John W. Mecom, Sr.
| John Whitfield Mecom, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 13, 1911 |
| Died |
October 12, 1981 Houston, Texas, USA |
| Occupation | Independent oilman |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Elizabeth (d. 1996) |
| Children | John W. Mecom, Jr. |
John Whitfield Mecom, Sr. (January 13, 1911 – October 12, 1981), was an American independent oilman.
Mecom acquired abandoned oil wells and made them profitable. He developed new fields from Louisiana to Saudi Arabia.
He was once ranked as one of the top oil independents; however, he filed for bankruptcy in 1970. After reorganizing his John W. Mecom Company, he reopened his company, which he subsequently operated with his son, John W. Mecom. Jr., former owner of the New Orleans Saints NFL football team.
On December 18, 1964, Mecom's private plane was mistakenly shot down by the Egyptian air force, killing both pilot and co-pilot. While Mecom survived, the incident strained U.S.-Egypt relations, Mecom being a friend and donor of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.[1] The Egyptian government said that the plane was shot down by its MIG fighter jets after ignoring a repeated warning to land. Mecom was on a routine trip to purchase drilling detergent for his oil business.[2]
In December 1965, Mecom offered to buy the Houston Chronicle, its building, the Rice Hotel and a 35 percent interest in Texas Commerce National Bank from Houston Endowment Inc. The offer included a down payment of one million dollars. However, Mecom was unable to raise the additional cash to complete the sale and canceled the transaction.[3]
In the 1960s, Mecom partnered with Patrick F. Taylor, who held a degree in petroleum engineering from Louisiana State University. In 1974, the two started the Circle Bar Drilling Company, which they sold in 1979. Taylor then established his own oil company in New Orleans, Louisiana, and subsequently became known as an educational philanthropist.[4]
References
- ↑ Burns, William Joseph, Economic aid and American policy toward Egypt, 1955-1981, State University of New York Press (Albany 1985), page 158
- ↑ "Egyptian Jets Shoot Down Private U.S. Plane". Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- ↑ Time, “Newspapers: A Deal Done In.” June 17, 1966.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,899233,00.html Accessed May 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Patrick F. Taylor". New Orleans Times-Picayune. November 6, 2004. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- "Obituary:John W. Mecom Sr.". TIME magazine. October 26, 1981. Retrieved 2007-05-10.