Where had oil come from before 1859?

Before 1859, oil was primarily sourced from natural seeps, where it bubbled up from the ground, and from the distillation of coal and bitumen. People often used these early forms of oil for lighting, lubrication, and medicinal purposes. The process of extracting and refining oil was rudimentary, and the substance was not widely utilized until the advent of the modern oil industry began with Edwin Drake's successful well in Pennsylvania that year.