Description
Photograph of President Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson relaxing in a field of wildflowers, inscribed by President Johnson to the CEO of Standard Oil of Indiana, John E. Swearingen and his wife, Bonnie Swearingen.
Mounted color photograph, measures 14″ x 11″. Color photograph by White House photographer Mike Geissinger, taken April 13th, 1968 at the Haywood Ranch, near Kingsland, Texas. Faint rubbing to the signature by Johnson. Signed on the mount: “For Bonnie + John, We expect you to join us here. L.B.J.”
From the estate of John E. Swearingen, the president of Standard Oil of Indiana and one of the most influential oil executives of the 20th century. When he became CEO in 1960, he deemed Indiana Standard Oil to be a “second-rate company.” Through aggressive research and oil exploration, Indiana Standard quickly became one of the most profitable companies in the United States. Swearingen was vocal about his dislike for federal regulators, often supporting Republicans who shared his views on limited government. In retirement, he was a close friend of presidents Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon. Swearingen died in 2007, survived by his wife, Bonnie Swearingen, who passed away in 2020.
