Black Arkansas farmer Taylor Henson strikes oil in 1922; speculators scurry to Malvern
Taylor Henson had a dream of producing oil on his land near Malvern, an area not known to have petroleum reserves. In the final years of his life, Henson made a concerted effort to finish a well he had started earlier -- but he faced many obstacles, including sabotage and arson. In 1922 Henson set off a mini-oil boom, with mineral rights being sold left and right, and three wells being drilled in Hot Spring County.
Source: nwaonline.com
