by Dr. Reid W. Stewart

He had a city named after him, went from rags to riches a few times and had roots in our region. Samuel Duncan Karns, known as “Duncan” or “Dunc,” was born September 21. 1843, to John, a salt manufacturer, and Emily Karns who lived near Tarentum, PA. After his early years of education he attended Turtle Creek Academy in present day Murrysville PA, studied at Iron City Commercial College in Pittsburgh, and graduated from Duff’s Commercial College, also in Pittsburgh.

In the spring of 1859 at 16 years of age, Karns resolved to see the western United States. He set out for Colorado and the Rocky Mountain silver region. Soon after his return, his father sent him to West Virginia to supervise his interests there. Here Duncan leased mineral deposit rights and drilled a salt well. When the salt water was exhausted, oil began flowing in some quantity. This well produced 40 barrels of petroleum per day in 1860-1861.

When the Civil War began, Duncan returned home and enlisted as a private in Company C. 9th PA Volunteers. The company later became part of the Army of the Potomac under Gen. McClelland. After the battle of Fredericksville, he was made a Lieutenant. Returning home in 1864, Karns assumed control of his father’s business for 2 years.

In 1866 he visited the Pennsylvania oil region and ventured into the oil business on a farm there. Dunc drilled to the depth of 1,065 feet near Parkers Landing, which became Parker City, Armstrong Co., PA. This well was completed in September, and oil found. But months later in the spring of 1867 the oil dropped to $2.40 a barrel, leaving him largely in debt. Not discouraged, he torpedoed the well. It increased the production to 28 barrels per day from 1 barrel. During of Karns’ lifetime, Well #1 produced over $30,000 profits in 1800s dollars.

Duncan continued to increase his holdings and oil well drilling, but it was an uncertain business, a boom and bust enterprise for many. Oil was an uneven industry; companies bounced erratically from great riches to grave losses in only days. In 1862 a barrel of oil sold for 10 cents, in 1864 for $4.00. By 1872 his oil leases were bringing $5,000 a day, but in 1874 crude oil dropped to .40 per barrel.

In 1872-73, between this boom and bust, he built one of the finest homes in the Alle-Kiski Valley. It was situated on what is now the south end of River Forest Golf Course, Allegheny Twp., across the river from Freeport. The house was built for the then-exorbitant sum of $35,000, but by the time it was finished, the price of oil dropped again in another oil bust. Duncan Karns was never able to move into this Italianate structure.

Local tradition says that Andrew Carnegie bought the property. Carnegie brought friends from Pittsburgh on Allegheny Railroad trains to McKean Station, and entertained them in this fine house. Another local tradition is that one of the guests was the young Mary Roberts (before she was the famous mystery writer of 100 years ago, Mary Roberts Rinehart). The story is that this house inspired her to write the mystery The Circular Staircase; although there was no spiral staircase in the house, there were double staircases. [ed. You can read the book by this novelist who helped forge the Gothic mystery genre, online at http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/RinCirc.html ]

Duncan made and lost several fortunes, but his indomitable spirit was never broken. Karns City, in Butler County, was named for him. Fullerton Parker joined with Duncan in forming the Karns and Parker Company that in 1869 became competitive with the Parker, Thompson and Co.

These two rival companies united after several years to form The Union Pipe Line (which also included a company owned by Captain Jacob J. Vandergrift, for whom Vandergrift is named), which later became part of Standard Oil. In 1872 Duncan sold his interest in this company of $25,000. But he had his hands busy with other things.

In 1871 the Exchange Bank of Parker’s Landing (Parker City) was organized. Duncan became its president. The bank had $140,000 capital of which Karns owned one-quarter. The Parker’s Landing (Parker City) Bridge Company was organized the spring of 1872 with $100,000 capital, of which Karns subscribed $55,000.

He, of course, was elected president of the Board of Directors. The bridge they built across the Allegheny River was made of wrought iron and had four spans of 200 feet each. He also was involved in building of the Parker & Karns City Railroad and the Frederick & Orange Railroad.

But by 1874 the dropping price of oil finally ruined him, and he went west, ran a ranch, and later returned to Pittsburgh where he published a Populist paper. He again went west, and in 1898 moved to California where he made a second success in the oil business.

Duncan and his first wife, Maude, were married around 1867; they had a daughter, Blanche, in 1869. He later married again in 1879 to May Bell Long (1860-1929), a native of Devonshire, England. Their children were Harry J. Karns (b. May 9, 1880, Jamestown, NY); Charles Duncan Karns (b. Jan. 10, 1885, Kansas City, KS); Robin Hood Karns (b. Sept., 1888, in CO); and William Elliott Karns (b. July, 1891, in CO).

Samuel Duncan Karns died Feb. 9, 1909, in Tipton, NV. Dunc was a man of slight build, nervous temperament, and prepossessing appearance. Friendly in his manners, he was always self-poised. In his conversation he was frank but cordial. As a businessman his word was his bond. His generosity was widely distributed, and the general public good motivated him in his local commitment.