Louis Haines "Lew" Wentz

Louis Haines Wentz was born on November 10, 1873 in Tama, Iowa, the son of a blacksmith. His family later moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he grew up as one of seven children. He attended public school in Pittsburgh and became a standout athlete, particularly in baseball. He played at a high level in high school and later coached All Pittsburgh high school teams. After finishing school he worked in a series of practical jobs and became active in the local Republican Party. His work brought him into contact with John McCaskey, a Pittsburgh businessman who was acquiring leases in the new oil fields of Kay County, Oklahoma. Although Wentz had no experience in the oil industry, McCaskey was impressed by his discipline and judgment and decided to send him to Oklahoma.

Wentz arrived in Ponca City in January 1911 to oversee McCaskey’s leases. He began by securing new leases in the Blackwell and Tonkawa areas, taking on responsibilities that grew steadily larger as McCaskey came to trust him. He and McCaskey eventually became partners, and Wentz managed the properties through the early development years. By 1914 he was not yet wealthy, but he had gained enough confidence to borrow money to begin what became his lifelong habit of charitable giving. That Christmas he anonymously provided toys and gifts to the children of poor families in Ponca City, a tradition he continued every year for the rest of his life.

The oil properties Wentz managed began to pay off in 1918 when the leases started producing heavily. After McCaskey’s death in 1924, Wentz assumed full control of their shared interests and organized his holdings into the Wentz Oil Corporation. Development of the Tonkawa field in 1922 and the continued strength of the Three Sands area turned the company into a major independent producer. By 1927 Wentz was earning roughly one million dollars each month from his own production and was counted among the wealthiest individuals in the United States. Despite his financial success he lived quietly at the Arcade Hotel in Ponca City, which he eventually purchased out of respect for the woman who had long managed it.

In 1925 Wentz donated the land that became Wentz Camp on the east side of Ponca City. Over the next several years he built a recreation complex on the site that included a one hundred foot water tower, a large swimming pool, cabins, pavilions, and other structures, nearly all of them built with locally quarried sandstone. The camp quickly became a major gathering place for youth organizations and remains a lasting example of his interest in creating opportunities for young people.

In 1928 Wentz sold the producing properties of Wentz Oil Corporation. The sale marked a turning point in his life. He began to devote most of his time to philanthropy and to a range of business interests outside the oil industry. He became a prominent automobile dealer with operations in Oklahoma, Arizona, and California, and he invested in real estate and agricultural ventures. He continued to support many civic efforts in Ponca City, including trips to Washington to advocate for local improvements and committee work on projects that affected the city’s development.

Arcade Hotel in Ponca City

Wentz founded the Oklahoma Society for Crippled Children and played an important role in securing state support for medical care for disabled children. He also established scholarship and loan programs for students at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma A and M College. These programs provided grants and medical assistance for students who needed help and continued long after his death. He created a wildlife preserve north of Ponca City and stocked it with horses, deer, and native animals, turning it into both a personal retreat and a site for community visits. Though he was deeply involved in state politics as a Republican national committeeman, he never sought public office and declined attempts to draft him as a candidate for governor or for the United States Senate. His one public role was as chairman of the Oklahoma State Highway Commission, where he worked to improve the quality of the state’s roads.

Lew Wentz died on June 9, 1949 in Ponca City from a coronary thrombosis at the age of sixty eight. After his death he was placed temporarily in the mausoleum at the IOOF Cemetery.

Ponca City Mausoleum at Odd Fellowes (IOOF) Cemetery, Ponca City, Ok

His estate funded the construction of a private mausoleum on the western edge of the cemetery.

The structure was built of polished mahogany granite shipped from Minnesota and lined inside with pink Tennessee marble. Blueprints show that it contained four crypts and was topped with a fifteen ton granite roof. A total of fifty five tons of granite, marble, and slate were used in its construction. The bronze doors were created with detailed panels depicting scenes from Wentz’s life, including oil production, education, athletics, agriculture, wildlife, charity, and the building of Oklahoma’s highways. Construction was completed in 1955, and once the mausoleum was finished his remains were re entombed there.