History
The last name Lalone has been synonymous with water wells in Michigan, dating back to 1898. It all started with John Lalone Sr. in Rosebush Michigan, just northwest of Mt. Pleasant. He was a lumber man by trade who also needed water. With ingenuity he built his own drilling rig and as a side job drilled water wells for himself and others in the community.
The earliest known picture we have is of a wooden right angle drill rig, with the horse connected to the turn table. From left to right we have David, Nora and John Jr. – all siblings of John Sr. who was possibly taking the picture. The horse’s name is Barney, and he was purchased from the local race track after he lost too many times in a row. From what we have been told, Barney, although stubborn, did learn what to do. Eventually, he learned commands from hand signals and, as explained to us, reacted to the slack or tension of the rope from the work performed as though a member of the crew.
The lumbering industry and side work of well drilling continued for almost two decades, when the boom of the manufacturing industry in the Detroit area seemed promising.
John Sr., leaving his equipment behind, loaded his family onto a sled and in the winter of 1917 and moved to Pontiac to peruse a new and hopefully promising career. After finding residence and selling Barney to a local glass company, most family members obtained employment at the Oakland Cab Company. However, it became apparent that with the large migration of people to the region seeking work, there was the abundant need for water. So new equipment was built and the continuing pursuit of well drilling, “on the side,” and service continued. The innovations created in the factories were also utilized in advancing the well drilling equipment such as the towable tip up rig that is seen here. The truck towed the drill rig to the site. They chalked the wheels of the trailer and pushed it up with the truck. This innovation took what used to take a day to set up a rig down to a half an hour.
Also continuing was the growth of the Lalone family’s third generation who, as teenagers, were out working on wells to earn their keep. The growth of the family and some hostilities meant that separate drilling companies with the same last name began, while others in the family completely chose to remain separate from the industry.
During the move in the winter of 1917, a seven-year-old boy who was the grandson of John Lalone Sr. also made the trip. His name was Roy. When old enough, he too drilled wells and eventually also sought work in the auto industry.
At age 20, he bought his first drilling rig and continued the passion of well drilling “on the side.” Even when his company grew he continued to work the factory floors, especially during the Second World War. This was done mostly to obtain fuel credits so he could drill wells on the side. After the Great War he went full tilt into the water well drilling industry leaving behind the manufacturing life.
Roy Lalone Well Drilling became a company that grew with the return of servicemen and new families. Like his elders, Roy too was an innovator, utilizing new ideas to produce quality wells in efficient time. The air compressor in the background was used to develop a well and specialized tools were used to help increase the drilling speed. Also, new innovative pumping equipment was created for the homeowner’s use.
Roy’s family grew also with four boys and two girls, and like the previous generations his sons worked for him. Roy’s sons also purchased drilling rigs and equipment and set off on their own to work for themselves, but still together with the sharing of ideas and innovations about the industry.
One of Roy’s sons was Mike, and in 1968 he purchased his first rig. Like all other companies he had to earn trust, confidence and most importantly, he had to learn to value the customer. He also was an innovator within the industry. Although we provided drilling, he saw that the service side of the industry seemed to be lacking. So Mike began to focus his company on the desire of the homeowners, finding the small equipment to minimize lawn damage and to maneuver his truck to the well. He found new ways to rehabilitate wells or even retrieving broken off equipment.
His company, like the others in the previous generations, grew and so did his family. Presently Mike Lalone has four boys, Kevin, Alex, Chris and Matt, all who eventually ended up in the well drilling business. However, we chose a different angle and stuck together as one company to better serve our customers and maintain quality performance.
Innovation did not stop with them either; ideas from the past were learned and still used today. We use new, highly efficient pumping systems to meet the demands of today, and continue to learn of the new innovations that are being developed. These include new technologies for the underground repairing of water lines to minimize yard destruction as well as the advancement of treatment systems for water and having a state certified water system operator.
With a name that has been in water for over a hundred years, we pride ourselves on our heritage, the innovations, understanding the new technologies and being there in the future to watch it evolve. We accept the challenges that the industry brings, we are committed to helping the customer whenever possible and we are dedicated to maintaining a tradition that was handed down. If not, our ancestors are going to come up from the grave and get us!