Our History

The story of John Henry Oil began over 90 years ago, when native Kentuckian John Henry Love set out to become a wildcatter - a pioneer profession in the 1920’s, full of hardship, risk, and adventure. The frontier spirit of this man among men established a family legacy that began in the roaring twenties and continued: through the Great Depression, World War II, and the prosperous fifties; through Vietnam and the changes and turmoil of the sixties and seventies; through the highs and lows of the eighties and nineties; through the turn of the new century to today, as we emerge from one of the worst economic downturns since the 1930’s. For more than nine decades, the Love family has been working the oil and gas fields of Appalachia.

The heritage of John Henry Oil spans three generations of Independent Oil Producers committed to the discovery and development of productive wells in the Appalachian basin. My Grandfather, John Henry Love, Sr., was a driller in some of the earliest exploration efforts in the State of Kentucky. His boundless energy, dedication, and passion for the business were handed down to my father, John Henry Love, Jr., who went on to drill many successful wells during his 50 year career as an independent oil producer. Throughout our rich history, the Love family has discovered millions of barrels of oil. As a third generation independent oil producer, I am proud to continue this rich legacy. With the same boundless energy, dedication, and passion, I will take John Henry to the next level by combining the technologies of today with the knowledge of the past as I teach my sons the oil business “from the mud up.”

At John Henry, the Oil Business is not only our passion; it is our way of life. We are a unique American Independent with a strong heritage and a strong future.

-Connie M. Love, CEO