Ignacy Łukasiewicz was born on 8-th March 1822 in the country Zaduszniki - distict Mielec. He was a son of pour nobelman the soldier of Kościuszko Insurection.
After completion of secondary school he worked as a resident in Rzeszów since 1841. That work was interrupted by his arrest for underground patriotic activity on February 19, 1846. Released on December 28, 1847 – after an almost two – years stay in prison s of Rzeszów and Lwow – got employment but against special guarantee. It was due to them that he started work at Piotr Mikolasch’s “Golden Star” pharmacy. In that time Łukasiewicz managed to save some money which has made it possible for him to take up studies of pharmacy and chemistry at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. During the three semesters in Cracow Łukasiewicz completed a theoretical and practical course of botany, zoology, mineralogy, physics, forensic chemistry. All the teorethical and practical examinations passed, Igancy Łukasiewicz obtained the degree and diploma of Master of pharmacy in Vienna on July 30, 1852.Soon after he returned to well-known Mikolasch pharmacy . there was run a chemical and pharmaceutical laboratory.
Together with Jan Zeh started the research on crude oil for technical and lightning purposes. In consequence they received the kerosene. After that Ignacy Łukasiewicz with assistance of tinsmith Adam Bratkowski constructed first kerosene lamp in the world. In 31-st July 1853 in hospital in Lwow kerosene lamp was used first time. It was beginning of Polish Oil Industry
After this success Ignacy Łukasiewicz moved to Gorlice where he installed small petroleum refining plant. Soon he has four distillery and small refinery. In 1856 at Ulaszowice near Jasło, in 1859 al Klęczany and at Polanka near Krosno, and in Chorkówka in 1861.
During his stay in Jasło he built in 1858 on the agrar exhibition the pavilion where he displayed crude oil, kerosene, machine oil grease and asphalt. For first time the products of the distillate petroleum were represented and offered to the people at large. In 1859 Łukasiewicz sold to the north railway in Vienna 50 000 kg grease. As a producent of kerosene and petroleum products, Łukasiewicz took part in inter national exhibition in Vienna in 1873 in Lvov in 1877, one granted him the iron crown order III class and scroll.
At the end of 1854 together with Tytus Trzecieski and Karol Klobassa he built an oil mine in Bobrka near Krosno. There has been preserved an obelisk with the inscription which reads: “In commemoration of the rock-oil mine sunk at Bobrka in 1854 – Ignacy Łukasiewicz”. Five years later Colonel Edwin Drake drilled first oil well in Pennsylvania, USA.
In 1866 Łukasiewicz was busy with organisation “Brotherly Funds” which were nothing else but the first Austrian Poland and some of earliest in Europe, insurance institutions rendering assistance to workers in case of accidents at work disability and old age. Every worker used to contribute to the respective found 3 cents per every gulden earned. In return he was entitled to free medical assistance when ill and to life pension in the case of disability. After 20 years of work they had a right to an old – age pension. He also was establishing the schools and organizing the medical assistance for peasants.
He was and will remain for ever, a model of a man of creative imagination, a spokesman of progress, a humanitarian social worker and patriot.
He died, after a brief spell of pneumonia, at Chorkówka on January 7, 1882.
