John D. Rockefeller
Born 1839 · Age 186
American industrialist and philanthropist. Founder and longtime leader of Standard Oil; built the modern oil industry and pioneered large-scale organized philanthropy (University of Chicago, Rockefeller Institute/University, Rockefeller Foundation, General Education Board).
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth in Richford, New York
John Davison Rockefeller is born in Richford (Upstate New York), second of six children of William A. Rockefeller Sr. and Eliza Davison.
Family moves to Owego, New York (attends Owego Academy)
Rockefeller attends Owego Academy after a family move; develops arithmetic and debating skills.
Family moves to Strongsville / Cleveland; attends Central High School
Family moves to Ohio; Rockefeller attends Cleveland's Central High School (first free public high school west of the Alleghenies).
Completes business course at Folsom's Commercial College
Takes a ten-week business/bookkeeping course (completed in less time); gains commercial bookkeeping skills.
Hired as assistant bookkeeper at Hewitt & Tuttle
At age 16 Rockefeller begins his first job in Cleveland as assistant bookkeeper; learns negotiation and transport costing.
Promoted and paid increases at Hewitt & Tuttle
Rockefeller's wages increase over his apprenticeship: $31/month in first year, later $50 and $58/month in his final apprenticeship year.
Forms Clark & Rockefeller (produce commission partnership)
Rockefeller and Maurice B. Clark form a commission business (hay, grain, meats). Capital raised $4,000; Rockefeller contributed savings plus $1,000 borrowed from his father.
Becomes a church trustee (age 21)
Active in Erie Street Baptist Church; becomes a trustee of the church at age 21.
Clark & Rockefeller posts profit first year
Clark & Rockefeller net approximately $4,400 profit in their first year (on large gross sales).
Civil War boosts profits — partnership nets $17,000
Increased wartime demand leads Clark & Rockefeller to net about $17,000 in profit in 1861.
Enters oil refining; builds first refinery in Cleveland
Clark, Rockefeller & Andrews (later Andrews, Clark & Co.) build an oil refinery in Cleveland 'The Flats' as kerosene demand rises.
Buys out Clark brothers for $72,500; forms Rockefeller & Andrews
Rockefeller purchases the Clark brothers' stake at auction for $72,500, a decisive career moment establishing Rockefeller & Andrews.
William Rockefeller Jr. joins; builds additional refinery
Brother William Jr. builds a Cleveland refinery and is brought into partnership; expansion continues.
Henry M. Flagler becomes partner; Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler formed
Flagler joins the business; firm scales vertically (cooperage, tank cars, storage) and by 1868 becomes the world's largest refinery.
Company becomes largest oil refinery globally
By 1868 Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler is described as the largest oil refinery in the world.
Founding of Standard Oil Company of Ohio
On Jan 10, 1870 Rockefeller and associates organize Standard Oil of Ohio (initial capitalization reported ~$1,000,000).
South Improvement Scheme controversy; consolidation planning
1871 South Improvement railroad/rebate plan (Rockefeller participated) sparks public outrage and accelerates secret consolidation plans; December 1871 Rockefeller begins buying Cleveland rivals.
Cleveland Conquest — absorbs 22 of 26 local refineries
In under four months Standard Oil acquires 22 of 26 Cleveland refineries (rapid horizontal consolidation).
Begins building own pipeline network & tank cars
Standard expands into pipelines, tank cars, storage tanks, and retail delivery—beginning vertical integration of the industry.
Pipeline strategy clashes with Pennsylvania Railroad
Rockefeller pushes pipeline transport to reduce dependence on railroads; price wars follow and Standard ultimately gains advantage.
Indicted by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for monopoly charges
Pennsylvania indicts Rockefeller on monopolization charges; court battles begin across states.
Formation of the Standard Oil Trust
Trust formed to centralize Standard's dozens of companies under nine trustees (including Rockefeller); initial capitalization recorded at $70,000,000 (conservative figure).
Moves to New York City; buys residence on West 54th Street
Standard Oil relocates headquarters to Manhattan (26 Broadway) and Rockefeller buys a brownstone on 54th Street in 1884.
Sherman Antitrust Act passage (federal legal backdrop)
U.S. Congress passes Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) — statute later used against Standard Oil.
Ohio court dissolves the Standard Oil Trust
Facing state antitrust action, the Trust is formally dissolved (March 21, 1892); properties reorganized but management continuity remains.
Steps back from daily management; begins philanthropic focus
Rockefeller reduces daily role; hires Frederick T. Gates (1891 earlier) and transfers more investment/charity management to son John D. Jr.; transition toward philanthropy continues.
Retires from active management of Standard Oil
By 1897 Rockefeller retires from daily business activities (age ~58) though he remains largest shareholder and nominal president until 1911.
Standard Oil holdings reorganized as Standard Oil Company (New Jersey)
Companies formerly in the Trust regroup under a New Jersey holding company (New Jersey's corporate law facilitates a parent holding stock of other companies).
Founding of Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (Rockefeller University)
Founding of the Rockefeller Institute (1901) to advance medical research; later gifts to it totalled tens of millions ($50M by 1930s reported).
Sells iron/ore interests to J.P. Morgan / joins U.S. Steel deal (~$80M)
Rockefeller's iron-ore-related businesses are sold/merged into U.S. Steel in a J.P. Morgan-brokered deal (reported ~$80,000,000 transaction; large profit estimated).
Standard Oil controls the majority of U.S. refining (circa 1900–1904)
By 1900–early 1900s Standard Oil controlled roughly 80–90% of U.S. oil refining/production (peak dominance before legal actions).
Ida Tarbell begins publishing investigative series (1902–1904)
McClure's Magazine serializes Ida Tarbell's exposé on Standard Oil's business practices (installments 1902–1904), fueling public backlash.
Financial return from investments (reported $58M income in 1902)
Reportedly Rockefeller earned over $58 million in 1902 from investments (figure cited in contemporary sources).
Establishes the General Education Board (GEB)
Creates the General Education Board (1902) to promote education in the U.S.; later the Board distributes hundreds of millions (1902–1965: ~$325M).
Creates and expands large-scale corporate philanthropy model
Under Gates and son John Jr., Rockefeller formalizes systematic, conditional philanthropy—matching gifts, establishing foundations and boards.
University of Chicago founding support and conditional pledge
Rockefeller offers $600,000 conditional pledge toward the University of Chicago endowment; the university incorporates in 1890 and he later gives cumulatively tens of millions (Rockarch/PBS cite $35M–$75M totals over years).
Public relations campaign; Rockefeller becomes more accessible
In response to Tarbell and criticism, Rockefeller begins a publicity campaign, later writes memoirs beginning in 1908.
Creates Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for Hookworm Eradication
Launches the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission (1909) to combat hookworm in the American South; major public-health campaign (1909–1915).
U.S. Supreme Court orders breakup of Standard Oil (Sherman Act)
In 1911 the Supreme Court finds Standard Oil (New Jersey) in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and orders divestiture into 34 companies (e.g., Standard of NJ -> Exxon; Standard of CA -> Chevron).
Rockefeller holds over 25% of Standard stock at breakup
At the time of the 1911 breakup Rockefeller owned over ~25% of Standard's stock and received proportional shares in the spun-off companies.
Reported peak personal fortune (~$900M by 1912–1913)
In the decade after the breakup Rockefeller's wealth appreciated; widely reported estimates place his personal fortune near $900 million (c.1912–1913).
Establishes the Rockefeller Foundation
Founding of the Rockefeller Foundation (1913) to 'promote the well-being of mankind'—the foundation becomes a major global philanthropist (transferred ~$235M by 1929, per sources).
Donates $50M to the General Education Board
In 1919 Rockefeller donated $50,000,000 to the GEB to raise academic salaries and expand educational work, particularly in the South.
Hookworm eradication largely successful in U.S. South
Rockefeller Sanitary Commission's public-health efforts substantially reduce hookworm prevalence in many southern states (campaigns 1909–1927).
Large transfers to Rockefeller Foundation reported (~$235M)
By 1929 Rockefeller reportedly had transferred roughly $235 million into the Rockefeller Foundation (cumulative endowment activity).
Cumulative gifts to University of Chicago reported (tens of millions)
By the early 1930s Rockefeller's cumulative giving to the University of Chicago is reported in the tens of millions (sources vary: $35M–$75M totals cited in different accounts).
Total lifetime philanthropy estimated (~$540M)
Estimates from Rockefeller Archive and other sources place Rockefeller's lifetime charitable giving at roughly $540 million (cumulative over his life and foundations' early years).
Death at Ormond Beach, Florida
John D. Rockefeller dies on May 23, 1937 at The Casements in Ormond Beach, Florida; estate at death reported as about $26,410,837 because most wealth had been given away to foundations and heirs.
Key Achievement Ages
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