07/04/2026
**A Brief History of Valvoline and Its Connection to Butler County**
Following the discovery of oil near Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859, Dr. John Ellis of Binghamton, New York, recognized petroleum's potential as a superior lubricant for steam engines. After several years of research, he founded the **Continuous Oil Refining Company**, later renamed the **Binghamton Cylinder Oil Company**, and in 1868 introduced a premium cylinder lubricant known as **Valvoline**.
To expand production and improve access to transportation and markets, Ellis moved the company to Brooklyn, New York, in 1869. He later partnered with his son-in-law, Charles Leonard, to form **Ellis & Leonard** in Shadyside, New Jersey. After the partnership dissolved, Leonard established the **Wilburine Oil Works** in Warren, Pennsylvania. Through later corporate mergers, Wilburine and Valvoline eventually became part of the same corporate family.
A major milestone occurred on **July 4, 1907**, when Valvoline began production at its new refinery in **East Butler, Pennsylvania**. The refinery became one of the company's principal manufacturing facilities and played a vital role in the growth and economy of East Butler for more than forty years.
From its beginnings in the early Pennsylvania oil industry to the opening of the East Butler refinery, Valvoline's history reflects the innovation and growth that helped shape the American petroleum and lubricant industry.
