Upham Oil & Gas Company
999 Energy Avenue , Mineral Wells, Texas, United States

Upham Oil & Gas Company has foundations that date back over 100 years. The Upham Family has been involved in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas for generations, having started out in Pennsylvania back in the late 1800s when David A. Upham worked on a drilling rig. At that time there were only three drilling rigs in the world and when there were five; David Upham owned one of them.  Upham Oil & Gas Company as we know it today truly began in 1914 when David Upham heard about the Ranger Field, one of the largest oil fields that had ever been discovered in the United States, and came to Texas looking for oil and gas in Palo Pinto County.  David Upham drilled his first gas well in Palo Pinto County in 1917. A few years later, his son, Chester R. Upham came to Mineral Wells and they purchased the Consumers Gas and Fuel Company, a natural gas producing, transmission and distribution company serving Mineral Wells. In 1925 the Uphams extended service to rural communities in Palo Pinto County and in 1926 the company name was changed to the Brazos River Gas Company, serving fifteen communities. In 1950 the name was changed to Upham Gas Company.  Chester R. Upham served as president of Upham Gas Company from 1947 to 1956 when the utility was sold. After his death in 1956 his son, Chester R. (Chet) Upham, Jr. started Upham Oil & Gas Company, an oil and gas exploration and production company. Chet lead the company until his death in 2008. In January of 1977, Chester (Robert) Upham, III became actively involved in the operations of Upham Oil and Gas. The company has grown steadily over the years and, under the leadership of President and CEO Paul McGettes, currently owns and operates several hundred wells in Palo Pinto, Parker, Jack, and Wise Counties. The Upham family remains keenly involved in their Company.