William S. Rheem (1862 – April 19, 1919), a.k.a. W.S. Rheem, was an important civic figure in the politics of early Richmond, California in addition to being president of the Standard Oil Company of California (today's Chevron Corporation) from 1917 until his death.

Overview

Rheem was born in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

and raised in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. At age 23, he became a chemist for Standard Oil in

Franklin, Pennsylvania Franklin is a city and the county seat of Venango County, Pennsylvania. The population was 6,097 in the 2020 census. Franklin is part of the Oil City, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. Franklin is known for its three-day autumn festival in Oc ...

. He later led the construction efforts for a Standard Oil

refinery A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value. Types of refineries Different types of refineries ...

Whiting, Indiana Whiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and two miles from Chicago' ...

. In 1900, Standard Oil acquired the Pacific Coast Oil Company of California. Rheem was dispatched to

Alameda, California Alameda ( ; ; Spanish for " tree-lined path") is a city in Alameda County, California, located in the East Bay region of the Bay Area. The city is primarily located on Alameda Island, but also spans Bay Farm Island and Coast Guard Island, as we ...

to manage their refinery. In October 1901, Rheem arrived in Point Richmond (then called East Yards) after finding a spot for a new refinery to replace the Alameda facility.The Early Years 1902 - 1914
Chevron website, access date 02-19-2009 He chose a spot in the Point Richmond District along the Potrero Hills and the

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. A colossal facility was built at this site employing thousands and drastically transforming a farming community of a few hundred into a company town of several thousand. As the installations where completed Rheem remained with the company as the superintendent of the Richmond Refinery. Rheem became first vice president of Pacific Coast Oil in 1914. In 1917, he was elected president of the company, then called Standard Oil Company of California. He replaced the company's first president D. G. Scofield, who committed suicide. On April 19, 1919, Rheem died of a heart attack en route to Santa Cruz during a family outing.

Legacy

Rheem Creek, a small river in the Hilltop District and Rheem Avenue a street in the Central Richmond District are named in his honor.

Personal life

Two of Rheem's sons, Donald and Richard, founded what is now

Rheem Manufacturing Company Rheem Manufacturing Company is an American privately held manufacturer that produces residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, as well as heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The company also produces and sell ...

, in 1925. Another son, William K., and grandson William S. Rheem II, played smaller roles in the company.

References

People from Richmond, California 1919 deaths 1862 births Standard Oil Chevron Corporation Businesspeople from Minnesota Businesspeople from Pennsylvania {{US-business-bio-1860s-stub