Historical Marker
Upshur County Discovery Well
Historical marker location:
Union Grove, Texas
( 3 mi. east of Union Grove on FM 1844)
Marker installed: 1967
J. D. Richardson No. 1. Completed May 6, 1931; first of 2,000 county wells that produced over 225,000 barrels of oil. Drilled by Mudge Oil Co.; bought by General American Oil Co., (1952).
Total depth of well: 3,754 ft.; initial daily production: 35,000 barrels of oil and 10,000,000 cu. ft. of gas. Contractor was Clark and Cowden Drilling Co.
Drilling supervisor: T. P. Kirk; Dave McCullough and R. D. Kirk, drillers. Crew: Jess Wright, John Bloomfield, W. B. Stroheim, Grady Williams, R. E. Powers, C. O. Kirk, W. D. Emerson, Tommie Thompson.
Is in extension of East Texas oil field, one of world's largest.