Benjamin Silliman Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Benjamin Silliman Jr. c. 1865 | |
| Born | December 4, 1816 New Haven, Connecticut |
| Died | January 14, 1885 (aged 68) New Haven, Connecticut |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Known for | oil |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | chemistry |
| Signature | |
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Benjamin Silliman Jr. (December 4, 1816 – January 14, 1885) was a professor of chemistry at Yale University and instrumental in developing the petroleum industry.
His father Benjamin Silliman Sr., also a famous Yale chemist, developed the process of fractional distillation that enabled the economical production of kerosene. In 1855, Silliman Jr. wrote a report for $526.08 on Pennsylvania rock oil and its usefulness as an illuminant that convinced investors to back George Bissell's search for oil.