Changes

Cal Clarke's leadership role in the petroleum industry allowed young Clem Clarke access to many figures in the business, particularly Michael Late Benedum, the [[West Virginia]] native who rose to prominence in [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], but had early holdings in Shreveport and Caddo Parish. Benedum was self-educated in his petroleum career when little was known of geology, and geophysics had not materialized as a field of study.<ref name=interview/>​

Cal Clarke's leadership role in the petroleum industry allowed young Clem Clarke access to many figures in the business, particularly Michael Late Benedum, the [[West Virginia]] native who rose to prominence in [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], but had early holdings in Shreveport and Caddo Parish. Benedum was self-educated in his petroleum career when little was known of geology, and geophysics had not materialized as a field of study.<ref name=interview/>​

Benedum was originally a lease man for Standard Oil. He entered a long-term partnership with Joe Trees to pursue drilling and build a refinery in Caddo Parish. Benedum and Trees were called the greatest wildcatters ever. Benedum sold out his Caddo lease for $7 million in 1910 to Standard Oil. In eastern Rusk County, Benedum and Trees drilled too far east of what became the giant East Texas Oil Field, launched in 1930 west of Henderson<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anb.org/articles/20/20-01841.html|title=Benedum, Michael L.|publisher=American National Biography|accessdate=February 10, 2015}}</ref> by [Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner, a native of [[Alabama]] and a former member of the Tennessee House of Representatives who subsequently settled in [[Dallas]]. Joiner wound up with the first claims in western Rusk County to the lucrative East Texas field.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fjo40|title=Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner|publisher=''The Handbook of Texas''|accessdate=February 10, 2015}}</ref> Working together, Benedum and Clarke found some oil in Blossom in Lamar County in northeast Texas, at 2,700 feet, but the strike was not commercially feasible. Clarke obtained other leases and retained Benedum to drill for oil. After hitting a dry hole, Clarke moved temporarily to [[California]].<ref name=interview/>​

Benedum was originally a lease man for Standard Oil. He entered a long-term partnership with Joe Trees to pursue drilling and build a refinery in Caddo Parish. Benedum and Trees were called the greatest wildcatters ever. Benedum sold out his Caddo lease for $7 million in 1910 to Standard Oil. In eastern Rusk County, Benedum and Trees drilled too far east of what became the giant East Texas Oil Field, launched in 1930 west of Henderson<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anb.org/articles/20/20-01841.html|title=Benedum, Michael L.|publisher=American National Biography|accessdate=February 10, 2015}}</ref> by Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner, a native of [[Alabama]] and a former member of the Tennessee House of Representatives who subsequently settled in [[Dallas]]. Joiner wound up with the first claims in western Rusk County to the lucrative East Texas field.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fjo40|title=Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner|publisher=''The Handbook of Texas''|accessdate=February 10, 2015}}</ref> Working together, Benedum and Clarke found some oil in Blossom in Lamar County in northeast Texas, at 2,700 feet, but the strike was not commercially feasible. Clarke obtained other leases and retained Benedum to drill for oil. After hitting a dry hole, Clarke moved temporarily to [[California]].<ref name=interview/>​

Benedum subsequently asked Clarke to develop a geological report on the  state of [[Florida]]. Clark, Benedum, and Trees leased a million acres, mostly in Collier County in the Everglades. They hired Gulf Oil Company to perform vital geophysical work. On September 26, 1943, the Humble Oil Company, which had bought out Gulf for $1 million in investment, drilled a well at a depth of 11,726 feet. This was the first oil discovery in Florida in the Collier County field developed by Benedum, Trees, and Clarke. Trees had died a few months before the Florida discovery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aoghs.org/states/first-florida-oil-well/|title=First Florida Oil Well|publisher=aoghs.org|accessdate=February 9, 2015}}</ref> Then Clarke with the permission of Generalissimo [[Rafael Trujillo]] took a concession with mineral rights in the Azua Basin of the [[Dominican Republic]]. Clarke leased alone another million acres in Florida through Sun Oil Company.<ref name=interview/>​

Benedum subsequently asked Clarke to develop a geological report on the  state of [[Florida]]. Clark, Benedum, and Trees leased a million acres, mostly in Collier County in the Everglades. They hired Gulf Oil Company to perform vital geophysical work. On September 26, 1943, the Humble Oil Company, which had bought out Gulf for $1 million in investment, drilled a well at a depth of 11,726 feet. This was the first oil discovery in Florida in the Collier County field developed by Benedum, Trees, and Clarke. Trees had died a few months before the Florida discovery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aoghs.org/states/first-florida-oil-well/|title=First Florida Oil Well|publisher=aoghs.org|accessdate=February 9, 2015}}</ref> Then Clarke with the permission of Generalissimo [[Rafael Trujillo]] took a concession with mineral rights in the Azua Basin of the [[Dominican Republic]]. Clarke leased alone another million acres in Florida through Sun Oil Company.<ref name=interview/>​