july american industrialist philanthropist founder dominated oil industry great business trust petroleum industry key contemporary defined structure modern philanthropy founded actively ran officially retired founded ohio partnership brother william chemist silent partner gasoline grew importance wealth world richest man american worth billion dollars controlling oil united_states peak fortune death stood billion equivalent billion dollars time fortune accounted national economy equivalent billion peak net worth estimated billion american economy usd inflation adjusted years age making arguably richest person modern history spent years life retirement estate new_york fortune mainly create modern systematic approach targeted philanthropy able creation foundations major effect medicine education scientific research foundations pioneered development medical research instrumental yellow fever founder university_of_chicago funded establishment philippines devout devoted supported church based institutions adhered total alcohol tobacco life faithful taught sunday school served trustee clerk occasional religion guiding force life believed source success considered supporter capitalism based perspective social quoted saying growth large business merely survival early life second children eldest son born new_york con artist bill november september march siblings mary twins franklin frank father english german descent mother scots irish descent bill traveling salesman identified physician sold locals referred mysterious fun loving man big bill devil bill sworn foe conventional morality opted existence returned family life bill notorious schemes john bill mistress daughter named died young john bill nancy daughter devout northern baptist struggled maintain stability home bill frequently gone extended periods double life included nature necessity taught son waste makes want share regular household earned extra money raising selling potatoes candy eventually lending small sums money neighbors followed father advice trade dishes better deal bill cheat boys chance want sharp boy family moved attended family moved suburb cleveland attended cleveland high school cleveland free public high school west took week business course studied spite father frequent family moves young john behaved boy contemporaries described reserved earnest religious excellent expressed precisely deep love music dreamed possible career early displayed excellent mind numbers detailed accounting career september sixteen got job assistant working small produce commission firm called worked long hours delighted later recalled methods systems office particularly adept calculating transportation costs served later career making cents day salary months work equivalent thousand dollars youth reportedly said great ambitions thousand equivalent million dollars live years business partnership civil war service went produce commission business partner raised equivalent thousand dollars capital went steadily ahead business making money year career wholesale partners built oil flats cleveland burgeoning industrial area directly owned composed chemist brothers commercial oil business infancy whale oil expensive masses cheaper general purpose lighting fuel needed brother frank fought civil war tended business hired substitute soldiers gave money union cause rich avoided combat abolitionist voted president abraham_lincoln supported new republican_party said god gave money apologize felt ease following gain save february later described oil industry historian critical action bought clark brothers equivalent million dollars auction established firm said day determined career positioned advantage postwar prosperity great expansion westward fostered growth railroads oil fueled economy borrowed heavily profits adapted rapidly changing markets fielded observers track quickly expanding industry beginning oil business brother built cleveland brought john partnership partner firm established continuing practices borrowing profits controlling costs waste company owned cleveland marketing subsidiary new_york largest oil world predecessor founding early growth end american civil war cleveland main centers pittsburgh pennsylvania new_york region northwestern pennsylvania oil originated times capacity needed supply market capacity remained excess years january abolished partnership forming ohio rapidly profitable ohio grew largest oil country railroads competed fiercely traffic attempt create control freight rates formed standard oil companies outside main oil centers received treatment high volume included steep product shipment competing products scheme announcement sharply increased freight charges touched protest independent oil owners including vandalism led discovery deal major new_york headed led opposition plan railroads soon backed pennsylvania revoked charter non rates restored time time press continued self reinforcing cycle buying competing improving efficiency operations pressing oil shipments competition making secret deals raising investment pools buying rivals months later known cleveland conquest cleveland massacre cleveland competitors eventually antagonists rogers saw continuing compete secret agreement acquired rogers partners rogers particular key men formation son secretary competitors merely books decent offer refused offer told run bankruptcy buy assets auction saw industry angel mercy absorbing weak making industry stronger efficient competitive standard growing horizontally vertically added tank cars home delivery network kept oil prices low competitors products affordable average household increase market penetration sold cost developed oil based products tar paint petroleum end 1870s standard oil millionaire million equivalent million dollars realized proceed centralized control large plant capital aim orderly flow products producer consumer orderly economic efficient flow years later vertical integration know word integration know conceived idea standard oil ohio successor standard clashed president standard chief envisioned alternative transport system oil began campaign build acquire railroad seeing standard transportation pipeline fields struck formed subsidiary buy build oil standard countered held shipments help railroads started price war dramatically reduced freight payments caused labor unrest prevailed railroad sold oil interests standard aftermath battle indicted charges oil trade starting similar court proceedings states making national issue business practices great strain 1870s 1880s carrying plan consolidation integration attacked press complained stay asleep nights later commented fortune served compensate anxiety period monopoly gradually gained complete control oil marketing united_states horizontal integration industry replaced old distribution system vertical system supplied tank cars brought fuel local markets tank wagons delivered retail customers bypassing existing network wholesale despite improving quality availability products greatly reducing cost public price dropped nearly life company business practices created intense controversy standard potent weapons competitors differential secret transportation firm attacked journalists politicians existence methods giving momentum movement according cruel monopoly country critics replied business large things likely approve correct soon come knowledge time difficult incorporate state operate result associates owned dozens separate corporations operated state management enterprise lawyers created innovative form corporation holdings giving birth trust corporation corporations entity size wealth drew attention trustees including ran companies trust public press immediately suspicious new legal entity businesses seized idea emulated public sentiment gained prevailing competitors critics political enemies richest biggest feared business world seemingly immune boom bust business cycle consistently making profits year year company vast american empire included domestic wells miles pipeline tank cars employees share world oil topped slowly dropped rest century spite formation trust perceived immunity competition 1880s passed peak power world oil market finally gave dream controlling world oil admitted later realized public sentiment actually refined oil time foreign competition new finds abroad eroded dominance early 1880s created important innovations try influence price crude oil directly exercising indirect control altering oil storage charges suit market conditions ordered issuance certificates oil stored certificates traded creating oil market effectively set spot market prices opened manhattan late facilitate trading oil world crude production coming pennsylvania wells 1880s drilling russia asia began reach world market established enterprise abundant cheaper russian oil fields including region pipeline world oil tanker paris jumped providing financing additional fields discovered burma java critical invention light gradually began dominance illumination adapted developing european presence expanding natural gas production gasoline automobiles considered waste product moved headquarters new_york_city broadway central figure city business community bought residence 54th street near despite personal threats constant pleas charity took new elevated train downtown office daily congress created tasked enforcing equal rates railroad freight standard depended pipeline transport threatening standard power act originally control unions later central breakup trust ohio especially vigorous applying state anti trust laws finally forced separation ohio rest company step dissolution trust 1890s expanded iron ore ore transportation forcing collision steel magnate competition major subject newspapers went massive buying acquiring crude oil production ohio indiana west_virginia original pennsylvania oil fields began play amidst expansion began think retirement daily management trust turned bought new estate north new_york_city turning time leisure activities including new sports golf ascent presidency initiated dozens suits act reforms congress controlled having bought steel assets offered buy standard iron interests deal exchanged standard iron interests stock gave son membership company board directors retirement age earned million investments effective attacks firm publication history standard oil company leading documented company espionage price wars heavy handed marketing tactics courtroom work prompted huge backlash company stated surprised magnitude size wealth objected corporate form willing combine grow big wealthy legitimate means played fair ruined greatness father driven oil business affair called miss private held public saying word woman instead began publicity campaign company better light long maintained policy active silence press decided accessible responded comments capital labor wild forces require intelligent legislation hold restriction wrote published memoirs beginning critics found writing thought statements underlying essential element success business follow established laws high class dealing odds true business methods son continued consolidate oil interests best new_jersey changed incorporation laws effectively allow creation trust form single holding company retained nominal title president kept stock supreme_court united_states found new_jersey violation act trust market share refined oil market crude oil supply court ruled trust originated illegal monopoly practices ordered broken new companies included later remained separate companies rarely sold shares held standard stock time breakup received shares companies aftermath control oil industry somewhat reduced years breakup proved immensely profitable companies combined net worth rose personal wealth jumped million iron facing cash flow problems turned principle denver loan financial adviser brought help finance loan analysis company operations showed need substantially funds provided exchange acquisition colorado possibly iron company control passed interests control gates representing minority interests left company devoted efforts operating competing coal operations strike massacre strike called september issue union representation coal operators counties southern colorado majority coal production located fought coal operators association steering committee included president spokesman coal operators man remained background miners actually belonged union participated strike majority honored threatened attacked sides purchased substantial arms ammunition striking miners forced abandon homes company towns lived tent cities erected union tent city railway stop north trinidad protection national_guard miners returned work imported eastern joined guard troops protected movements february substantial portion troops withdrawn substantial contingent remained april general fire fight occurred troops camp burned women children camp burned death costs operators union high reduced demand coal resulting economic coal mines reopened men thrown work union forced strike benefits february coal fields help funds relief programs organized relief state agency created governor offering work unemployed miners building roads useful projects casualties suffered successfully labeled massacre mobilized public opinion coal industry conducted extensive hearings relationship special attention relieved duty restored control industrial relations improved initially following massacre denied responsibility seriousness event massacre asked action taken director stated taken action necessity compelled officers company resort measures supplement state forces maintain law order admitted attempt bring justice illnesses death 50s suffered moderate depression digestive troubles period 1890s developed condition causes loss body hair hair body began wearing hair grew health complaints subsided workload died months shy birthday home florida buried lake view cemetery cleveland personal life family long circulating family french roots proved german origin traced early 17th century baptized september protestant church immigrated today district children north_america settled pennsylvania refers deserted place english field district today numerous inhabitants region surname marriage married daughter daughters son said later judgment better keen advice poor man elizabeth august november july august april june august august january wealth distributed system foundations continued fund family commercial eventually political aspirations 20th century youngest son leading new_york banker serving years ceo second son republican governor new_york 41st vice president united_states fourth son served republican governor arkansas grandchildren grandson great grandson jay served democratic senator west_virginia governor west_virginia served years lieutenant governor arkansas religious views born new_york state area known burned district amidst second great awakening evangelical revival drew masses protestant churches especially baptist methodist ones urging believers follow ideals hard work prayer good deeds build earth early life regularly went siblings mother local baptist church later belonging called modern mother deeply religious disciplined major influence religious matters church service mother urge contribute congregation came associate church charity baptist preacher encouraged money away later life recalled moment financial plan life formed money making considered god given gift devout northern baptist read bible daily attend prayer meetings twice week led bible study wife noted gave tens thousands dollars christian groups time trying borrow million dollar expand business philosophy giving founded biblical principles truly believed biblical principle found luke given good measure pressed shaken running poured lap measure use measured support baptist missionary activity fund universities heavily engage religious activities cleveland ohio church traveling south donate large sums money churches belonging christian denominations time paid slave freedom gave roman catholic grew rich donations generous especially church cleveland rumors height power rumors family said guard embarrassing secret offered reward information john father bill aka known alive false journalists find death years later story published bill traveled country glad handing occasionally doctor legitimate medical training abandoned family remained legally married death adopted married issue died tomb paid property second wife philanthropy charitable giving began job clerk age gave percent earnings charity recorded personal time charity exceeded percent income giving church related church later affiliated formed north ties historic missions establish schools colleges south american_civil_war attended baptist churches sunday traveling attend services african american baptist congregations leaving substantial donation wealth grew giving primarily educational public health causes basic science arts advised primarily son influenced meeting urged use philanthropy help poor distressed people believed arguing help inefficient ill located unnecessary school waste highly probable money educational projects built national system higher education adequate needs money properly directed end advisers invented grant required recipient root institution affections people possible contributors personally concerned counted institution interest cooperation provided major funding college atlanta african american women named laws ardent civil war oldest existing building campus hall named gave considerable donations baptist colleges gave million university_of_chicago turning small baptist college world class institution gave grant american baptist missionaries foreign mission board establishing baptist second american university asia philippines founded established promote education levels country keeping historic missions especially active supporting black schools south provided financial support established eastern institutions yale harvard columbia brown gates advice great medical science founded new_york_city changed expanding mission include graduate education claims connection nobel founded organization eventually disease long plagued rural areas dramatic impact funding recommendations study undertaken study medicine united_states created continue expand scope work closed gave nearly million foundation focused public health medical training arts endowed kind built china notable institution foundation helped world war war relief employed canada study industrial relations 1920s funded campaign campaign combination politics science collaboration healthcare workers government officials accomplish goals fourth main philanthropy created supported work social studies later absorbed total donated million known later life practice giving adults children went gave playful gesture wealthy men tire florida home founders bought located florida years opened expanded accommodate guests hotel soon series hotels catering passengers aboard guests hotel business partner stayed hotel liked area seasons hotel bought estate called winter home life sold heirs purchased city serves cultural center community best known historical structure legacy long controversial career oil industry followed long career philanthropy image experiences ways viewed contemporaries contemporaries include competitors driven ruin sold profit profitable stake offered shares payment business wealthy managers owners include politicians writers served interests built careers fighting barons biographer answering enemies concluded rise standard oil men great wealth poverty like accomplished quarter century courageous field risky large avoided planning applied american industry oil fortunes larger steel fortunes banking fortunes railroad fortunes similar periods assertion standard gained wealth property challenges attention abundant evidence consistent policy offer fair terms competitors buy cash stock fair statement historian decidedly humane competitors conclusion wealth great fortunes day biographer ron wrote makes problematic continues inspire ambivalent reactions good bit good bad bad seldom history produced contradictory figure notwithstanding varied aspects public life ultimately remembered simply raw size wealth showed worth million compared total national billion wealth continued grow significantly line economic growth demand gasoline eventually reaching million eve world war including significant interests banking shipping mining railroads industries according new_york_times obituary estimated retired business accumulated close earnings trust investments probably greatest wealth private citizen able accumulate efforts time death remaining fortune largely tied permanent family estimated billion total national billion according methods wealth calculation net worth decades life easily place wealthiest known person recent history percentage american fortune including come close age penned following words sum life
John D. Rockefeller