Fifty Years = A Certificate

Fifty years of continuous and constructive service in the petroleum industry earned William D Loftus of Lawrenceville a certificate from the International Petroleum Exposition at Tulsa Oklahoma. His is a story of lifetime devotion and tireless effort for the Standard Oil Company and its subsidiaries.

Mr. Loftus was born in Ellicottville, New York.  He grew to manhood on the farm, working steadily there until he left to accept employment in a locomotive machine shop from 1882-1883.  The next year he began his work for the Standard Oil Company that was to continue for fifty years.  His first employment was as a laborer near Bradford, Pennsylvania. 

Two years later Loftus was promoted to gang foreman and later to general foreman for one of his company’s subsidiaries.  The esteem in which he was held by his superiors in the company was indicated by further promotions to district foreman and division superintendent.  He finished his career as general superintendent of the Illinois Pipeline Company after working in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Illinois.

In all his fifty years of service Loftus never lost an hour’s time because of illness or any other reason. As sure as the whistle blew in the morning Mr. Loftus was on the job. His work was always in the big pipeline jobs, construction of pump station, iron tanks and in other important capacities.

Loftus made his home in Lawrenceville for 28 years and his home at 600 East State Street was one of the most comfortable and spacious in the city.

After the death of his wife in 1934, Mr. Loftus’ daughter and son -in- law, Mr. and Mrs. M A Rooney, and their family shared the home with him.  His other children, two sons, both preceded him in death.  Oe died in infancy and the other several years after he had seen service overseas in World War I.