Friendswood’s first and only oil well was drilled here in 1922 after local interest in possible oil deposits grew from nearby wells in Galveston and Brazoria Counties, though none had yet been drilled in Friendswood. A group of local men led by Willie T. Smith and his father-in-law, Solomon Allen, formed the Friendswood Oil Co. and became local wildcatters. Using a witching rod he had invented, Solomon believed he had found oil on his property across Coward’s Creek. Community members willing to risk money on the venture helped hire Boston consultant A. A. Tutin, and according to Solomon Allen’s diary it took about a year to organize the project and sign leases. The group hauled in lumber for a derrick, installed a boiler, engine, and pump, set up an office with a telephone at the well site, and began drilling, but the effort failed when the well produced salt water instead of oil. Deeply disappointed, Solomon believed the driller had been paid off by “the big guys” to bring in salt water rather than oil.