Gregg County Discovery Oil Well, F. K. Lathrop A-1, Aransas Fuel Oil Co.

After years of undaunted faith in discovery of oil in East Texas, B. A. Skipper, Sr., assembled an 8300-acre block under lease; made a deal with J. E. Farrell, W. A. Moncrief and E. A. Showers; had the well drilled to 3500 feet. At this point Arkansas Fuel Oil Co. (now Cities Service Oil Co.) bought a half interest and assumed operations. Drillers were W. A. Andrews, B. A. Ferrell and James H. Lowery. Crew members were C. R. Kaylor, r. T. Crisp, C. Spruill, A. W. Owens, C. O. Croley, D. V. Chidester, Geo. Jones, J. V. Huckaboy, R. E. Roe, E. E. Houchin and R. H. Summers.

The F. K. Lathrop A-1 was spudded in on Dec. 3, 1930; hit caprock at 3569 feet; was completed on Jan. 26, 1931, at total depth of 3587 feet. With an initial potential of 18,000 barrels of oil daily, it has produced over 527,000 barrels in its first 35 years.

Oil fever ran high with the completion of the Joiner No. 3-Daisy Bradford at Turnertown, Oct. 1930; the E. W. Bateman No. 1 - L. D. Crim at Kilgore, Dec. 1930; and climaxed here with the F. K. Lathrop A-1. However, few could imagine that soon these three would be linked and extended to form the great East Texas field, which covers some 200 square miles and has made a world record as the largest of its time.