Editing Standard Oil Company (Ohio)

{{Short description|American petroleum company (1870–1987)}}
{{for|the corporate trust|Standard Oil}}
{{Infobox company
| name = The Standard Oil Company (Ohio)
| logo = Sohio - 1962.svg
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{plainlist|
* {{NYSE was|SOH}} (1911–1986)
* {{NYSE was|SRD}} (1986–1987)<ref name="nyt-1986feb25" />
}}
| fate = Acquired by [[BP]]
| founded = {{start date|1870|1|10}}
| founder = [[John D. Rockefeller]]
| defunct = {{end date and age|1987}}<ref name=ohc>{{cite web |url=https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Standard_Oil_Company |title=Standard Oil Co. |work=Ohio History Central |access-date=2021-06-12 |archive-date=2021-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606154427/https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Standard_Oil_Company |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| successor = BP America Inc.
| hq_location = [[200 Public Square|Standard Oil Building]]
| hq_location_city = [[Cleveland, Ohio]]
| industry = [[petroleum industry|Petroleum]]
| products = [[Gasoline]], [[motor oil]]s
| brands = {{plainlist|
* Boron (1954–1991)<ref name=dan/>
* Sohio (1928–1991)<ref name=dan>{{citation |url=http://www.dantiques.com/sohio/timeline.htm |title=Sohio History |work=Dantiques.com (blog) |first=Dan D. |last=Lyin |date=12 February 2021 |access-date=12 June 2021 |archive-date=20 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620071752/http://www.dantiques.com/sohio/timeline.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
}}
The '''Standard Oil Company (Ohio)''' was an American [[petroleum industry|petroleum company]] that existed from 1870 to 1987. The company, known commonly as '''Sohio''', was founded by [[John D. Rockefeller]].<ref>{{cite news |title= The Standard Oil Company; Ohio Charter No. 3675 |publisher=[[Ohio Secretary of State]]|date=1870-01-10 |url=https://bizimage.ohiosos.gov/api/image/pdf/A010_0852 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606010707/https://bizimage.ohiosos.gov/api/image/pdf/A010_0852 |archive-date=2021-06-06}}</ref><ref name=ohc/> It was established as one of the separate entities created after the 1911 breakup.

In the 1960s, the Standard Oil Company partnered with [[BP]], in the development of the [[Prudhoe Bay]], [[Alaska]] petroleum reserves and the construction of the Trans Alaska pipeline. The complex partnership called for a gradual stock acquisition until BP would eventually gain controlling interest culminating in total acquisition of the American company. The company ceased operations in 1987, although BP continued to sell gasoline under the 'Sohio' brand until 1991.<ref name=ohc/>

== History ==
Under the name "The Standard Oil Company (Ohio)", the company was established as a separate business after the [[antitrust]] breakup the oil conglomerate's monopoly in 1911. It operated service stations under the 'Sohio' brand name in Ohio but was prohibited in using the 'Standard' name in other states. In nearby states, it used the ''Boron'' brand name (introduced in 1954)<ref name=dan/> instead, but with an otherwise-similar logo. [[Wallace Trevor Holliday]] was President of the company from 1928 to 1949 and [[Chairman|Chairman of the Board]] from 1949 until his death on November 7, 1950.

In 1968, Sohio's [[Chief executive officer|CEO]], [[Charles E. (Charlie) Spahr]], arranged a merger with [[BP]]. It was announced as Standard's acquisition of BP's North American interests in exchange for BP receiving 25% of Sohio's stock.<ref name="lat-1969jun03">{{cite news |title=Standard (Ohio) to Buy British Petroleum Unit: Standard Oil to Buy BP Subsidiary |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 3, 1969 |page=c11 |last=Dallos |first=Robert E. |id={{ProQuest|156209799}}}}</ref> However, the contract included a stipulation that BP would assume majority interest when Standard's share of production from the [[Prudhoe Bay]] oilfield in [[Alaska]] reached {{convert|600000|oilbbl/d}}. That occurred in 1978, and BP then took control of Standard Oil.<ref name="wp-1978oct19">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1978/10/19/bp-gaining-control-of-sohio/aa8e063e-3f24-4380-b14f-d8598900ccd5/ |title=BP Gaining Control of Sohio |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=October 19, 1978 |first=Jack |last=Egan}}</ref> The U.S. operations were unified under the BP America corporate name.{{When|date=June 2021}}

By 1991, BP had rebranded all Sohio and Boron retail stations as 'BP',<ref>{{Cite AV media |first=Dave |last=Caldwell |title=5 1989 Peg BP News |date=2012-12-29 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXDAdcrZcGg  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/kXDAdcrZcGg| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-11-28 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="upi-1991apr25">{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/04/25/Sohio-name-being-replaced-by-BP-after-63-years/8595672552000/ |title=Sohio name being replaced by BP after 63 years |newspaper=[[United Press International]] |date=April 25, 1991 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref><ref name="upi-1991apr12">{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/04/12/Historic-Sohio-name-soon-to-be-just-a-memory/1907671428800/ |title=Historic Sohio name soon to be just a memory |newspaper=[[United Press International]] |date=April 12, 1991 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> except for some marine fuel outlets.{{citation needed|date=June 2021|reason=Unable to find reliable citations for claim of Sohio-branded marine fuel outlets.}}

In 2011, a BP station in [[Steubenville, Ohio]], that had originally opened as a Sohio station in 1946 ended fuel sales and was restored to 1970s vintage Sohio colors as a museum for Sohio. The site has vintage (non-working) Sohio pumps and other Sohio memorabilia. The garage itself remains active.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunsetandwilshire.com/sohio-in-steubenville.html|title = Sohio in Steubenville}}</ref>

== Stations ==
By 1980, Sohio and Boron had 3,400 gas stations in [[Ohio]], [[Michigan]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]] and [[West Virginia]].{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} Sohio acquired 5,660 former Gulf stations as a result of FTC anti-trust limitations in [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron's]] 1985 takeover of [[Gulf Oil|Gulf]]. These stations, bought for $1 billion, were in [[Alabama]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Kentucky]], [[Mississippi]], [[Tennessee]], [[North Carolina]] and [[South Carolina]].<ref name="nyt-1984sep28">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/28/business/sohio-to-buy-some-gulf-assets.html?pagewanted=all |title=Sohio to Buy Some Gulf Assets |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=September 28, 1984 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref><ref name="wp-1984sep28">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1984/09/28/chevron-sohio-set-deal-for-gulf-assets/156642f3-561e-4b95-ae64-a66bd57e8773/ |title=Chevron, Sohio Set Deal for Gulf Assets |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=September 28, 1984 |first=Mark |last=Potts}}</ref> Sohio was allowed to use the "Gulf" name for five years after the acquisition.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

[[File:Sohio anderson ferry marina.jpg|thumb|BP continues{{Update inline|reason=Does this still hold after so many years?|?=yes|date=June 2021}} to sell marine fuel under the Sohio brand at various marinas on Ohio waterways and in Ohio state parks in order to protect its rights in the Sohio and Standard Oil names. The Anderson Ferry Marina near [[Cincinnati, Ohio]] as of 2005]]
By the end of 1985, all other [[Standard Oil]] descendants had minimized use of the name ''Standard'', following Standard Oil of Indiana renaming itself [[Amoco]] earlier in the year as well as Chevron's aforementioned merger with Gulf that same year that led to its official corporate name to change from Standard Oil of California to Chevron Corporation. As a result, The Standard Oil Company (Ohio) corporately rebrand itself in 1986 under the Standard name, while continuing to use the ''Sohio'' brand in Ohio.<ref name="ap-1986feb25">{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/d762fde436051ab49375e7ffd34bd7fc |title=Sohio Returns To Old Corporate Name |newspaper=[[Associated Press]] |date=February 25, 1986 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref><ref name="nyt-1986feb25">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/25/business/standard-oil-to-drop-sohio.html?pagewanted=all |title=Standard Oil to Drop Sohio |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=February 25, 1986 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> In 1987, BP bought the 45% of Sohio it did not already own for $7.82 Billion and assumed control.<ref name="nyt-1987apr29">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/29/business/bp-in-7.82-billion-deal-for-standard.html?pagewanted=all |title=B.P. In $7.82 Billion Deal for Standard |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=April 29, 1987 |first=Robert J. |last=Cole}}</ref> Among the first changes was the rebranding of all Sohio, Boron, & Gulf stations that it owned to 'BP' in 1991.<ref name="upi-1991apr12" /> Among the conversions included former [[Mobil]] stations in [[Western Pennsylvania]] (including [[Pittsburgh]]) that Standard of Ohio acquired in 1987 when Mobil left that market, most of which had just rebranded as Boron when they were converted to BP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19871230&id=naVYAAAAIBAJ&pg=5661,2065390&hl=en|title=Mobil Sells 28 Stations |newspaper=[[Toledo Blade]] |via=[[Google News Archive]] |date=December 30, 1987 |page=18}}</ref> From 1989 to 1991, many Sohio, Boron and Gulf stations used BP's color scheme of green and yellow during the transitional rebranding to BP.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXDAdcrZcGg | title=5 1989 Peg BP News | website=[[YouTube]] | date=29 December 2012 }}</ref>

The Boron name was used outside of Ohio in neighboring states, like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and West Virginia. Boron was also the branding of its premium grade gasoline along with its regular grade fuel "Extron" (formerly "Ex-tane" later "Octron") and its unleaded version "Cetron" introduced in 1970.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Standard Oil's motor oil brands included Boron, Sohio, Cetron, CHD, Duron, Multron, Nitrex, Nitron, Octron, Premex, and Qvo. 

Sohio's [[credit cards]], like other oil company cards at the time, could be used at competitors' stations outside the issuing company's competitive territory, which in Sohio's case was Ohio.{{Original research inline|date=June 2021}} The benefit died with the Sohio brand. [[Exxon]] had a similar arrangement as well.{{Original research inline|date=June 2021}} In 1916, Sohio introduced a prefabricated canopy prototype for its stations.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/Resources/campaigns/GasPrices_2011/Pages/100PlusYearsGasolineRetailing.aspx |title=The History of Gasoline Retailing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324020636/http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/Resources/campaigns/GasPrices_2011/Pages/100PlusYearsGasolineRetailing.aspx |archive-date=2011-03-24 |work=National Association of Convenience Stores |date=February 2, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Although Sohio gas stations have ceased to exist, a few marina gas stations on [[Lake Erie]] and the [[Ohio River]] still{{when|date=June 2021}} bear the Sohio name.{{citation needed|date=June 2021|reason=Might be true in 2005, but unable to confirm in 2021.}}

When BP merged with Amoco in 1998, its American headquarters moved from the former [[BP Tower|BP America Building]] on [[Public Square, Cleveland|Public Square]] in [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] to [[Chicago]].<ref name="ct-1998aug16">{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-08-16-9808160403-story.html |title=In Cleveland, Few Gasps at BP's Leaving |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=August 16, 1998 |first=Andrew |last=Zajac}}</ref> Its American headquarters have since moved to the [[Houston Energy Corridor]] in [[Houston]], [[Texas]], in line with the corporate offices of [[Shell USA|Shell]] and fellow Standard spinoffs [[ConocoPhillips]] and [[Marathon Oil]].

== Subsidiaries ==
=== Hospitality Motor Inns ===
Hospitality Motor Inns, a wholly owned Sohio subsidiary, operated 11 motor inns in Ohio and surrounding states<ref>{{cite news |title=A Career in Hospitality |magazine=The Sohioan |page=18 |publisher=The Standard Oil Company |date=October 1971 |url=http://www.dantiques.com/sohio/sohioan/10-1971.pdf |access-date=2015-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131718/http://www.dantiques.com/sohio/sohioan/10-1971.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead |via=dantiques.com (blog) |first=Mary Jane |last=Gallaher |volume=43 |number=5}}</ref> The company was formed in 1963 as a Sohio subsidiary. Hospitality became a publicly held company when Sohio sold off 51% of the company to the public. Sohio sold its remaining interest of the chain to Hosmin, Inc., in 1978.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Campbell v. Hospitality Motor Inns, Inc. |vol= |reporter= |opinion=493 N.E.2d 239 |pinpoint= |court=Ohio |date=1986 |url=https://casetext.com/case/campbell-v-hospitality-motor-inns-inc}}</ref>

=== ProCare ===
In the 1980s, as many gas stations began converting their vehicle service bays into [[convenience store]]s, Sohio wished to continue performing auto maintenance by launching a specialty [[auto repair]] shop. Called '''Sohio ProCare''', these shops were often located near Sohio stations that now had convenience stores instead of auto service and were more specialized compared to traditional auto garages located at gas stations. The locations were mostly in Ohio, but Sohio did expand the concept into Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where they were known as "Boron ProCare". Also, unlike many Sohio stations, the ProCare locations were owned and operated directly by Sohio. Commercials for ProCare often featured ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' actor [[Gary Burghoff]] as "That Sohio Guy", as part of a larger Sohio advertising campaign featuring Burghoff.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/std85z_EPBw]{{dead link|date=June 2022}}</ref> Burghoff himself would stay with BP for a time as a spokesperson after BP converted Sohio and its other brands to BP.

BP retained ProCare following its absorption of Sohio, rebranding it as "BP ProCare" and changing the colors in its logo to match BP. BP continued to operate it until selling off the chain to a private investment group in 1999, at which point the shops were simply called ProCare without an oil company prefix and its logo was reverted to its Sohio-era colors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/19991011/SUB/910110735/bp-amoco-sheds-procare-in-sale-to-investor-group|title=Bp Amoco Sheds Procare in Sale to Investor Group|date=31 May 2005}}</ref> Following a bankruptcy under the private investment group's ownership, ProCare would ultimately be acquired by [[Monro Muffler Brake]] in 2006, and converted the locations to its own brands.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aftermarketnews.com/monro-muffler-brake-to-acquire-assets-of-procare-automotive-service-solutions-out-of-bankruptcy/|title = Monro Muffler Brake to Acquire Assets of ProCare Automotive Service Solutions Out of Bankruptcy|date = 6 March 2006}}</ref>

== Leadership ==

=== President ===

# [[John D. Rockefeller|John Davison Rockefeller]], 1870–1900
# Ambrose Morrison McGregor, 1900–1901
# Frank Quarles Barstow, 1901–1908
# [[Henry Morgan Tilford]], 1908–1911
# [[Walter C. Teagle|Walter Clark Teagle]], 1911
# Andrew Palmer Coombe, 1911–1928
# [[Wallace Trevor Holliday]], 1928–1949
# Clyde Tanner Foster, 1949–1957
# [[Charles E. Spahr|Charles Eugene Spahr]], 1957–1969
# Alton Winslow Whitehouse Jr., 1970–1977
# Joseph Durham Harnett, 1977–1980
# John Robert Miller, 1980–19??

=== Chairman of the Board ===

# [[Wallace Trevor Holliday]], 1949–1950
# Armstrong Alexander Stambaugh, 1950–1955
# Clyde Tanner Foster, 1956–1961
# [[Charles E. Spahr|Charles Eugene Spahr]], 1970–1977
# Alton Winslow Whitehouse Jr., 1978–1986
# [[Robert Horton (businessman)|Sir Robert Baynes Horton]], 1986–1987

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed heights= 90>
Image:Sohio 1936.jpg|Sohio service station in Cleveland, Ohio (ca. 1936)
Image:Sohio sign.jpg|Sohio sign circa 1989. Sohio's logo. A similar logo was also used at Boron stations outside the state of Ohio
image:Boron Gasoline Station 1972.JPG|Sohio Boron gasoline station (1972). Sohio marketed gasoline under various brand names in other states, including Boron, BP, Gas & Go, Gulf, Gibbs and William Penn
Image:Sohio pump.jpg|Vintage Sohio pump in storage at [[Cuyahoga Valley National Park]] near [[Richfield, Ohio]]
File:Sohio columbus i71-1.JPG|[[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]]-area highway marker designating [[Interstate 71]] and [[Ohio State Route 1 (1961–1965)|Ohio Route 1]] (1965)
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}<!--added above categories/infobox footers by script-assisted edit-->

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{youTube|id= lVOJ2RqNYzg|title= Sohio Standard Oil Weather Sounder}}
* {{youTube|id= kXDAdcrZcGg|title= A WCPO channel 9 "Spotlight Report" about the transition from Sohio/Boron/Gulf to BP (1989).}}

{{BP}}
{{Standard Oil}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Defunct oil companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Automotive fuel retailers]]
[[Category:Gas stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Standard Oil]]
[[Category:Former BP subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Cleveland]]
[[Category:Energy companies established in 1911]]
[[Category:Non-renewable resource companies established in 1911]]
[[Category:1870 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:1911 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Ohio]]
[[Category:History of Cleveland]]