J. S. Pridemore

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J. S. Pridemore
In office
1934 – 1940
Born 1871
Flag of West Virginia Hamlin, West Virginia

John (J. S.) Pridemore (born 1871 in Hamlin, West Virginia) was a wealthy oil tycoon and member of the West Virginia House of Delegates.

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[edit] Pridemore Oil Company

Pridemore began his career by being elected Sheriff of Lincoln County, West Virginia. He was able to reduce crime throughout the county and cut down on bootlegging taking place throughout the region. Using his position of authority, he was able to buy up the mineral rights from farmers throughout Lincoln County inexpensively. When oil was discovered in Lincoln County, Pridemore sent out drilling teams. Within several years Pridemore had amassed a considerable fortune diversified in oil, stocks and real estate. Pridemore continued to develop his oil holdings, taking advantage of the Great Depression, he purchased oil fields in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. These holdings were consolidated into Pridemore Oil Company, portions of which were acquired by Standard Oil. Other oil holdings were eventually merged into Adkins Oil and the McJunkin-Red Man Corporation, though some are still privately held by Pridemore's descendants. It was at one time believed that Pridemore was deeply involved in Teapot Dome related business dealings, but was cleared of any connection during congressional hearings.

[edit] Political Life

In 1934, Pridemore was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates. Pridemore was re-elected twice, but did not seek re-election after a failed Congressional bid in 1940. Pridemore died a few years later. His memory was honored with a large donation by the Pridemore Family Trust to the political science and geology departments at Marshall University.

[edit] Trivia

  • Pridemore is the maternal great-grandfather of Emmy Award winning composer Mark Frye.
  • During the great depression the city of Hamlin, West Virginia, being unable to afford it's own traffic light, petitioned Pridemore to purchase one for them. Pridemore happily purchased the traffic light, but entirely failed to obey it. Upon being ticketed by local police, Pridemore immediately had the traffic light taken down until the ticket was dismissed.

[edit] References