In 1890, Bridgeport native Michael L. Benedum started working for Standard Oil. He soon separated from Standard and made a fortune in oil and gas as an independent driller, starting in West Virginia and expanding across the U.S. and internationally. He and his wife, Sarah, had one son, Claude, who died of influenza in 1918 during World War I.

Benedum is best remembered for his generosity. In 1944, he started the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation to honor his son. He funded college scholarships, built a church and civic center in Bridgeport, and donated half his fortune—more than $100 million—to the foundation when he died.