MCGREW'S WELL DRILLING

Historical Account

The following historical account is adapted from the original family history, "McGrew's Well Drilling," published in Fulton County Folks, Volume 2 (pp. 362–363), written by Tami McGrew and Freda McGrew, edited by Shirley Willard, and published by the Fulton County Historical Society.

Christopher Columbus McGrew began learning the well-drilling trade from Atcheson McConky of Rochester for a fee of $500. After working for McConky for two years, he went into business on his own in 1907.

For the first three years, wells were drilled using the power of one horse walking in a circle. Later, Chris built his own well machine powered by a gasoline engine. In all, he built three well machines, the first two being blown over by the wind.

After these losses, the derrick was tied down using guy wires and stakes.

As it often took several days to drill a well and the distance was too great to travel by horseback or buggy, Chris usually stayed at the drilling location until the well was completed. He sometimes stayed in the home or slept in the barn. If he was drilling a well fairly close to home, he pulled the buggy behind the well machine and drove the buggy home at night.

Chris usually hired a man to help with drilling, and when Glenn became old enough, he helped and learned the trade.

The McGrews purchased their first factory-built well machine in 1953, at which time Robert was working with Glenn in the business. At the time this history was originally written, they were still using this machine along with a newer one purchased in 1968.

After Glenn died on November 8, 1959, the well business was continued by his two sons, Robert and Donald. They, along with two grandsons, Ken and Keith, were operating the business when this history was originally written. Keith represented the fourth generation of the McGrew family in the well-drilling business.

It would be impossible to list all the wells drilled by the McGrew family business, but among the public projects completed were the Argos Sewage Disposal Plant, Fulton Branch Library, Twelve Mile Bank, Fulton Laundry, Culver Military Academy, Fulton Medical Center, Armour's plant in Rochester, and Wiles and Laundries Chevrolet in Rochester.

At the time this history was published, McGrew's Well Drilling had proudly served Fulton County for more than 65 years.

Business Today

Since the publication of Fulton County Folks, Volume 2, McGrew's Well Drilling has continued serving Fulton County and surrounding communities. Today, Keith "Rusty" McGrew Jr. serves as the primary owner, continuing the family tradition established by Christopher Columbus McGrew in 1907.

Now celebrating 119 years of continuous family ownership and service, McGrew's Well Drilling remains committed to providing dependable well-drilling services while preserving the values of craftsmanship, integrity, and customer service that have defined the McGrew name for more than a century.

Source

McGrew, Tami, and Freda McGrew. "McGrew's Well Drilling." Fulton County Folks, Volume 2, edited by Shirley Willard, Fulton County Historical Society, 1981, pp. 362–363.