Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County
At a depth of 106 feet, Lyne Taliaferro Barret brought in the first oil well in Texas in 1866. Well was on a 279-acre lease called the Skillern Tract. On Oct. 9, 1865, Barret with the financial backing of Charles Hamilton, John B. Earle, Benjamin P. Hollingsworth and John Flint formed the Melrose Petroleum Oil Company. Using improvised equipment, this discovery well yielded about 10 barrels a day. Barret tried unsuccessfully to secure additional financial backing. His venture ultimately failed. He entered mercantile business, managed wife's farm.