John D. Sr. Rockefeller
John D. Sr. Rockefeller was an American business magnate and philanthropist, widely considered the wealthiest American of all time and the richest person in modern history.
Business Figure
July 8, 1839
Cancer
May 23, 1937
97
Richford, New York
John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (1839-1937) was a prominent American business magnate and philanthropist, often regarded as the richest American ever. In 1870, he co-founded the Standard Oil Company, which revolutionized the modern business structure through the use of trusts and monopolies. Among his most notable accomplishments are the creation of the Rockefeller Foundation, which significantly advanced modern medicine and scientific research, and his instrumental roles in founding the University of Chicago and Rockefeller University.
Rockefeller’s influence extended to the oil industry, where he dominated and shaped the sector through his leadership of the Standard Oil Company. His astute business tactics and immense wealth earned him a reputation as the wealthiest individual in modern history. His philanthropic endeavors encompassed education, including a $250,000 donation to Barnard College in 1902. An avid golfer, Rockefeller played on top-tier courses with fellow industrialists like Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford and even constructed a golf course on his Pocantico Hills, New York estate.
