
Box
4	Federal regulations - Leasing Act	1910-1932
4	Federal regulations - Withdrawal order	1900-1930
4	Lease serial numbers	undated
Box
5	Scrapbook of stock notices and reports (i.e. annual reports, meeting and dividend notices, and proxies) for related Midwest Oil companies	1910-1940
6	Salt Creek unit agreement	1939
6	Stanolind operations	1938
6	Status of titles	1913-1920
6	Stock holdings	1920-1923
	Taxes	1919-1938:
Box
6	Analysis of dividend payments for all companies	1920-1923
6	Capitol stock taxes	1935-1938
6	Correspondence	1919-1932
6	Depletion	1932-1936
7	Statute of limitation cases	1924-1929
7	Taxes paid	1919-1928
Box
7	Unitization	undated
7	Valuations and data summaries	March 1, 1913

Series II. Predecessor Companies: Subsidiaries, Affiliates, and Merged Companies, 1903-1954Return to Top

This series contains corporate records, correspondence, meeting minutes, financial statements and reports, legal proceedings, and tax records regarding the predecessor companies of Midwest Oil Corporation.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Sub-series 1. Societe Belgo-Americaine des Petroles du Wyoming Company records	1903-1927
Box
8	Combined corporation records - Articles, by-laws, organization, meeting minutes, and stockholders accounts	1903-1912
8	Taxes: Correspondence	1926-1927
8	Taxes: Income tax returns	1903-1926
	Sub-series 2. Central Wyoming Oil and Development Company	1907-1926
Box
8	Correspondence	1920
8	Depletion reports	1926
8	Financial statements and reports	1921-1924
8-11	Legal proceedings	1910-1918
12	Meeting minutes	1907-1921
	Sub-series 3. Fitzhugh-Henshaw	1911-1929
Box
12	Depletion reports	undated
	Legal proceedings	1911-1929:
Box
12	Affidavits and statements	1911-1929
13	Fitzhugh litigation - California Oil Co. vs. Fitzhugh and Midwest Oil Co.	1913
13	Fitzhugh litigation - Wm. M. Fitzhugh and Mary E. Fitzhugh vs. Midwest Oil Co.	1917
13	Bill of complaint	1917
14	Brief for defendants	1917
14	Fitzhugh deposition	1917
Box
14	Location notices and certificates	1910-1916
14	Maps	1919
	Sub-series 4. Reed Companies	1910-1932
Box
14	Land claims	1917-1918
14	Legal estate documents of Verner Zevola Reed	1910-1932
14	Oil reserves	1920
14	Predecessor companies - Little companies, powers of attorney	1918
15	Reorganization and take over by Wyoming Associated Oil Corp.	1925-1927
15	Taxes	1914-1928
	Sub-series 5. Wyoming Oil Fields Company	1911-1937
Box
15	Acquisition of capital stock by Salt Creek Producers Association and Midwest Oil Company	1921-1937
15	Agreements and contracts	undated
15	Depletion reports	1921-1935
16	Engineers and revenue agents reports	1918-1935
16	Federal regulations on pipe lines	1920
16-18	Financial statements and reports	1911-1935
19	Incorporation records	undated
19	Meeting minutes	1911-1914
	Taxes	1912-1937:
Box
19	Claims for refund	1918-1937
20	Correspondence	1919-1932
21	Tax returns	1912-1936
Box
21	Titles - Transactions of Joseph H. Lobell in regards to Salt Creek Oil Field	undated
21	Valuations	1922
	Sub-series 6. Natrona Pipe Line and Refining Company	1911-1933
Box
22	Contracts - Correspondence	1912-1929
22	Financial statements and reports	1920-1924
22	Meeting minutes	1911-1933
22	Stockholders	1919-1921
	Taxes	1912-1933:
Box
22	Claims for refund	1917
22	Tax returns	1912-1933
	Sub-series 7. Midwest Oil Company	1911-1954
Box
23	Agreements, contracts, and leases	1918-1939
	Corporate records	1911-1923:
Box
23	Acquisitions and transfers	1911-1921
23	Franco Petroleum monthly reports	1913-1914
23	Special reports	1913
23	Stockholders and directors	1911
23	Stock purchases	1911-1923
Box
23	Correspondence	1923
24	Depletion reports	1919-1928
25	Employee plan for retirement annuities	1934
25-26	Engineers and revenue agents reports	1911-1951
26-36	Financial statements and reports	1912-1950
36	History - "When Salt Creek Roared," by Oliver H. Shoup	undated
	Legal proceedings	1911-1954:
Box
37	Memorandum as to status of Salt Creek cases	1920-1935
37	Miscellaneous legal documents	1911-1937
37-38	Case files involving Midwest Oil Company	1912-1954
Box
39	Maps	1913-1914
39	Oil reserves	1918-1920
39	Powers of attorney	undated
39	Production reports	undated
39	Proof of discovery	1918-1920
39	"Report on the Midwest Oil Company, Oil Trespass, Salt Creek Field, Wyoming," by H. B. Durham and C.M. Rath	1915
	Taxes	1912-1950:
Box
40-41	Claims for refund	1917-1948
41	Correspondence	1918-1938
42	Excess profit tax	1917-1945
43-45	Income tax returns	1912-1951
46	Tax legal cases and miscellaneous tax matters	1914-1933
Box
46	Valuation reports	1917-1944
	Sub-series 8. Midwest Refining Company	1914-1932
Box
47	Agreements and contracts	1914-1929
	Corporate records	1914-1927:
Box
47	Annual reports	1914-1916
47	Investment in stock of other companies	1924-1927
47	Officers and directors of affiliated companies	1922-1927
47	Ownership	1923-1927
Box
47	Correspondence	1920-1929
47	Depletion reports	1915-1920
48	Financial statements and reports	1914-1928
49	Land sales - oil	1910-1918
49	Maps	1916-1925
49	Powers of attorney	1927-1928
49	Production reports	1931-1932
49	Publication - "The Midwest Review," published by the Midwest Refining Company	1920-1921
49	Report on holdings in Wyoming oil fields	1915
49	Research data	1917-1921
Box
49	Stock holdings	1920-1921
49	Brief of the Midwest Refining Company	1917
	Taxes	1917-1924:
Box
50	Claims for refund	1919-1924
50	Corporate income and excess profits tax	1917-1919
50	Depreciation rates	undated
50	Schedules for income tax	1917
50	Tax legal cases	1919-1924
Box
50	Value of assets acquired in Salt Creek Field, Wyoming	1917-1919
	Sub-series 9. Mountain Producers Corporation and Wyoming Associated Oil Corporation	1919-1951
Box
51	Correspondence	1920-1944
52	Corporate records	1920-1946:
Box
52	Certificate of incorporation	1920
52	Proceedings and report of stockholders special committee	1945-1946
52	Depletion reports	1919-1924
52-58	Financial statements and reports	1920-1950
58	General accounting work file	1922-1939
58	"History Relating to Capital Structure and Income for Base Period for Basis of Excess Profits Tax Credits,"	1942
58	Powers of attorney	1923-1942
59	Revenue agents reports	1919-1951
	Taxes	1920-1951:
Box
60	Correspondence	1921-1938
61	Claims for refund	1925-1950
61	Excess profits tax	1941-1951
62-64	Income tax returns	1920-1951
65	Tax legal cases - 1924 tax case	1941-1943
65-68	Tax legal cases - 1925 tax case	1929-1935
69	Tax legal cases - Miscellaneous	1924-1941
69	Tax matters - liabilities, protests, and reports	1925-1950
	Sub-series 10. Wyoming Associated Oil Corporation	1918-1942
Box
70	Collateral agreement, Empire State Oil Co.	1932
70	Corporate records - Organization, contracts, stock records, and dissolution	1920-1940
70-71	Correspondence	1918-1933
71-72	Depletion reports	1919-1933
73	Engineers and revenue agents reports	1919-1935
73-77	Financial statements and reports	1919-1936
77	Leases	1925
77-78	Proof of discovery reports	1920
	Taxes	1919-1936:
Box
78	Claims for refund	1919-1935
78	Excess profits tax	1919-1922
78-79	Income tax returns	1919-1936
79-80	Tax legal cases	1924-1942
80	Tax matters - liability, protests, and reports	1919-1933
Box
80	Valuations - Oil and gas properties and production	1919-1931
	Wyoming Associated Royalty Company records	1922-1934:
Box
81	Corporate records - Articles and by-laws	1922-1923
81	Stock purchases and the Isenberg stock transfers	1921-1922
81	Depletion reports	1923
81	Meeting minutes	1933-1934
81	Taxes - Claims and income tax returns	1922-1928
	Sub-series 11.Saltmount Oil Company and Saltmount Oil Corporation	1929-1951
Box
82	Accounting work papers (ledgers)	1943
82	Annual statements	1938
82-88	Financial statements and reports	1930-1950
88	Production reports - Oil and gas	1940
89	Revenue agents reports	1930-1951
	Taxes	1930-1950:
Box
89	Claims for refund	1935-1940
89-92	Income tax returns	1929-1950
Box
93	Valuation reports	1941-1946
	Sub-series 12. Salt Creek Producers Association, Inc.	1917-1937
	Corporate records	1917-1936:
Box
94	Incorporation, organization, and dissolution	1918-1936
94	Stock records	1917-1928
95	Virginia - Permits and taxes	1918-1936
Box
95-96	Correspondence	1918-1937
96	Depletion reports	1923-1936
96-97	Engineers and revenue agents reports	1918-1936
98-99	Financial statements and reports	1922-1936
100	Leases - Salt Creek Oil Field	1928
100	Legal proceedings	1920-1931
100	Powers of attorney	1937
100	Production - Oil and gas	1919
	Taxes	1918-1936:
Box
100	Claims for refund	1920-1936
100	Correspondence	1925-1931
100	Excess profits tax	1919-1926
101-103	Income tax returns	1918-1936
104	Tax legal cases	1919-1933
104	Tax matters - Consolidated returns and tax liability	1919-1931
	Central Salt Creek Company	1917-1928:
Box
105	Corporate records - Incorporation, dissolution, and stock records	1917-1928
105	Tax appeals for the estate of Frank G. Curtis, et. al.	1924
105	Taxes - Income tax return	1920-1921

Series III. Reorganization records, 1919-1960Return to Top

This series contains annual reports, correspondence, charts, stock records and financials relating to the reorganizations that Midwest Oil Company and it's affiliates and subsidiaries went through before becoming Midwest Oil Corporation.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
106	Annual report for Midwest Oil Corporation	1960
106	Correspondence	1932-1936
106	Historical chart - "Principal Operators in the Salt Creek Field, Midwest Oil Corporation,"	1956
106	Memorandum on reorganization and relationships between predecessor companies of Midwest Oil	1934-1936
106	Stock records - Ratios, schedules, and values	1919-1951
106	Taxes - Excess profits tax	1943

Series IV. Argo Oil Corporation Records (Argo Complex), 1916-1941Return to Top

This series contains research records belonging to the Midwest Oil Corporation about the companies that would merge and become the Argo Corporation. The series contains corporate records, depletion reports, correspondence, and tax records of Salt Creek Consolidated Oil Company, New Bradford Oil Company, Parkman Oil Company, and Mountain and Gulf Oil Company.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
106	Argo Oil Company holdings	undated
	Salt Creek Consolidated Oil Company	1916-1920:
Box
106	Correspondence	1921-1929
106	Depletion reports	1916-1921
107	Memorandum on transactions to 1921	1921
107	Taxes	1916-1921
107	Valuation of oil properties	1924
	New Bradford Oil Company	1919-1941:
Box
107	Agreements and taxes	1917-1926
107	Correspondence	1920-1941
107	Revenue agent reports	1919-1923
Box
107	Parkman Oil Company and Mountain and Gulf Oil Company stock records	1917-1925

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Oil fields--West (U.S.)
Petroleum industry and trade--West (U.S.)
Petroleum law and legislation--United States--Cases
Petroleum mining--United States
Petroleum--Taxation--United States

Geographical Names

Salt Creek Oil Field (Wyo.)
Wyoming--History, 1890-1918
Wyoming--History, 1919-1945
Wyoming--History, 1946-

Form or Genre Terms

Articles of incorporation
Financial Statements
Legal files
Minutes
Tax returns

Other Creators

Corporate Names
- Argo Oil Corporation -- Records.
- Central Salt Creek Company -- Records.
- Central Wyoming Oil and Development Company -- Records.
- Franco Petroleum Company -- Records.
- Midwest Oil Company.
- Midwest Refining Company -- Records.
- Mountain Producers Corporation -- Records.
- Natrona Pipe Line & Refining Company -- Records.
- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Company -- Records.
- Petroleum Maatschappij Salt Creek of Wyoming -- Records.
- Salt Creek Producers Association, Inc. -- Records.
- Saltmount Oil Company -- Records.
- Saltmount Oil Corporation -- Records.
- Societe Belgo-Americaine des Petroles du Wyoming -- Records.
- Wyoming Associated Oil Corporation -- Records.
- Wyoming Associated Royalty Company -- Records.
- Wyoming Oil Fields Company -- Records.

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