During the boom period, Union Oil built a small company town on the field itself.
He also won a $10 million judgment against Union Oil in an industrial pollution case in Minnesota.
At Union Oil of California, which has $360 million in 401(k) assets, 96 percent was in company stock.
He also was hired by Union Oil to create a panorama and model for the company's exhibit at the same Exposition.
His father was a truck driver for Union Oil at the time.
Union Oil moved its headquarters to Los Angeles, in 1901.
As work continued the company partnered with Union Oil, which wanted to build storage tanks there.
Two years later, Union Oil had 22 wells in production.
Union Oil became the first cooperative in the country to run an oil-compounding plant.
The event led to widespread criticism of both Union Oil and the offshore oil drilling industry.