West Virginia, Tyler County, Sistersville
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Side A
"Big Moses" Well
Drilled on Joshua Russell farm 2 mi. North on Polecat Run. Almost abandoned because of presence of salt water, the well was made producer by Ludwig and Weeter's introduction of technology to siphon off water. Drilled to Big Injun sand, it proved the Sistersville anticline, led to Sistersville's boom and to recognition of field as greatest producing area at the turn of the century.
Side B
Polecat Oil Well
Drilled on Moses Spencer farm on Indian Creek 2 mi. east of Sistersville and attributed greatest in W. Va. Brought in on 6 Sept. 1894, with estimated daily capacity of 100 million cu. ft., Big Moses blew until 28 Nov. Controlled for 3 months, pressure burst casing and well blew until 27 Aug. 1895. Twice fired, reductions in pressure by waste and excessive drilling, led to abandonment.
(Industry & Commerce) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
Side A"Big Moses" Well
Drilled on Joshua Russell farm 2 mi. North on Polecat Run. Almost abandoned because of presence of salt water, the well was made producer by Ludwig and Weeter's introduction of technology to siphon off water. Drilled to Big Injun sand, it proved the Sistersville anticline, led to Sistersville's boom and to recognition of field as greatest producing area at the turn of the century.
Side B
Polecat Oil Well
Drilled on Moses Spencer farm on Indian Creek 2 mi. east of Sistersville and attributed greatest in W. Va. Brought in on 6 Sept. 1894, with estimated daily capacity of 100 million cu. ft., Big Moses blew until 28 Nov. Controlled for 3 months, pressure burst casing and well blew until 27 Aug. 1895. Twice fired, reductions in pressure by waste and excessive drilling, led to abandonment.
(Industry & Commerce) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
This 84 ft. standard rig built in 1911 was used for drilling to the Big Injun Sand, 1481 ft. and pumping the well for many years. The derrick is being restored with labor and original equipment donated by the production department of Quaker State Oil Refining Corp. and the W.V. Oil & Gas Festival, inc.
Located near here are the graves of Sistersville founder Charles Wells and many of his descendants. Used from 1815 to 1925, the site includes 46 known graves, most from the 1800s. In 1832, Charles' son Eli built the home 'Welkin', with its fine architecture, on the land containing the cemetery. In 2012, the Wells descendants had the cemetery rehabilitated.
294 Sherman tanks were purchased by Canada after World War II and used by the Canadian Army (both Regular and Reserve) from 1946-1972. 
This marker is composed of two plaques on either side of the entrance. 
English: 
Samuel Holland Report Sept 14, 1767 
English: 
1857 
On May 12, 1863, Grant made his headquarters here at Dillon's Farm with Sherman's XV Corps. At Raymond, five and a half miles east along Fourteenmile Creek, McPherson's XVII Corps, with 12,000 men, defeated 3,000 Confederates under John Gregg. Grant heard the guns at Raymond and at sundown learned that McPherson was victorious. Realizing that Confederate forces were now on both his left and right flanks, however, Grant changed his planned movement north and ordered the army to wheel toward Jackson.
The original brick dwelling was completed in July 1825: a two story cottage with two rooms on each floor. The lower floor was dirt and the upper floor had only one small window on each end. The kitchen was attched to the back. The first lighthouse keeper, John Dubose, wrote of constantly making improvements with his sons' help.
Civil War
Dedicated to All Men and Women
