Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Would like Bartles-Maguire Oil Company History

Does anyone have any History relating to the "Bartles-Maguire Oil Company" of Milwaukee, WI?

On the 'net; I've found images of some items: Including 5 gal rocker can, pinback, images of former stations and an image of a Company plane with Company Executives.... But, nothing on the History of the Company...

The reason I am interested is because of a Company token I won.

The front is what one expects, from an Oil Company token:



The back of the token, not what one usually expects:



I've seen a couple items from the 20s that used the swastika as Native American symbol and as in this token's use as a "good luck symbol"...

Now it is time for me to put a "History" to this Company and I am hoping that there are Members who can and will share some History on this Company...

The Nazi Party of Germany flipped the symbol & turned the Good Luck symbol into one of hatred, violence, death, and murder.

Yah I was going to say it is backwards.
clover leaf, wishbone, horseshoe. What's the other one there?

That is not correct. There is a long history on this symbol in both directions.
The image on the coin is know as a swavastika. Used by Buddhism and other groups for hundreds of years.

The swastika can be seen in Catholic church stain glass windows, floor tiles and brick work of old buildings.

The Nazi party used the symbol just like hundreds of groups before them. It is a shame when we see it we think of the Nazi party.

Prior to Adolph Hitler and his bunch, the swastika was a symbol of Power and strength . Ed Shaver

Ah, Boys... How about some History about the Oil Company?

Bartles McGuire was a distributor for products offered by an earlier Bartles company, of which there were several. The following is a company history of the McGuire division written by my son, Jason Henderson, for the road map collectors publication.

In 1909 Bartles-Maguire Oil Co of Milwaukee was founded as a jobber for Bartles products. Aubrey G. Maguire (1873-1949), listed as vice president of the company through 1916, became president sometime before 1920, assuming control of the whole company. They advertise having over 500 dealers in Wisconsin including 150 in and around Milwaukee in June of 1925. They also advertise owning a refinery in East Chicago, IN by November 1926. J.M. McLaughlin listed as vice president in 1928 After the buyout, the company went on to expand under the “Bartles Bonded” banner, introduced in August of 1920, Also of note, this is the only one of the Bartles companies that ever marketed ethyl products, beginning in April 1929 through the Wadhams merger in 1930, This product only being marketed for about 15 months. Earlier they had marketed another additive gasoline, specifically Boyce-ite Blue-Green Gasoline. This product was replaced in 1926 with “Arrow B” 64/66 gravity gasoline, listed as “sold at the blue pump” and the “Nitro” 60/62 gravity gasoline, listed as “sold at the red pump” as well as their own Pennsylvania Grade Crude Oil brand lubricant, specifically “Bartles Bonded Oil” with permit number 99. Early on, around 1920, they used the “Bartles-Northland Brand” of “Automobile Oils and Greases” as well as the “Bartles Power Gasoline” brand. Recognized for their unique architecture, this company continued expanding into the late 20’s when they merged with Wadhams Oil Co, also from Milwaukee and also just as well known for their own unique architecture, and then both companies where merged with Vacuum Oil Co, all in 1930. At that point A.G. Maguire moved into the position of president of Wadhams Oil Co while the previous president, S.S. Cramer, took the position of Chairman of the Board. In 1931, Vacuum Oil Co merged with Socony to become Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. That same year Mr. Maguire moved up to the position of Chairman of the Board where he stayed until his retirement in 1940.


Wayne Henderson
Petroleum Collectibles Monthly
Kernersville, NC

I think you mean Sauwastika instead of Swavasticka
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauwastika

a blotter:

Thank you Wayne for the "History Lesson"!

Alan, that is a great looking blotter!

I took the spelling of the word from a fellow Canadian who I read about in the 1990's.
http://www.manwoman.net/