Ignacy Łukasiewicz

Ignacy Łukasiewicz (1822 to 1882) was a Polish pharmacist, engineer, businessman, inventor and philanthropist from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, then part of the Austrian Empire. Working with other pharmacists he learned to distill kerosene from seep crude oil, which until then had mostly served as an animal medicine and lubricant. He introduced the modern kerosene lamp in 1853, lit a street lamp with it that year, and helped dig what is described as the first modern oil well in 1854. In 1856 he built what the article calls the world first modern oil refinery, and he later founded further refineries and became one of the wealthiest men in Galicia. He spent much of that fortune on charity and supported Polish national causes throughout his life.