Wood County, West Virginia Biography of JAMES A. MOFFETT This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: ********************************************** ***The submitter does not have a connection*** ********to the subject of this sketch.******** ********************************************** This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 647 Wood JAMES A. MOFFETT. Known in later years as one of the leading officials of the Standard Oil Company and promi- nent in financial cicrles both east and west, James A. Moffett began his career in Parkersburg and gained his first dis- tinctionc as an expert on the refining and other branches of the petroleum industry in that city. He was born at Marlins Bottom in Pocahontas County, Virginia, April 12, 1851, son of Dr. George Boone and Margaret (Beale) Moffett. The Moffetts were one of the most numerous families of Augusta County and lived there practically from the beginning of white settlement. Dr. George Boone Moffett was a Confederate surgeon throughout the period of the Civil war, and later became prominent in the affairs of West Virginia. James A. Moffett was one of three children, his sister dying in infancy, and his brother being Robert H. Moffett. All are now deceased. James Moffett had an academic education and at the age of eighteen came to Parkersburg on the advice of his relative by marriage Col. William Payne Thompson of Wheeling. After coming to Parkers- burg he attended for a time the public schools, though his reputation for learning and the great fund of special knowl- edge he acquired in later years was largely due to private study. Incidentally he read law, not for the purpose of practicing the profession, but to give him a superior equip- ment for business. Colonel Thompson and Senator Camden of Parkersburg had for several years been prominently interested in the pioneer oil belt of West Virginia, and Mr. Moffett as their clerk was sent to Burning Springs in Wirt County, but shortly afterwards was brought back to Parkersburg and went into the refinery established here by Senator Camden for the purpose of learning the details of the oil business. The Parkersburg refinery eventually became consolidated with the Standard Oil Company, and during his experience there and elsewhere Mr. Moffett achieved recognition as a foremost expert in all branches of the refining art. While still superintendent of the Parkersburg refinery he and others helped build the old pulp mills, afterwards destroyed by fire and flood, and was ever alive to the best interests of his city. It was the great American capitalist and official of the Standard Oil Company, the late H. H. Rogers, who ap- preciating the wonderful abilities of Mr. Moffett induced him to move to New York and become superintendent of the Charles M. Pratt refinery, belonging to the Standard Oil group of interests. Six years later he went to Chi- cago to build and take charge of the Indiana refinery at Whiting, and for eleven years made his home in that city and as superintendent had jurisdiction over several sur- rounding states. He also became president of the Cali- fornia Standard Oil Company. Mr. Moffett returned to New York City in 1901 and was made a member of the manufacturing committee, member of the executive board and later became a vice president of the Standard Oil Company. He also had general charge of the Standard Oil interests in most of the western states and in a large measure he was the practical successor of H. H. Rogers in the Standard Oil Company. The relations he enjoyed with this corporation are of themselves the highest word of praise that could be spoken of his capability, his integrity and the specialized knowl- edge that means power in business. His business character was combined with a kindly, generous and just nature. Mr. Moffett continued active in business until his death on February 25, 1913. On January 25, 1883, he married Miss Kate Ingersoll Jackson, who survives him and re- sides at her New York City home, 903 Park Avenue. Her father James-Monroe Jackson was long a prominent citizen of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Moffett. were the parents of five children: George Monroe; James Andrew; Helen Seely, now Mrs. Harold Oakly Barker; Margaret Beale and Robert, both deceased.