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Edwin Drake died today in 1880. What was he most well-known for?

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Answer:

Drake is considered the founder of the modern oil industry. Drake's company, Seneca Oil, began drilling for oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1858. Drake correctly believed the kerosene distilled from petroleum oil would be a cheaper alternative to whale oil, which was used for a variety of purposes at the time. As a result, many credit Drake with also inadvertently saving whales from extinction.

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