Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Litening gasoline history

I know that the John Hancock Oil Co out of Minneapolis "created" Litening gasoline, as well as Hancock motor oil. It later became part of the Yale Oil Corp out of Billings, Montana.

Does anyone know the year (or approximate) when John Hancock sold out? Or any of the history of the transfer/sale? I have a 1935 Litening map from the Billings company, so it had to have been prior to that.

Alan

"John Hancock Oil Co out of Minneapolis "created" Litening gasoline"

wondering how you know this for sure Alan as i think it was Yale Oil Co. out of Billings that created and sold Litening gas????? mm

I could be getting the order of things mixed up, but there definitely was a connection between the two companies. The station photo is of a station here in Minneapolis in 1925. The 1935 Litening map promotes Hancock oil. I assumed Yale/Litening purchased John Hancock Oil, but haven't been able to find any solid information. I believe there are similar grease cans between the two companies as well.

The story, as I was told is that there were three brothers that got involved in the oil/gas business, one started the company in Minneapolis, one was in Billings, MT., and the other was involved in the Hancock Oil Co. in California. Like I said, this is what I was told, right or wrong I don't now!

This kind of history is great, not only information, but pictures to back it up. Let's see more of it. I hope someone is recording all this and adding to it as more information becomes available.
This will make this website the place to come when you need information on even the smallest oil company, etc.

Jack Sim

I do not know any history of Litening gas or grease but it looks like they also had handy oilers. I heard this was a very hard to find handy oiler. Does anyone else have pictures of Litening cans?

For what it's worth, I found this map at my dad's house (amoungst his map collection). Interesting that the John Hancock of Minneapolis is listed. Not sure now if they were just a distributor?

Looking at the second map, I'd put my money on John Hancock Oil as a subsidiary and/or distributor. Guess there would be a parallel in Havoline/Indian Refining and Texaco. Cool paper!

[This message has been edited by Maps for the memories (edited 08-24-2008).]

I don't know any of the history of litening gasoline but did find this matchbook cover.

I have "Old Black Joe" grease cans that have Miles City/Billings on them and also have yhe same cans that have St.Paul on them. Sure would like to know the history or link between the 2 companies The Velvet one qt. has Miles City, Billings, and Worland Wyo. on it. Anybody have any different cans?

http://img251.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00845nd6.jpg

The two Pennsylvania Oil permit #'s for the two companies are different. John Hancock of Minneapolis was permit #269, and Yale was #251. Is there any significance in that?

I got some more pictures from a fellow Old Gasser. First, More Litening cans;

Next some Hancock cans;

Last few Hancock/ Yale company cans. Looks like some very interesting globes in the background too;

Ive never heard of yale oil until i read this post but from what I've been told so far is that the yale refinery closed in billings some time in the 50s , there was a John Hancock from Minnesota that used to spend a lot of time in billings with the Fortins of the Fortin center at rocky montain colage here. they were all rich. john Hancock had a insurance company also ? could this be the same Hancock ? sorry for rammbling on Marty

I've been doing some research on this topic the past few months. Here is what i've come up with.

1906: Luke and John Hancock create the Pure Oil of Minneapolis
1920: Pure Oil of Minneapolis is sold to the well known Pure Oil Company. Luke Hancock continues to work for Pure Oil.
1924: John Hancock creates the John Hancock Oil Company.
Oct, 1929: John Hancock Oil Company is sold to Phillips. The sale involves 15 bulk plants and 51 stations.
Nov 2, 1929: After a two year illness, John Hancock dies.

Here is more information I was able to gather, but haven't been able to nail down dates:
- John Hancock did indeed found both the John Hancock Oil Company AND the Yale Oil Corp. He founded Yale along with Phil Fortin.
- I was able to date the Litening map which lists both Yale and John Hancock Oil from 1927. Based on the site: http://www.montanapioneerandclassicautoclub.org/oil/montanaoil.html, it lists Litening as having its beginnings in 1928. I'll have to ask Joe Ashley about this if I see him at Iowa Oil.

Most of my information is from obituaries from Luke and John Hancock, and John Hancock's widow, Bessie Hancock, who died in Montana in 1967. My guess is that John Hancock formed two different corporations, but utilized the same logos for the oil cans and gasoline. Yale Oil might have supplied the oil for the John Hancock Oil Company. After Mr. Hancock developed his illness, he probably sold out to Phillips, knowing he might not live too long. His ownership in Yale was at the very least transferrred to his children. I know from one article that his son Warren owned stock in Yale, as well as helped run the company prior to its sale to Carter in 1943.

As Yale contintued to use the Litening logo and name after John Hancock's sale to Phillips leads me to believe that either Yale had ownership of it from the beginning, or they bought the rights prior to the Phillips sale. Since there is clear crossover between the two companies prior to the sale, my guess is that the possible Yale ownership was in name only; the John Hancock Oil Company marketed Litening as if it was its own, since it really had the same owner anyways.

Alan

Great cans. Here are my Litening MBC's.

I was wondering if this Lightning Gasoline Company was related to the Litening company above...the lightning bolt looks similar.I would guess my sign to date from the early 1920's... I bought it many years ago & i believe the person i bought from said it was from Montana....Its 2 sided & approx. 32'' tall......

Years ago a stack of those signs were found in a SUNSET Bulk Plant in Ventura, Ca. I found 1 under the dock in BAD condition [another item I wonder why I keep it !].

I do not believe they are assoicated with Litening. There was aLitening bug spray item at a recent auction I was at and the folks there said it was quite scarce.

"Years ago a stack of those signs were found in a SUNSET Bulk Plant in Ventura, Ca. I found 1 under the dock in BAD condition [another item I wonder why I keep it !]."

db...you have to be kidding , right??? after all that talk of theft & trespassing & you found yours under a bulk plant???


"[another item I wonder why I keep it !]."

why, is the sign worthless??

almost

Great research and findings, I really enjoy the history here!