On December 5, 1863, Pattillo Higgins was born in Beaumont, Texas. A self-taught geologist and visionary businessman, Higgins became known as the "Prophet of Spindletop" for his unshakable belief that oil lay beneath Spindletop Hill—despite widespread skepticism from experts of his time. His conviction eventually led to the discovery of the Spindletop oil field in 1901, one of the largest petroleum finds in U.S. history. This gusher ignited the Texas oil boom, reshaped the American oil industry, and marked the beginning of the modern energy era.