 Rockefeller and Scrooge were born in poverty and worked to earn their fortunes.John D. Rockerduck was born c. 1878 (this is arguably in contrast to many stories where he seem to be at least 20 years younger than Scrooge) to Howard Rockerduck, an American millionaire who had earned his fortune in the California gold rush of 1849.While John's father was a shrewd businessman but a mild-mannered man, his mother was a rather snobbish woman who spoiled her son.