Ignacy Łukasiewicz
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[[Image:Ignacy Lukasiewicz.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz]]
'''Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz''' (1822 - 1882) was a [[Poland|Polish]] [[pharmacist]] of [[Armenian people|Armenian]] descent who devised the first method of distilling [[kerosene]] from seep [[oil]]. He was the founder of the Polish oil industry and one of the pioneers of oil industry in the world.<ref>{{cite book|author=Frank, Alison Fleig|title=Oil Empire: Visions of Prosperity in Austrian Galicia (Harvard Historical Studies)|edition=|publisher=Harvard University Press|year=2005|id=ISBN 0-674-01887-7}}</ref> Among his achievements were the construction of modern [[kerosene lamp]] (1853), founding of the first [[oil well]] (1854)<ref>[http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/BOBRKA/DATY/daty.htm Warsaw University timeline]</ref> in Poland and the building of the first [[oil refinery]] in Poland (1856).
Łukasiewicz became a wealthy man and one of the most prominent [[philanthropist]]s in [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]]. Because of his support for the economical development of the region, a popular saying was coined attributing all paved roads to his [[Austro-Hungarian gulden|gulden]]s.
== Biography ==
[[Image:AptekaMikolaschaLwow.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Mikolasch's pharmacy]]
[[Image:Galicja1881.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Galician oil wells]]
[[Image:Grabownicastarzenska 30XXw.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Oil wells in [[Grabownica]]; 1930s]]
Ignacy Łukasiewicz was born [[March 8]], [[1822]] in [[Zaduszniki]] near [[Mielec]], in the [[Austrian empire]] (after the [[Partitions of Poland|partition]] of [[Poland]]). His parents were Apolonia née Świetlik and Józef Łukasiewicz, a member of local [[intelligentsia]] and a veteran of [[Kościuszko's Uprising]]. His parents rented a small manor in Zaduszniki, but soon after Ignacy's birth had to move to [[Rzeszów]] due to economical difficulties. There Ignacy started his studies at the local [[Konarski's High School in Rzeszów|gymnasium]], but had to abandon it in 1836. To help his parents, Ignacy Łukasiewicz moved to [[Łańcut]] where he started to work as a pharmacist's assistant. At the same time he became involved in various political organizations supporting the idea of restoration of Polish sovereignty. In 1840 he returned to Rzeszów, where he continued to practice at the pharmacy of Edward Hübl. In 1845 he met [[Edward Dembowski]], who admitted Łukasiewicz to the illegal ''Centralization of the Polish Democratic Society''. The aim of that organization was to prepare an [[Kraków Uprising|all-national uprising]] against the partitioning powers. Because of that, on [[February 19]], [[1846]] Łukasiewicz was arrested by the Austrian authorities and imprisoned in [[Lwów]]. On [[December 27]], [[1847]] he was released from prison due to lack of evidence, but for the rest of his life he was regarded as ''politically insecure''. He was also ordered to remain in Lwów.
There Łukasiewicz started working for the ''Pod Złotą Gwiazdą'' pharmacy owned by [[Piotr Mikolasch]]. On his insistence Łukasiewicz was allowed to leave Lwów and join the [[Jagiellonian University|Kraków University]]. After several years of studies, financed mostly by Mikolasch, he managed to pass all his university examinations except [[pharmacognosy]], what prevented him from graduation. Finally, on [[July 30]], [[1852]] Łukasiewicz graduated from the faculty of pharmacy of the [[University of Vienna]]. He then returned to Lwów. Łukasiewicz had long been interested in the potential of seep [[oil]] as a cheap alternative to the more expensive [[whale oil]]. In 1853 [[Jan Zeh]],<ref>[http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%97%D0%B5%D0%B3_%D0%AF%D0%BD Zeh Jan (Зег Ян)]</ref> together with his associate Łukasiewicz, was the first in the world to distill clear [[kerosene]] from seep oil, Canada's [[Abraham Gesner]] having first refined kerosene from coal in 1846. On [[July 31]], [[1853]], Łukasiewicz made one of his [[kerosene lamp]]s available to a local hospital to illuminate an emergency surgical operation.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} The date is considered the starting point of modern oil industry.
In early 1854 Łukasiewicz moved to [[Gorlice]], where he continued his work. He set up many companies together with entrepreneurs and landowners. That same year, he opened the world's first [[oil well|oil "mine"]] at [[Bóbrka (Krosno)|Bóbrka]], near [[Krosno]] (still operational as of 2006). At the same time Łukasiewicz continued his work on kerosene lamps. Later that year he set up the first kerosene street lamp in Gorlice's borough of Zawodzie. In the following years he opened several other oil wells, each of them as a joint-venture with various local merchants and businessmen. In 1856 in [[Ulaszowice]] near [[Jasło]] he opened an "oil distillery", that is the first industrial [[oil refinery]] in the world. As the demand for kerosene was still low, the plant initially produced mostly artificial [[asphalt]], machine oil and lubricants. The refinery was destroyed in a fire in 1859, but was rebuilt in [[Polanka]] near [[Krosno]] the following year.
In 1863 Łukasiewicz, who moved to Jasło in 1858, was already a wealthy man. He openly supported the [[January Uprising]] and financed help for the refugees. In 1865 he bought a large manor and the village of [[Chorkówka]]. There he established yet another oil refinery. Having gained one of the largest fortunes in Galicia, Łukasiewicz promoted the development of oil industry in the area of [[Dukla]] and [[Gorlice]]. He gave his name to several oil-mining enterprises in the area, including the oil wells of Ropianka, Wilsznia, Smereczne, Ropa and Wójtowa. He also became the benefactor of the region and founded a spa resort in Bóbrka, a chapel in Chorkówka and a large church in Zręcin. As one of the best-known businessmen of his times, he was elected to the [[Galician Sejm]]. In 1877 Łukasiewicz also organized the first Oil Industry Congress and founded the National Oil Society. Ignacy Łukasiewicz died [[January 7]], [[1882]], of [[pneumonia]]. He was buried at the small cemetery of Zręcin, next to the Gothic Revival church he had financed.
== See also ==
* [[Petroleum]]
* [[The Petroleum Trail International Tourist Trail]]
==References==
<references/>
== External links ==
*[http://www.beskidniski.org.pl/szlak_naftowy/pl/szlak_main_pl.htm The Petroleum Trail]
*[http://homepage.ntlworld.com/munwai/index.htm Pressure Lamp website]
*[http://www.be-back-later.com/forums Historic Lamp forum]
===Quotes===
:''This liquid is the future wealth of the country, it's the wellbeing and prosperity of its inhabitants, it's a new source of income for the poor, and a new branch of industry which shall bear plentiful fruit.'' - 1854
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