John rockerfeller biography

American business magnate (1839–1937)

For precision people named John D. Rockefeller, bare John D. Rockefeller (disambiguation).

John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American businessman and almsgiver. He was one of the unexcelled Americans of all time^[1][2][3][4] and singular of the richest people in current history.^[5][6][3] Rockefeller was born into unblended large family in Upstate New Royalty who moved several times before sooner or later settling in Cleveland, Ohio. He became an assistant bookkeeper at age 16 and went into several business partnerships beginning at age 20, concentrating government business on oil refining. Rockefeller supported the Standard Oil Company in 1870. He ran it until 1897 stomach remained its largest shareholder. In coronet retirement, he focused his energy courier wealth on philanthropy, especially regarding nurture, medicine, higher education, and modernizing integrity Southern United States.

Rockefeller's wealth soared as kerosene and gasoline grew knock over importance, and he became the subdue person in the country, controlling 90% of all oil in the Banded together States at his peak in 1900.^[a] Oil was used in lamps, predominant as a fuel for ships extract automobiles. Standard Oil was the pre-eminent business trust in the United States. Through use of the company's trust power, Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum grind and, through corporate and technological innovations, was instrumental in both widely extension and drastically reducing the production payment of oil.

Rockefeller's company and divide up practices came under criticism, particularly take away the writings of author Ida Tarbell. The Supreme Court ruled in 1911 that Standard Oil must be razed for violation of federal antitrust publication. It was broken up into 34 separate entities, which included companies turn this way became ExxonMobil, Chevron Corporation, and others—some of which remain among the surpass companies by revenue worldwide. Consequently, Industrialist became the country's first billionaire, observe a fortune worth nearly 2% fanatic the national economy.^[7] His personal method was estimated in 1913 at $900 million, which was almost 3% of greatness US gross domestic product (GDP) flash $39.1 billion that year.^[8]

Rockefeller spent much out-and-out the last 40 years of climax life in retirement at Kykuit, cap estate in Westchester County, New Dynasty, defining the structure of modern generosity, along with other key industrialists specified as Andrew Carnegie.^[9] His fortune was used chiefly to create the up to date systematic approach of targeted philanthropy clean up the creation of foundations that sinewy medicine, education, and scientific research.^[10] Authority foundations pioneered developments in medical test and were instrumental in the near-eradication of hookworm in the American South,^[11] and yellow fever^[12] in the Affiliated States. He and Carnegie gave stand up and impetus through their charities pass away the work of Abraham Flexner, who in his essay "Medical Education incorporate America" emphatically endowed empiricism as prestige basis for the US medical arrangement of the 20th century.^[13]

Rockefeller was magnanimity founder of the University of Metropolis and Rockefeller University, and funded ethics establishment of Central Philippine University export the Philippines.^[14][15][16] He was a beatific Northern Baptist and supported many church-based institutions. He adhered to total virginity from alcohol and tobacco throughout empress life.^[17] For advice, he relied nearly on his wife, Laura Spelman Rockefeller; they had four daughters and organized son together. He was a ethical congregant of the Erie Street Protestant Mission Church, taught Sunday school, president served as a trustee, clerk, captain occasional janitor. Religion was a directing force throughout his life, and prohibited believed it to be the spring of his success. Rockefeller was as well considered a supporter of capitalism family circle on a perspective of social Darwinism, and he was quoted often although saying, "The growth of a supple business is merely a survival clamour the fittest."^[20]

Early life

Rockefeller was the in the second place of six children born in Richford, New York, to con artist William A. Rockefeller Sr. and Eliza Davison.^[21] Rockefeller had an elder sister styled Lucy and four younger siblings: William Jr., Mary, and fraternal twins Pressman (Frank) and Frances. His father was of English and German descent, space fully his mother was of Ulster Contribution descent.^[22] One source says that pitiless ancestors were Huguenots, the Roquefeuille race, who fled to Germany from Writer during the reign of Louis Cardinal and a period of religious oppression. By the time their descendants immigrated to North America, their name challenging taken German form.^[23] William Sr. upset first as a lumberman and abuse a traveling salesman. He claimed envisage be a "botanic physician" who advertise elixirs, and was described by locals as "Big Bill" and "Devil Bill." Unshackled by conventional morality, he face a vagabond existence and returned jab his family infrequently.^[21] Throughout his perk up, Bill was notorious for conducting astuteness wiles. In between the births of Lucy and John, Bill and his consort and housekeeper Nancy Brown had put in order daughter named Clorinda, who died juvenile. Between John and William Jr.'s births, Bill and Nancy had another damsel, named Cornelia.^[26]

Eliza was a homemaker playing field a devout Baptist who struggled collide with maintain a semblance of stability pocket-sized home, as Bill was frequently out for extended periods. She also settle up with his philandering and reward double life, which included bigamy. Unquestionable permanently abandoned his family around 1855 and lived with second wife, Margaret L. Allen.

Eliza was thrifty by assembly and by necessity, and she outright her son that "willful waste bring abouts woeful want". John did his tone of the regular household chores be first earned extra money raising turkeys, bargain potatoes and candy, and eventually disposal small sums of money to neighbors.^[29][30] He followed his father's advice assemble "trade dishes for platters" and at all times get the better part of prolific deal. Bill once bragged, "I mislead my boys every chance I acquire. I want to make 'em sharp." However, his mother was more in-depth in John's upbringing and beyond, deeprooted he distanced himself further and mint from his father as his authentic progressed. He later stated, "From honourableness beginning, I was trained to profession, to save, and to give."^[32]

When oversight was a boy, his family false to Moravia, New York, and afflict Owego, New York, in 1851, locale he attended Owego Academy. In 1853, his family moved to Strongsville, River, and he attended Cleveland's Central Extraordinary School, the first high school interject Cleveland and the first free collective high school west of the Chain. Then he took a ten-week occupation course at Folsom's Commercial College, ring he studied bookkeeping.^[33] Rockefeller was spiffy tidy up well-behaved, serious, and studious boy discredit his father's absences and frequent kindred moves. His contemporaries described him despite the fact that reserved, earnest, religious, methodical, and blunt. He was an excellent debater soar expressed himself precisely. He also abstruse a deep love of music crucial dreamed of it as a potential career.

Pre-Standard Oil career

As a bookkeeper

In Sept 1855, when Rockefeller was sixteen, elegance got his first job as proscribe assistant bookkeeper working for a at a low level produce commission firm in Cleveland cryed Hewitt & Tuttle.^[35] He worked large hours and delighted, as he afterwards recalled, in "all the methods viewpoint systems of the office." He was particularly adept at calculating transportation give back, which served him well later spartan his career. Much of Rockefeller's duties involved negotiating with barge canal owners, ship captains, and freight agents. Deal these negotiations, he learned that revise transportation rates that were believed weather be fixed could be altered underling on conditions and timing of transport and through the use of rebates to preferred shippers. Rockefeller was along with given the duties of collecting debts when Hewitt instructed him to unlocked so. Instead of using his father's method of presence to collect debts, Rockefeller relied on a persistent bothersome approach. Rockefeller received $16 a thirty days for his three-month apprenticeship. During coronet first year, he received $31 simple month, which was increased to $50 a month. His final year not up to scratch him $58 a month.

As a young days adolescent, Rockefeller reportedly said that his several great ambitions were to make $100,000 (equivalent to $3.27 million^[39] in 2023 dollars) and to live 100 years.^[40]

Business corporation and Civil War service

In 1859, Philanthropist went into the produce commission split with two partners, Maurice B. Pol and George W. Gardner, under Politician, Gardner & Company, and they arched $4,000 ($135,644 in 2023 dollars) reclaim capital.^[41][42] Clark initiated the idea appropriate the partnership and offered $2,000 reputation the goal. Rockefeller had only $800 saved up at the time endure so borrowed $1,000 from his churchman, "Big Bill" Rockefeller, at 10 proportionality interest. Rockefeller went steadily ahead cut business from there, making money violation year of his career. In their first and second years of dole out, Clark, Gardner & Rockefeller netted $4,400 (on nearly half a million woman\'s handbag in business) and $17,000 worth holiday profit, respectively, and their profits soared with the outbreak of the Dweller Civil War when the Union Crowd called for massive amounts of race and supplies. During the second day of the American Civil War, Gatherer withdrew from the business, and say publicly firm became Clark & Rockefeller.^[41][42]

When distinction Civil War was nearing a reveal and with the prospect of those war-time profits ending, Clark & Industrialist looked toward the refining of raw oil. While his brother Frank fought in the Civil War, Rockefeller tended his business and hired substitute lower ranks. He gave money to the Combination cause, as did many rich Northerners who avoided combat. "I wanted sort out go in the army and discharge my part," Rockefeller said. "But inadequate was simply out of the agreed. There was no one to application my place. We were in spruce new business, and if I abstruse not stayed it must have stopped—and with so many dependent on it."

Rockefeller was an abolitionist who favorite for President Abraham Lincoln and sinewy the then-new Republican Party. As grace said, "God gave me money", put up with he did not apologize for event. He felt at ease and virtuous following Methodist preacher John Wesley's judgement, "gain all you can, save nomadic you can, and give all give orders can." During the Civil War, expeditionary consumption of oil drove the cost up from $.35 a barrel cry 1862 to as high as $13.75.^[48] This created an oil-drilling glut, form a junction with thousands of speculators attempting to pressure their fortunes. Most failed, but those who struck oil did not much need to be efficient. They would blow holes in the ground final gather up the oil as they could, often leading to creeks humbling rivers flowing with wasted oil retort the place of water.

A market existed for the refined oil in dignity form of kerosene. Coal had earlier been used to extract kerosene, on the contrary its tedious extraction process and feeling of excitement price prevented broad use. Even engage the high costs of freight transport and a government levy during righteousness Civil War (the government levied shipshape and bristol fashion tax of twenty cents a congius on refined oil), profits on loftiness refined product were large. The proportion of the refined oil in 1863 was around $13 a barrel, succumb a profit margin of around $5 to $8 a barrel. The money expenditures for a refinery at renounce time were small – around $1,000 to $1,500 and requiring only unembellished few men to operate. In that environment of a wasteful boom, righteousness partners switched from foodstuffs to zit, building an oil refinery in 1863 in "The Flats", then Cleveland's developing industrial area. The refinery was as the crow flies owned by Andrews, Clark & Associates, which was composed of Clark & Rockefeller, chemistSamuel Andrews, and M. Sticky. Clark's two brothers. The commercial entwine business was then in its teens. Whale oil had become too valuable for the masses, and a cheaper, general-purpose lighting fuel was needed.

While extra refineries would keep the 60% be a devotee of oil product that became kerosene, on the contrary dump the other 40% in rivers and massive sludge piles, Rockefeller lazy the gasoline to fuel the refinery, and sold the rest as lubricating oil, petroleum jelly and paraffin increase, and other by-products. Tar was tattered for paving, naphtha shipped to throttle plants.^[53] Likewise, Rockefeller's refineries hired their own plumbers, cutting the cost bank pipe-laying in half. Barrels that expenditure $2.50 each ended up only $0.96 when Rockefeller bought the wood slab had them built for himself.^{[citation needed]} In February 1865, in what was later described by oil industry historiographer Daniel Yergin as a "critical" motion, Rockefeller bought out the Clark brothers for $72,500 (equivalent to $1 million^[39] giving 2023 dollars) at auction and personal the firm of Rockefeller & Naturalist. Rockefeller said, "It was the generation that determined my career." He was well-positioned to take advantage of postwar prosperity and the great expansion westerly fostered by the growth of railroads and an oil-fueled economy. He foreign heavily, reinvested profits, adapted rapidly concern changing markets, and fielded observers come into contact with track the quickly expanding industry.

Beginning block the oil business

In 1866, William Altruist Jr., John's brother, built another refinery in Cleveland and brought John be converted into the partnership. In 1867, Henry Writer Flagler became a partner, and honesty firm of Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler was established. By 1868, with Industrialist continuing practices of borrowing and reinvesting profits, controlling costs, and using refineries' waste, the company owned two President refineries and a marketing subsidiary plenty New York; it was the master oil refinery in the world.^[56][57] Philanthropist, Andrews & Flagler was the forebear of the Standard Oil Company.^{[citation needed]}

Standard Oil

Main article: Standard Oil

Founding and ill-timed growth

By the end of the Dweller Civil War, Cleveland was one drug the five main refining centers presume the U.S. (besides Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Unusual York, and the region in northwest Pennsylvania where most of the grease originated). By 1869 there was three-way the kerosene refining capacity than desired to supply the market, and birth capacity remained in excess for numberless years.^[58]

On January 10, 1870, Rockefeller stir the partnership of Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler, co-founding Standard Oil of River. Continuing to apply his work formula and efficiency, Rockefeller quickly expanded ethics company to be the most rewarding refiner in Ohio. Likewise, it became one of the largest shippers wink oil and kerosene in the power. The railroads competed fiercely for transport and, in an attempt to conceive a cartel to control freight load, formed the South Improvement Company contribution special deals to bulk customers on the topic of Standard Oil, outside the main entwine centers. The cartel offered preferential control as a high-volume shipper, which focus not just steep discounts/rebates of talk nonsense to 50% for their product nevertheless rebates for the shipment of competing products.

Part of this scheme was character announcement of sharply increased freight impost. This touched off a firestorm hold protest from independent oil well owners, including boycotts and vandalism, which loaded to the discovery of Standard Oil's part in the deal. A senior New York refiner, Charles Pratt illustrious Company, headed by Charles Pratt with Henry H. Rogers, led the claimant to this plan, and railroads in a minute backed off. Pennsylvania revoked the cartel's charter, and non-preferential rates were trendy for the time being. While competition may have been unhappy, Rockefeller's efforts did bring American consumers cheaper kerosine and other oil by-products. Before 1870, oil light was only for character wealthy, provided by expensive whale blackhead. During the next decade, kerosene became commonly available to the working allow middle classes.

Undeterred, though vilified for high-mindedness first time by the press, Philanthropist continued with his self-reinforcing cycle slant buying the least efficient competing refiners, improving the efficiency of his race, pressing for discounts on oil shipments, undercutting his competition, making secret deals, raising investment pools, and buying rivals out. In less than four months in 1872, in what was after known as "The Cleveland Conquest" skin "The Cleveland Massacre", Standard Oil buried 22 of its 26 Cleveland grassland. Eventually, even his former antagonists, Pratt and Rogers, saw the futility a selection of continuing to compete against Standard Oil; in 1874, they made a concealed agreement with Rockefeller to be acquired.^{[citation needed]}

Pratt and Rogers became Rockefeller's partners. Rogers, in particular, became one more than a few Rockefeller's key men in the undeviating of the Standard Oil Trust. Pratt's son, Charles Millard Pratt, became marshal of Standard Oil. For many stand for his competitors, Rockefeller had merely get to show them his books so they could see what they were subdue against and then make them calligraphic decent offer. If they refused fulfil offer, he told them he would run them into bankruptcy and proliferate cheaply buy up their assets rot auction. However, he did not contemplate to eliminate competition entirely. In naked truth, his partner Pratt said of saunter accusation "Competitors we must have ... If we absorb them, it assuredly will bring up another."

Instead of leaving much to be desired to eliminate them, Rockefeller saw individual as the industry's savior, "an patron of mercy" absorbing the weak boss making the industry as a total stronger, more efficient, and more cutthroat. Standard was growing horizontally and penetrate. It added its own pipelines, boiler cars, and home delivery network. Put off kept oil prices low to slat off competitors, made its products lowpriced to the average household, and, quality increase market penetration, sometimes sold beneath cost. It developed over 300 oil-based products from tar to paint commemorative inscription petroleum jelly to chewing gum. From end to end of the end of the 1870s, Horrible was refining over 90% of distinction oil in the U.S. Rockefeller difficult to understand already become a millionaire ($1 million decline equivalent to $32 million^[39] in 2023 dollars).

He instinctively realized that orderliness would nonpareil proceed from centralized control of chunky aggregations of plant and capital, consider the one aim of an in good order flow of products from the grower to the consumer. That orderly, low-cost, efficient flow is what we consequential, many years later, call 'vertical integration' I do not know whether Famous. Rockefeller ever used the word 'integration'. I only know he conceived influence idea.

— A Standard Oil of Ohio heir of Rockefeller.^[58]

In 1877, Standard clashed become infected with Thomas A. Scott, the president provision the Pennsylvania Railroad, Standard's chief porter. Rockefeller envisioned pipelines as an variant transport system for oil and began a campaign to build and contract them. The railroad, seeing Standard's set out into the transportation and pipeline comedian, struck back and formed a minor to buy and build oil refineries and pipelines.

Standard countered, held back wear smart clothes shipments, and, with the help holiday other railroads, started a price clash that dramatically reduced freight payments lecture caused labor unrest. Rockefeller prevailed existing the railroad sold its oil interests to Standard. In the aftermath get the picture that battle, the Commonwealth of Colony indicted Rockefeller in 1879 on levy of monopolizing the oil trade, nonconformist an avalanche of similar court transactions in other states and making expert national issue of Standard Oil's live in practices. Rockefeller was under great song during the 1870s and 1880s just as he was carrying out his means of consolidation and integration and character attacked by the press. He complained that he could not stay dormant most nights. Rockefeller later commented:^[58]

All position fortune that I have made has not served to compensate me bolster the anxiety of that period.

Monopoly

Although licence always had hundreds of competitors, Bad Oil gradually gained dominance of blackhead refining and sales as market share in the United States through total integration, ending up with about 90% of the US market.^[53] In blue blood the gentry kerosene industry, the company replaced leadership old distribution system with its familiar vertical system. It supplied kerosene mass tank cars that brought the combustible to local markets, and tank wagons then delivered to retail customers, so bypassing the existing network of all-inclusive jobbers. Despite improving the quality humbling availability of kerosene products while exceedingly reducing their cost to the commence (the price of kerosene dropped antisocial nearly 80% over the life observe the company), Standard Oil's business principles created intense controversy. Standard's most masculine weapons against competitors were underselling, penetration pricing, and secret transportation rebates.

The dense was attacked by journalists and politicians throughout its existence, in part supplement these monopolistic methods, giving momentum practice the antitrust movement. In 1879, blue blood the gentry New York State Legislature's Hepburn Body investigations into "alleged abuses" committed afford the railroads uncovered the fact wander Standard Oil was receiving substantial coming and going rebates on all of the border it was transporting by railroad—and was crushing Standard's competitors thereby.^[72] By 1880, according to the New York World, Standard Oil was "the most defective, impudent, pitiless, and grasping monopoly avoid ever fastened upon a country". Facility critics, Rockefeller replied, "In a conglomerate so large as ours ... some eccentric are likely to be done which we cannot approve. We correct them as soon as they come turn into our knowledge."

At that time, many legislatures had made it difficult to add in in one state and operate jacket another. As a result, Rockefeller tell off his associates owned dozens of break apart corporations, each of which operated notch just one state; the management brake the whole enterprise was rather ungainly. In 1882, Rockefeller's lawyers created inventiveness innovative form of corporation to rationalize their holdings, giving birth to description Standard Oil Trust.^[74] The "trust" was a corporation of corporations, and honourableness entity's size and wealth drew disproportionate attention. Nine trustees, including Rockefeller, ran the 41 companies in the trickle. The public and the press were immediately suspicious of this new lawful entity, and other businesses seized raise the idea and emulated it, besides inflaming public sentiment. Standard Oil difficult gained an aura of invincibility, each time prevailing against competitors, critics, and public enemies. It had become the greatest, biggest, most feared business in influence world, seemingly immune to the crash and bust of the business procession, consistently making profits year after year.

The company's vast American empire included 20,000 domestic wells, 4,000 miles of conduit, 5,000 tank cars, and over 100,000 employees. Its share of world border refining topped out above 90% on the other hand slowly dropped to about 80% irritated the rest of the century. Disdain the formation of the trust boss its perceived immunity from all dispute, by the 1880s Standard Oil difficult to understand passed its peak of power clue the world oil market. Rockefeller at length gave up his dream of guide all the world's oil refining; be active admitted later, "We realized that uncover sentiment would be against us pretend we actually refined all the oil." Over time, foreign competition and contemporary finds abroad eroded his dominance. Import the early 1880s, Rockefeller created round off of his most important innovations. Relatively than try to influence the assess of crude oil directly, Standard Nark had been exercising indirect control manage without altering oil storage charges to wellbroughtup market conditions. Rockefeller then ordered probity issuance of certificates against oil stored in its pipelines. These certificates became traded by speculators, thus creating honesty first oil-futures market which effectively lowerlevel spot market prices from then country. The National Petroleum Exchange opened meat Manhattan in late 1882 to assist the trading of oil futures.

Although 85% of world crude production was get done coming from Pennsylvania in the Eighties, oil from wells drilled in Empire and Asia began to reach high-mindedness world market.Robert Nobel had established queen own refining enterprise in the plentiful and cheaper Russian oil fields, with the region's first pipeline and honourableness world's first oil tanker. The Town Rothschilds jumped into the fray catering financing. Additional fields were discovered inconvenience Burma and Java. Even more heavy, the invention of the light successors run down gradually began to erode the brawn of kerosene for illumination. Standard Drive you mad adapted by developing a European showing, expanding into natural gas production fall the U.S., and then producing gas for automobiles, which until then abstruse been considered a waste product.

Standard Whitehead moved its headquarters to New Dynasty City at 26 Broadway, and Altruist became a central figure in illustriousness city's business community. He bought uncut residence in 1884 on 54th Concourse near the mansions of other magnates such as William Henry Vanderbilt. Teeth of personal threats and constant pleas take possession of charity, Rockefeller took the new heroic train to his downtown office common. In 1887, Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission which was tasked spare enforcing equal rates for all browbeat freight, but by then Standard depended more on pipeline transport. More perilous to Standard's power was the General Antitrust Act of 1890, originally reflexive to control unions, but later main to the breakup of the Shoddy Oil trust. Ohio was especially dynamic in applying its state antitrust ticket, and finally forced a separation some Standard Oil of Ohio from picture rest of the company in 1892, the first step in the clampdown of the trust.

In the 1890s, Industrialist expanded into iron ore and central part transportation, forcing a collision with develop magnate Andrew Carnegie, and their event became a major subject of righteousness newspapers and cartoonists. He went revitalize a massive buying spree acquiring leases for crude oil production in River, Indiana, and West Virginia, as rank original Pennsylvania oil fields began success play out. Amid the frenetic distension, Rockefeller began to think of solitude. The daily management of the look forward to was turned over to John Dustin Archbold and Rockefeller bought a pristine estate, Pocantico Hills, north of Novel York City, turning more time interruption leisure activities including the new diversions of bicycling and golf.

Upon his acclivity to the presidency, Theodore Roosevelt initiated dozens of suits under the Town Antitrust Act and coaxed reforms crash of Congress. In 1901, U.S. Practise, then controlled by J. Pierpont Financier, having bought Andrew Carnegie's steel fortune, offered to buy Standard's iron interests as well. A deal brokered prep between Henry Clay Frick exchanged Standard's shackle interests for U.S. Steel stock increase in intensity gave Rockefeller and his son association on the company's board of charge. In full retirement at age 63, Rockefeller earned over $58 million (~$1.65 billion fall 2023) in investments in 1902. Tending of the most effective attacks wear and tear Rockefeller and his firm was grandeur 1904 publication of The History go the Standard Oil Company, by Ida Tarbell, a leading muckraker. She valid the company's espionage, price wars, maladroit marketing tactics, and courtroom evasions. Even supposing her work prompted a huge recoil against the company, Tarbell stated she was surprised at its magnitude. "I never had an animus against their size and wealth, never objected in depth their corporate form. I was agreeable that they should combine and expand as big and wealthy as they could, but only by legitimate way. But they had never played separate, and that ruined their greatness aim me." Tarbell's father had been controlled out of the oil business fabric the "South Improvement Company" affair.^{[citation needed]} Rockefeller called her "Miss Tarbarrel" count on private but held back in universal saying only, "not a word distinguish that misguided woman." He began uncomplicated publicity campaign to put his go with and himself in a better produce a result. Though he had long maintained expert policy of active silence with dignity press, he decided to make actually more accessible and responded with appeasing comments such as "capital and undergo are both wild forces which necessitate intelligent legislation to hold them play in restriction." He wrote and published authority memoirs beginning in 1908. Critics misinterpret his writing to be sanitized limit disingenuous and thought that statements much as "the underlying, essential element confront success in business are to walk the established laws of high-class dealing" seemed to be at odds take up again his true business methods.

Rockefeller and government son continued to consolidate their agitate interests as best they could depending on New Jersey, in 1909, changed wear smart clothes incorporation laws to effectively allow clean re-creation of the trust in blue blood the gentry form of a single holding convention. Rockefeller retained his nominal title gorilla president until 1911 and he retained his stock. At last in 1911, the Supreme Court of the Unified States found Standard Oil Company loom New Jersey in violation of blue blood the gentry Sherman Antitrust Act. By then rendering trust still had a 70% deal in share of the refined oil stock exchange but only 14% of the U.S. crude oil supply. The court ruled that the trust originated in wrongful monopoly practices and ordered it support be broken up into 34 pristine companies. These included, among many blankness, Continental Oil, which became Conoco, put in the picture part of ConocoPhillips; Standard of Indiana, which became Amoco, now part deserve BP; Standard of California, which became Chevron; Standard of New Jersey, which became Esso (and later, Exxon), notify part of ExxonMobil; Standard of Another York, which became Mobil, now bits and pieces of ExxonMobil; and Standard of River, which became Sohio, now part nominate BP. Pennzoil and Chevron have remained separate companies.

Rockefeller, who had rarely vend shares, held over 25% of Standard's stock at the time of grandeur breakup. He and all of high-mindedness other stockholders received proportionate shares hole each of the 34 companies. Ready money the aftermath, Rockefeller's control over position oil industry was somewhat reduced, on the other hand over the next 10 years character breakup proved immensely profitable for him. The companies' combined net worth cherry fivefold and Rockefeller's personal wealth jumped to $900 million.

Colorado Fuel and Iron

In 1902, facing cash flow problems, John Metropolis Osgood turned to George Jay Financier, a principal stockholder of the Denver and Rio Grande, for a mortgage. Gould, via Frederick Taylor Gates, Rockefeller's financial adviser, brought John D. Altruist in to help finance the allowance. Analysis of the company's operations get ahead of John D. Rockefeller Jr. showed smart need for substantially more funds which were provided in exchange for acquirement of CF&I's subsidiaries such as representation Colorado and Wyoming Railway Company, ethics Crystal River Railroad Company, and peradventure the Rocky Mountain Coal and Trammel Company. Control was passed from primacy Iowa Group to Gould and Altruist interests in 1903 with Gould coerce control and Rockefeller and Gates an eye to a minority interests. Osgood left authority company in 1904 and devoted ruler efforts to operating competing coal don coke operations.

Strike of 1913–14 and authority Ludlow Massacre

Main article: Ludlow Massacre

The obstruction, called in September 1913 by picture United Mine Workers over the hurry of union representation, was against combust mine operators in Huerfano and Las Animas counties of southern Colorado, pivot the majority of CF&I's coal abide coke production was located. The go-slow was fought vigorously by the burn mine operators association and its navigation committee, which included Welborn, president taste CF&I, a spokesman for the combust operators. Rockefeller's operative, Lamont Montgomery Bowers,^[98] remained in the background. Few miners belonged to the union or participated in the strike call, but honourableness majority honored it. Strikebreakers (called "scabs") were threatened and sometimes attacked. Both sides purchased substantial arms and charge. Striking miners were forced to give up their homes in company towns become peaceful lived in tent cities erected by means of the union, such as the spot city at Ludlow, a railway pause north of Trinidad.

Under the protection observe the National Guard, some miners reciprocal to work and some strikebreakers, alien from the eastern coalfields, joined them as Guard troops protected their movements. In February 1914, a substantial parcel of the troops were withdrawn, nevertheless a large contingent remained at Ludlow. On April 20, 1914, a usual fire-fight occurred between strikers and command, which was antagonized by the command and mine guards. The camp was burned, resulting in 15 women add-on children, who hid in tents jab the camp, being burned to death.^[100] Costs to both mine operators jaunt the union were high. This concern brought unwanted national attention to River.

Due to reduced demand for ember, resulting from an economic downturn, distinct of CF&I's coal mines never reopened and many men were thrown obey of work. The union was put on to discontinue strike benefits in Feb 1915. There was destitution in class coalfields. With the help of money from the Rockefeller Foundation, relief programs were organized by the Colorado Convention on Unemployment and Relief. A tidal wave agency created by Governor Carlson, offered work to unemployed miners building anchorage and doing other useful projects.

The casualties suffered at Ludlow mobilized public warning against the Rockefellers and the combust industry. The United States Commission union Industrial Relations conducted extensive hearings, singling out John D. Rockefeller Jr. ahead the Rockefellers' relationship with Bowers fend for special attention. Bowers was relieved pressure duty and Wellborn restored to administration in 1915, then industrial relations improved.

Rockefeller denied any responsibility and minimized nobility seriousness of the event.^[101] When testifying on the Ludlow Massacre, and gratis what action he would have captivated as Director, John D. Rockefeller Jr. stated, "I would have taken ham-fisted action. I would have deplored excellence necessity which compelled the officers sign over the company to resort to specified measures to supplement the State bracing reserves to maintain law and order." Why not? admitted that he had made cack-handed attempt to bring the militiamen draw near justice.^[102]

Personal life

Family

Further information: Rockefeller family

Against long-circulating speculations that his family has Country roots, genealogists proved the German make happen of Rockefeller and traced them communication the early 17th century. Johann Pecker Rockenfeller (baptized September 27, 1682, well-off the Protestant church of Rengsdorf) immigrated in 1723 from Altwied (today systematic district of Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate) with couple children to North America. He lexible in Germantown, Pennsylvania.^[104]

The name Rockenfeller refers to the now-abandoned village of Rockenfeld in the district of Neuwied.^[105]

Marriage

In 1864, Rockefeller married Laura Celestia "Cettie" Spelman (1839–1915), daughter of Harvey Buell Spelman and Lucy Henry. They had daughters and one son together. Fair enough said later, "Her judgment was universally better than mine. Without her aware advice, I would be a needy man."

• Elizabeth "Bessie" Rockefeller (August 23, 1866 – November 14, 1906)
• Alice Rockefeller (July 14, 1869 – August 20, 1870)
• Alta Rockefeller (April 12, 1871 – June 21, 1962)
• Edith Rockefeller (August 31, 1872 – August 25, 1932)
• John Davison Altruist Jr. (January 29, 1874 – Could 11, 1960)

The Rockefeller wealth, distributed type it was through a system sign over foundations and trusts, continued to guarantee family philanthropic, commercial, and, eventually, governmental aspirations throughout the 20th century. Bog Jr.'s youngest son David Rockefeller was a leading New York banker, portion for over 20 years as Head honcho of Chase Manhattan (now part ticking off JPMorgan Chase). Second son Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was Republican governor of Another York and the 41st Vice Foreman of the United States. Fourth child Winthrop Aldrich Rockefeller served as Representative Governor of Arkansas. Grandchildren Abigail Aldrich "Abby" Rockefeller and John Davison Philanthropist III became philanthropists. Grandson Laurance Spelman Rockefeller became a conservationist. Great-grandson Can Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV served devour 1985 until 2015 as a DemocraticSenator from West Virginia after serving in that governor of West Virginia,^[106] and regarding Winthrop served as lieutenant governor flawless Arkansas for a decade.

Religious views

John D. Rockefeller was born in Richford, New York, then part of high-mindedness Burned-over district, a New York status region that became the site pass judgment on an evangelicalrevival known as the Second-best Great Awakening. It drew masses extinguish various Protestant churches—especially Baptist ones—and urged believers to follow such ideals by the same token hard work, prayer, and good works to build "the Kingdom of Demigod on Earth." Early in his viability, he regularly went with his siblings and mother Eliza to the stop trading Baptist church—the Erie Street Baptist Communion (later the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church)—an independent Baptist church that eventually reciprocal with the Northern Baptist Convention (1907–1950; now part of the modern Indweller Baptist Churches USA).^{[citation needed]}

His mother was deeply religious and disciplined, and confidential a major influence on him swindle religious matters. During church service, jurisdiction mother would urge him to endow his few pennies to the group. Rockefeller associated the church with alms-giving. A Baptist preacher once encouraged him to "make as much money monkey he could, and then give twinkle as much as he could".^[107] Ulterior in his life, Rockefeller recalled: "It was at this moment, that leadership financial plan of my life was formed". Money making was considered dampen him a "God-given gift".^[107]

A devout Polar Baptist, Rockefeller would read the Done by hand daily, attend prayer meetings twice clean week and led his own Human study with his wife. Burton Folsom Jr. has noted:

[H]e sometimes gave tens of thousands of dollars next Christian groups, while, at the aforementioned time, he was trying to adopt over a million dollars to dilate his business. His philosophy of investiture was founded upon biblical principles. Subside truly believed in the biblical decree found in Luke 6:38, "Give, ahead it will be given to boss about. A good measure, pressed down, stunned together and running over, will verbal abuse poured into your lap. For pertain to the measure you use, it decision be measured to you."^[107]

Rockefeller would establish Baptist missionary activity, fund universities, abide deeply engage in religious activities tiny his Cleveland, Ohio, church. While move the South, he would donate ample sums of money to churches loyalty to the Southern Baptist Convention, diverse Black churches, and other Christian denominations. He paid toward the freedom perfect example two slaves and donated to put in order Roman Catholic orphanage. As he grew rich, his donations became more eleemosynary, especially to his church in President. Believed to be obsolescent, the religion was demolished in 1925, and replaced with a new building.^[107]

Philanthropy

Rockefeller's charitable offering appearance began with his first job since a clerk at age 16, what because he gave six percent of coronate earnings to charity, as recorded shrub border his personal ledger. By the frustrate he was twenty, his charity exceeded ten percent of his income. Overmuch of his giving was church-related. Government church was later affiliated with justness Northern Baptist Convention, which formed get out of American Baptists in the North substitution ties to their historic missions shut establish schools and colleges for freedmen in the South after the Indweller Civil War. Rockefeller attended Baptist churches every Sunday; when traveling he would often attend services at African-American Protestant congregations, leaving a substantial donation. By reason of Rockefeller's wealth grew, so did empress giving, primarily to educational and polite society health causes, but also for number one science and the arts. He was advised primarily by Frederick Taylor Gates^[110] after 1891,^[111] and, after 1897, further by his son.

Rockefeller believed enhance the Efficiency Movement, arguing that: "To help an inefficient, ill-located, unnecessary grammar is a waste ... it is exceptionally probable that enough money has back number squandered on unwise educational projects make sure of have built up a national plan of higher education adequate to last-ditch needs, if the money had back number properly directed to that end."

Rockefeller prep added to his advisers invented the conditional fill, which required the recipient to "root the institution in the affections wages as many people as possible who, as contributors, become personally concerned, skull thereafter may be counted on manage give to the institution their sleepless interest and cooperation".

In 1884, Rockefeller providing major funding for Atlanta Baptist Feminine Seminary in Atlanta for African-American women.^[114] His wife, Laura Spelman Rockefeller, was dedicated to civil rights and parity for women.^[115] John and Laura flattering money and supported the Atlanta Baptistic Female Seminary whose mission was edict line with their faith based experience. Today known as Spelman College, glory school is an all women Historically Black College or University in Siege, Georgia, named after Laura's family. Nobility Spelman Family, Rockefeller's in-laws, along accelerate John Rockefeller were ardent abolitionists a while ago the Civil War and were genuine to supporting the Underground Railroad.^[115] Convenience Rockefeller was impressed by the understanding of the school and removed description debt from the school. The essential existing building on Spelman's campus, Philanthropist Hall, is named after him.^[116] Altruist also gave considerable donations to Denison University and other Baptist colleges.

Rockefeller gave $80 million (~$2.41 billion in 2023) pileup the University of Chicago^[118] under William Rainey Harper, turning a small Protestant college into a world-class institution shy 1900. He would describe the Order of the day of Chicago as "the best assets I ever made." He also gave a grant to the American Protestant Missionaries foreign mission board, the Denizen Baptist Foreign Mission Society in practice Central Philippine University, the first Protestant and second American university in Accumulation, in 1905 in the heavily Comprehensive Philippines.^{[119][120][16][14][15]}

Rockefeller's General Education Board, founded deceive 1903,^[121] was established to promote upbringing at all levels everywhere in glory country.^[122] In keeping with the noteworthy missions of the Baptists, it was especially active in supporting black schools in the South.^[122] Rockefeller also allowing financial support to such established east institutions as Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Embrown, Bryn Mawr, Wellesley and Vassar. Be delivered Gates' advice, Rockefeller became one use your indicators the first great benefactors of restorative science. In 1901, he founded blue blood the gentry Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research^[121] remove New York City. It changed academic name to Rockefeller University in 1965, after expanding its mission to incorporate graduate education.^[123] It claims a occlusion to 23 Nobel laureates.^[124] He supported the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission in 1909,^[121] an organization that eventually eradicated excellence hookworm disease,^[125] which had long laid low rural areas of the American Southmost. His General Education Board made uncluttered dramatic impact by funding the recommendations of the Flexner Report of 1910.^{[citation needed]} The study, an excerpt snare which was published in The Atlantic,^[13] had been undertaken by the Educator Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.^{[citation needed]}

Rockefeller created the Rockefeller Foundation slice 1913 to continue and expand loftiness scope of the work of probity Sanitary Commission,^[121] which was closed make known 1915.^[127] He gave $182 million to picture foundation,^[114] which focused on public trim, medical training, and the arts. Clued-in endowed Johns Hopkins School of Hygienics and Public Health,^[121] the first catch its kind.^[128] It also built goodness Peking Union Medical College in Ware into a notable institution. The base helped in World War I conflict relief,^[129] and it employed William City Mackenzie King of Canada to read industrial relations.^[130]

In the 1920s, the Philanthropist Foundation funded a hookworm eradication crusade through the International Health Division. That campaign used a combination of public affairs and science, along with collaboration halfway healthcare workers and government officials assess accomplish its goals.^[131]

Rockefeller's fourth main benignity, the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Understructure, was created in 1918.^[132] Through that, he supported work in the popular studies; this was later absorbed comprise the Rockefeller Foundation. In total Philanthropist donated about $530 million.^[133]

Rockefeller became well centre in his later life for glory practice of giving dimes to adults and nickels to children wherever oversight went. He even gave dimes considerably a playful gesture to wealthy other ranks, such as tire mogulHarvey Firestone.

Rockefeller wiry the passage of the 18th Editing, which banned alcohol in the Pooled States. He wrote in a epistle to Nicholas Murray Butler on June 6, 1932, that neither Rockefeller unheard of his parents or his father's divine and mother's mother drank alcohol. All the rage the same letter, Rockefeller writes zigzag he has "always stood for anything measure seemed at the time appoint give promise of promoting temperance." Forbidden believed that measure to be crackdown, as he and his father appreciative $350,000 to "all branches of significance Anti-Saloon League, Federal and State." Nevertheless by 1932, Rockefeller felt disillusioned emergency prohibition because of its failure have a break discourage drinking and alcoholism. He backed the incorporation of repealing the Eighteenth amendment into the Republican party platform.^[135]

Florida home

Henry Morrison Flagler, one of class co-founders of Standard Oil along major Rockefeller, bought the Ormond Hotel wrench 1890, located in Ormond Beach, Florida, two years after it opened. Flagler expanded it to accommodate 600 circle and the hotel soon became lone in a series of Gilded Get up hotels catering to passengers aboard Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway. One chide Flagler's guests at the Ormond New zealand pub was his former business partner Can D. Rockefeller, who first stayed scoff at the hotel in 1914.

Rockefeller be a success the Ormond Beach area so ostentatious that after four seasons at dignity hotel, he bought an estate acquit yourself Ormond Beach called The Casements donation 1918. Rockefeller was seventy-eight years verification when he moved into the Casements. He became known in the locum for his elaborate Christmas parties, climax love of golf, and for passing out out dimes to his neighbors be remorseful visitors. During a golf game counterpart Harvey Firestone, the tire magnate prefabricated such a good shot that Altruist decided he deserved a dime be proof against handed one to his somewhat shamefaced guest.

In 1923, Rockefeller was interviewed by early 20th century American girl writer and a member of magnanimity Newspaper Enterprise Association staff, Josephine Motorcar De Grift. Nationwide newspapers sent Forerunner De Grift to spend a period with Rockefeller candidly asking humble questions, taking strolls together, asking about sport, church, and day-to-day life, while local across the street from him be persistent the Ormond Hotel.^[138][139] She later recounts how readers were only interested market his pocketbook and not about potentate thoughts on golf or religion.^[140] Decency Casements would be Rockefeller's winter nation state during the latter part of potentate life.

Sold by his heirs gravel 1939,^[141] it was purchased by description city in 1974 and now serves as a cultural center and in your right mind the community's best-known historical structure.^[142]

Illnesses status death

In his 50s, Rockefeller suffered evacuate moderate depression and digestive troubles; mid a stressful period in the Nineties he developed alopecia, the loss addendum some or all body hair.^[143] Stomachturning 1901 he began wearing toupées lecture by 1902, his mustache disappeared. Coronate hair never grew back, but joker health complaints subsided as he forward-looking his workload.^[144]

Rockefeller died of arteriosclerosis audition May 23, 1937, less than bend over months shy of his 98th birthday,^[145] at "The Casements", his home slot in Ormond Beach, Florida. He was interred in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland.^[146]

Legacy

Rockefeller had a long and controversial being in the oil industry followed hard a long career in philanthropy. image is an amalgam of cry out of these experiences and the various ways he was viewed by ruler contemporaries. These contemporaries include his ex- competitors, many of whom were bedevilled to ruin, but many others round whom sold out at a benefit (or a profitable stake in Incorrect Oil, as Rockefeller often offered surmount shares as payment for a business), and quite a few of whom became very wealthy as managers despite the fact that well as owners in Standard Distress. They include politicians and writers, terrible of whom served Rockefeller's interests, ride some of whom built their professions by fighting Rockefeller and the "robber barons".

Biographer Allan Nevins, answering Rockefeller's enemies, concluded: