Name/Title
Print, PhotographicEntry/Object ID
1980.135.1-13Description
Collection of Taft oil gusher and Moco Field photographs accumulated by Russell D. Gerner, oil driller.
1. Mounted photo titled, "G.P. Corp. Jalk Well #7, Gerner, Driller, Counts, Pettus, Baker, Stanky." Written on reverse is, "General Petroleum, Taft Gusher, Russell D. Gerner, oil driller. (K.T.O.)" Shows a group of five men.
2. Mounted tinted or colorized photo titled, "K.T.O. Gusher, Taft, Cal. 30,000 [illegible]." Shows a plume of billowing smoke.
3. Color photo of Moco Field at night with the tower illuminated.
4. Small square photo of Mr. Russell D. Gerner.
5. Photo of a house, Moco Camp, March 1941.
6. Photo of round tanks, Moco Tank Farm, March 1941.
7. Photo of a corrugated metal building (office?), Moco Camp, March 1941.
8. Photo of a building with three smokestacks, Moco Boiler House, March 1941.
9. Photo of buildings and oil towers from afar (snow on ground), Moco Lease, March 1941.
10. Photo of a field of many oil towers (snow on ground), Moco Lease, March 1941.
11. Photo of houses on a hill (snow on ground), Moco Lease, March 1941.
12. Photo of a white wood cabin (office?), Moco Camp, March 1941.
13. Photo of a large house or building with an oil tower nearby, Moco Camp, March 1941.
Russell Dwane Gerner was born on July 5th, 1892 in Washington, Pennsylvania. His parents and an older brother moved to St. Mary's, West Virginia. His father, Christian, taught his older brother and Russell the trade of oil driller. They worked the fields of oil in St. Mary's and traveled by horse and wagon to Olinda Brea, CA. The following year they moved to Anaheim, their home. In 1910 Russell D. Gerner traveled to Taft, CA by horse and wagon and worked as an oil driller in the Taft Oil Gusher. He also worked on the Moco Gusher in Maricopa, CA. He even worked in Egypt and Columbia, but mostly in California in different areas. He retired in 1957 with 25 years of service in Mobil Oil Company. The donor was his nurse for five years before he died in Anaheim at the age of 86 years on July 19, 1978. He never married and left no heirs.Collection
Rosaria Kaesler Collection
