John Davison Rockefeller (John Davison Rockefeller; 1839 - 1937) - American entrepreneur, investor and oil tycoon. He is the first billionaire in history. He is the founder of the largest oil company, Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first American business trust. He transformed the oil industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. The Standard Oil Company was founded in 1870, which he led until he officially retired from the company in 1897. The Standard Oil Company began as a partnership in Ohio formed by John Rockefeller, his brother William Rockefeller, Henry Flagler, Jabez Bostwick, chemist Samuel Andrews and Stephen Harkness. With the growing importance of gasoline and kerosene in life, Rockefeller's wealth grew to unprecedented levels and he became the richest man in the world and the first American with a net worth of more than $1 billion. If inflation rates are taken into account, he is considered the richest man in history.
John Rockefeller had four daughters and one son, John Davison Rockefeller Jr.
A main belt asteroid discovered in 1918 is named after Rockefeller: (904) Rockefellia.
John Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1839 in Richmond, New York, USA, the second of six children to William Avery Rockefeller (November 13, 1810 - May 11, 1906) and Eliza Davison (September 12, 1813 - March 28, 1889). Genealogists trace some of his ancestors to the French Huguenots who moved to Germany in the 17th century. His father initially worked as a lumberjack and then became a traveling merchant, declaring himself a homeopathic physician and selling various types of herbal elixirs. Locals The cheerful merchant was called "Big Bill" or "Devil Bill". He was an opponent of ordinary, traditional foundations, as a result of which he chose a wandering lifestyle and rarely met with his family. Eliza was a homemaker and a devout Baptist. She struggled to keep the family afloat as her husband did not show up for long periods. She also put up with his double life, which included flirting and bigamy. Thrifty by nature, she taught her son to be thrifty and thrifty. Young Rockefeller listened to his mother and did household chores.
Despite the absence of his father, Rockefeller was a rather serious and studious boy with good behavior as a young man. His contemporaries described him as serious, religious, methodical and cautious. He was an excellent participant in any dispute and always expressed himself accurately and clearly. He also deeply loved music and even dreamed of a career in music. But still, his main advantage was his accounting skills.
While still a youth his family moved first to the village of Moravia in the state of New York, and then in 1851 to the village of Owego in the same state, where he attended Owego Academy. In 1853, the family moved to Strongville, a suburb of Cleveland. There Rockefeller studied at Central high school Cleveland and attended a ten-week business course at Folsom Institute of Commerce, where he studied accounting. In September 1855, when Rockefeller was 16 years old, he got his first job as an assistant bookkeeper at a small firm called Hewitt & Tuttle. He worked hard and, as he later recalled, “admired the methods office work"He was especially skilled at calculating the costs of transporting goods, which helped him in further career. His full wages for the first three months were $50 (50 cents per day). And from his first salary, he began donating about 6% of his income to charity, which by the age of 20 increased to 10%, when he became a parishioner of the Baptist church.
In 1859, John Rockefeller first entered the commission business with partner Maurice B. Clark, with whom they earned about $4,000. Rockefeller persistently moved forward, increasing his capital every year. Following the wholesale food business, the partners built an oil refinery in 1863 in the burgeoning industrial area of "The Flats" in Cleveland, Ohio. The plant was directly owned by Andrews, Clark & Company, which was formed from Clark & Rockefeller by the addition of the capital of Samuel Andrews and two brothers of Maurice Clark. At that time, the commercial oil business was in its infancy. And probably, even the newly made partners did not yet imagine the importance and future scale of this industry. Although, Rockefeller, with his prudence and amazing mind, probably still guessed about the coming technological and economic revolution. At that time, whale oil, used in lamps and stoves in almost every home, became too expensive, and there was an urgent need for cheaper and more accessible kerosene.
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While his brother Frank fought in the Civil War, Rockefeller ran his own business and recruited recruits. He gave money to the Union, as did many Northerners who avoided the war. In February 1865, what oil historian Daniel Yeargin describes as a "critical" action took place. John Rockefeller bought the Clark brothers' shares at auction for $72,500 and founded the firm Rockefeller & Andrews. Rockefeller himself said that “it was the day that defined my career.” He was well enlightened not to miss the chance to take advantage of the post-war prosperity and the great westward expansion resulting from the development of railways and an oil-fueled economy. He took on debt, took profits and reinvested them, adapting to rapidly changing market conditions and setting up overseers for a rapidly expanding industry.
In 1864, John Rockefeller married Laura Celestia Spelman. They had four daughters and one son. Subsequently, Rockefeller said of his wife: “Her judgment was always better than mine. Without her good advice I would be a poor man."
Rockefeller became a life member of the then new Republican Party, and staunch supporter Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist wing of the party. He was a devoted member of the Erie Street Missionary Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday school, and served as custodian, clerk, and occasional usher. Religion was a guiding force throughout his life, and Rockefeller believed it was the source of his success. As he said, "God gave me the money," and he didn't apologize for it. All his life he adhered to the saying of the English preacher of the 18th century. John Wesley, who said: "Get All You Can, Save All You Can, and Give All You Can."
In 1866, his brother William Rockefeller built another oil refinery in Cleveland and entered into John's partnership. In 1867, a new partner joined the partnership and the firm was renamed Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler. This company became the predecessor of the Standard Oil Company.
By the end of the American Civil War, the city of Cleveland was one of the five major oil refining centers in the country (besides Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, and the area in northwestern Pennsylvania). In June 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company in Ohio, which soon became the largest oil refiner in the state. The company also became the largest exporter of oil and kerosene in the country. In order to reduce transportation costs and be able to control freight rates, Rockefeller and his partners founded the South Improvement Company, which became part of Standard Oil. This made it possible to reduce costs for transporting products by up to 50%. All these Rockefeller moves caused a huge storm of indignation and protests from independent owners oil wells, which was expressed in boycotts and vandalism. This entire action was supported by the New York oil company Charles Pratt and Company, headed by Charles Pratt and Henry Rogers. Eventually transport company Rockefeller lasted only a year, but this was enough to save a lot and make huge profits.
Undeterred or discouraged, John Rockefeller continued his onslaught on the oil market by buying up oil wells, seeking significant discounts on transportation, concluding secret deals and buying out competitors. Less than four months later in 1872, an event called the "Cleveland Conquest" or "Cleveland Massacre" occurred. Rockefeller's company absorbed 22 of its 26 competitors in Cleveland. Ultimately, even his former opponents, Pratt and Rogers, saw the futility of continuing to compete against Standard Oil. In 1874, they entered into a secret merger agreement with Standard Oil and became partners with Rockefeller. In particular, Rogers became one of the key figures in the creation of Rockefeller's huge Standard Oil Trust corporation. Pratt's son, Charles Millard Pratt became Secretary General Standard Oil. Rockefeller saw himself as the savior of industry, an “angel of mercy,” believing that by absorbing the weak he made industry stronger, more stable, more efficient, and more competitive. The company developed in all directions. This growth was expressed in the construction of new pipelines, tanker trucks, as well as the creation of the so-called home delivery network, not forgetting households. All these measures made it possible to keep fuel prices at a fairly low level, which contributed to the emergence of difficulties for new competitors to enter the market. New company Having decided to enter the market, it inevitably had to lower prices in order to compete with the technologically equipped and rapidly developing Rockefeller company, which would immediately lead itself to bankruptcy. Development also led to the discovery of more than 300 products based on oil refining. By the end of the 1870s, Standard Oil was already refining 90% of the oil in the United States. And John Rockefeller had already become a millionaire by that time.
In 1877, hostilities began with Standard Oil's main railroad carrier, the Pennsylvania Railroad. Rockefeller believed that the use of pipelines as an alternative transport system for transporting oil and petroleum products was more profitable for the company than rail transport. A company began to build oil pipelines. The Pennsylvania Railroad, seeing the prospect of losing its main customer and the threat of bankruptcy, struck back and founded an oil refining branch and built an oil refinery. Standard Oil was quick to make the right decision, organizing its railroad operations and thereby starting a price war that sharply reduced freight payments and caused labor unrest. Rockefeller eventually celebrated victory and the Pennsylvania Railroad sold all of its oil assets to Standard Oil. But for Rockefeller, all this hostility did not pass without a trace. In 1879, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania brought charges against Rockefeller for monopolizing the oil trade, which led to an avalanche of similar lawsuits in other regions and created the Standard Oil problem.
Gradually, Standard Oil gained almost complete control over refining oil, selling it in a horizontally integrated manner. But when selling kerosene, a vertical system was used. Kerosene was supplied directly to customers on special tank weights, thereby bypassing the existing network of wholesale intermediaries. The most powerful weapon Standard Oil's competitors were low prices and unofficial methods of transportation. Throughout its existence, the company was subjected to attacks by journalists and politicians due to its monopolistic nature, thereby giving impetus to the revival of the antitrust movement. In 1880, the New York World published an article in which the following was written about the company: “the most cruel, insolent, ruthless, and tenacious monopolist that has ever taken aim at the country.” To his critics, Rockefeller responded: "In a business as large as ours, some things are likely to be done by methods which we cannot foresee or approve of. We correct them as soon as we become aware of them."
As Standard Oil grew, its management became increasingly complex and cumbersome. In 1882, Rockefeller's lawyers created an innovative organizational structure for the company by centralizing all subsidiaries into one large corporation, Standard Oil Trust. The new company became a huge corporation, the size and wealth of which attracted a lot of attention. In total, the corporation included 41 companies managed by Rockefeller and partners. The public and press were suspicious of the newly formed legal entity, but other firms followed suit new idea and began to imitate her, further outraged by the already distrustful public. Standard Oil Trust gained an aura of invincibility, always prevailing against competitors, critics, and political enemies. The company became the largest and richest business entity that was immune to economic booms and busts, increasing its profits every year.
Standard Oil's vast American empire included 20,000 oil wells, 4,000 miles of pipeline, 5,000 tank trucks and more than 100,000 employees. The Standard Oil Company reached its peak in the 1880s. Subsequently, Rockefeller abandoned his dream of controlling all the oil refining in the world and said: “We realized that public opinion would be against us if we controlled all the oil refining in the world.” In subsequent years, foreign competition and new geological explorations abroad eroded the company's dominance of the global oil market. But Standard Oil still held 85% of the market share, supplying oil and its derivatives from Pennsylvania wells. Meanwhile, large-scale oil development was underway in Russia and Asia. Robert Nobel founded his own production for oil refining at rich and cheaper Russian fields, building the first oil pipeline in the region and the first in the world oil tanker. Rich oil deposits were discovered on the island of Java and Burma. Another factor in Standard Oil's downfall was the invention of the light bulb, which broke the dominance of kerosene in households. But the company adapted, developing its presence in Europe and also launching natural gas production in the United States. At that time, gasoline was still considered an unnecessary and unpromising product.
Standard Oil moved its headquarters to New York's 26th Street Broadway and Rockefeller immediately became a central figure in the city's business circles. He bought his own home on 54th Street near the mansions of other tycoons such as William Vanderbilt.
In 1890, a new bill known as the Sherman Act was approved, marking the beginning of the end of the Rockefeller empire.
In the 1890s, Rockefeller expanded his company's activities into development and transportation iron ore, which led to an open feud with steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Their enmity became the subject of discussion in newspaper articles and the appearance of various cartoons. Rockefeller went further, acquiring crude oil contracts in Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia as Pennsylvania's old oil fields began to decline in importance. In addition to the frenetic expansion, Rockefeller began to think about retirement. The day-to-day management of the corporation was transferred to John Dustin Archbold.
One of the most massive information attacks on Rockefeller was associated with the publication of the book by American journalist Ida Tarbell, “The History of the Standard Oil Company,” in which she alleged the presence of illegal methods of the Standard Oil company in its activities. These methods included industrial espionage, price wars, heavy-handed marketing tactics, and court evasion. Although her work sparked a huge backlash against the company, Tarbell claimed she was surprised by the size of it. She said: "I never had any animosity against their size and wealth. I only wanted them to grow and develop, but only by legal means. But they never played fair." Rockefeller, answering questions related to “Miss Tarbarrel,” as he himself called her, only said: “not a word about that misinformed woman.” Instead he started information company to draw your corporation in better light, despite the fact that for a long time he supported a policy of active silence with the press. He said: "capital and labor are wild forces that require intellectual legislation to keep them in check." In 1908, he wrote and published his memoirs.
Rockefeller remained president of the Standard Oil Company until 1911. This year, the United States Supreme Court found that the Rockefeller company violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. By then, Standard Oil controlled 70% of the market share for refining oil. The court recognized Standard Oil as a monopolist and decided to split it into 34 separate companies. Now these companies are known under such names as Mobil, Exxon, Chevron. The collapse of the corporation increased Rockefeller's fortune to $900 million.
From his very first salary, Rockefeller began donating part of his earnings to charity. As his wealth grew, so did the scope of his philanthropy. In 1884, Rockefeller financed the creation of a college for African-American women in Atlanta, Spelman College. The oldest building on the Spelman College campus is named Rockefeller Hall in his honor. Rockefeller also gave significant donations to Denison University and other Baptist colleges.
In 1900, he gave $80 million to the University of Chicago, transforming the small Baptist college into a world-class institution.
In 1903, the Education Council was created, which was involved in the development of education for all segments of the population. In keeping with the historical mission of Baptists, "black schools" were especially supported in the South. Rockefeller also provided financial support to such universities as Yale University, Harvard, Columbia University, Brown University, Bryn Mawr College, Wellesley College and Vassar College.
Although John Rockefeller was a strong proponent of homeopathy, he became one of the great philanthropists medical science. In 1901 he founded the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in New York. In 1965, the institute was renamed Rockefeller University after a decision was made to train and graduate new specialists. Since then, the university has trained many specialists in their field, among whom were 23 future Nobel laureates.
In 1913, he created the Rockefeller Foundation, to which he gave $250 million for the development of health care, medical training and the development of the arts. In 1918, the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund was created to support the development of the social sciences. The Foundation later merged with the Rockefeller Foundation. In total, Rockefeller donated approximately $550 million.
Rockefeller once said that in his youth he had two great aspirations in life, to earn $100,000 and to live 100 years.
John Davison Rockefeller died on May 23, 1937, at the age of 97, of a heart attack at his home in Ormond Beach, Florida, just shy of 100 years old. He is buried in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.
The name Rockefeller has long been synonymous with wealth. And this is not surprising, since it was to this dynasty that the first dollar billionaire in the history of mankind. People have always loved counting other people's money, so it is not surprising that many are interested in the question of what the Rockefellers' fortune is this moment.
Only a select few know the exact answer, but this article can help shed light on the origins of the wealth of this famous family.
Where it all began
John Rockefeller, whose condition at the time of his entry into adult life barely equaled a couple of hundred dollars, was born in 1838 in the city of Richford, located near New York, and was the second of 6 children of William Avery Rockefeller and Louise Selyanto.
His father worked as a lumberjack in his youth, but over time he began to avoid hard physical labor in every possible way and became a “botanical doctor.” For months he was on the road, selling all sorts of herbal remedies, not paying attention to the dissatisfaction of his wife, who, in the absence of her husband, could barely cope with a large horde of children and did not know how to make ends meet.
However, over time, William managed to earn some money and buy a plot of land. He invested the rest of his savings in various businesses. At the same time, he was very impressed by the interest shown by his son John in his financial affairs. Despite his very young age, the smart boy wanted to know all the details of his father’s transactions and constantly pestered him with questions. As an adult, Rockefeller fondly remembered William, who, in his words, taught him “to buy and sell... and trained him... to get rich.”
How to raise a billionaire
John Rockefeller, whose net worth was $1 billion in 1905, was digging potatoes for neighbors and raising turkeys for sale at the age of 7. Having barely learned to write and count, he started notebook, in which he recorded all his expenses and financial receipts. He carefully kept his money in a porcelain piggy bank and did not like to spend it on trifles. At the age of 13, he already had a small amount, which allowed the young businessman to lend $50 to a neighboring farmer, subject to paying 7.5 percent per annum.
With great reluctance, John went to school, where he did not like it at all, since his studies were difficult. However, Rockefeller successfully graduated and became a college student in Cleveland, choosing to specialize in “Fundamentals of Commerce.” Soon the young man realized that it was not at all necessary to spend money and 4 years of his life on obtaining the same knowledge that any 3-month accounting course would provide him.
Career
John Davison Rockefeller (net worth at the time of his death was $1.4 billion) began looking for a permanent job at the age of 16. A certificate of completion of accounting courses and good knowledge in the field of mathematics allowed him to become an employee of the Hewitt & Tuttle company, which was engaged in real estate and shipping. The young man quickly established himself as a competent professional and over time made a career leap from assistant accountant to manager. However, Rockefeller soon learned that his predecessor was paid $2,000, while he was paid only $600. He immediately left Hewitt & Tuttle and never became an employee again.
Starting your own business
Rockefeller David, whose fortune at that time was only $800, did not remain out of work for long. He managed to find out that one of his acquaintances was looking for a partner with a capital of 2 thousand dollars. The young man borrowed the missing amount from his father at 10% per annum and in 1857 became a junior partner in the firm of John Morris Clark and Rochester. With the outbreak of the Civil War, this small company trading grain, hay, meat and other goods had excellent prospects, since federal authorities The United States had a need for large-scale food supplies to supply the army.
It was obvious that starting capital not enough for the development of the company. However, missing out on the chance to get rich from military supplies would be madness. Therefore, the company, one of the owners of which was Rockefeller, needed a loan. It was received thanks to John, since the young businessman made the most positive impression on the bank director with his sincerity.
successful marriage
Today, many ordinary people, brought up on glossy magazines, are surprised when they see the wives of billionaires, whose appearance, to put it mildly, is far from that of a model. At the same time, they don’t even think about what an important role an intelligent woman can play in her career, as well as in increasing and preserving her husband’s capital. The above fully applies to Rockefeller’s wife. Before marrying a young promising businessman, Laura Celestina Spelman, who can hardly be called a beauty, was a school teacher and was distinguished by exceptional piety. They met during Rockefeller's short student days, but got married only 9 years later. The girl attracted John's attention with her piety, practicality of mind and the fact that she reminded him of his mother. According to Rockefeller himself, without Laura’s advice, he would have “remained poor.”
Money in oil
It's hard to believe, but until the mid-19th century black gold had very low demand. However, it was precisely this that became the product on the sale of which it was made huge fortune Rockefellers.
The founder of the dynasty had an unsurpassed business sense, and when kerosene lamps were invented, he quickly guessed what the prospects would be for the one who took over the oil production and refining business. Rockefeller became interested in reports of a black gold deposit that Edwin Drake discovered in 1859 and met chemist Samuel Andrews. The latter agreed to take over the scientific and technical side of the project and become a partner in the new business. Soon the firm of Andrews and Clark was created, which began building the Flats oil refinery in Cleveland. It later grew into the Standard Oil Company.
Secret of success
As already mentioned, at one time the fortune of the Rockefeller family began to grow sharply thanks to a business based on oil production. However, before this happened, John had to take a number of measures. In particular, he noticed that everyone who tried to work in this area before him acted chaotically and ineffectively.
First of all, Rockefeller created the company's charter, and to motivate employees, he abandoned wages by issuing shares of the enterprise. Thus, every employee was interested in the success of the business, which soon had a positive effect on his income.
Then he began to buy small companies one by one, trying to concentrate the entire oil production business in his hands. In addition, Rockefeller agreed with the railroads on lower prices for transporting Standard Oil products. In particular, the company paid 10 cents for transporting one barrel of oil, while its competitors paid 35 cents, i.e. more than 3 times more expensive. They soon faced a choice: either merge with Standard Oil or go bankrupt. Most company owners, without thinking twice, chose to accept Rockefeller's offer in exchange for a share of shares.
Oil tycoon N 1
By 1880, 95% of the oil production of the United States was already concentrated in the hands of Rockefeller. Having become a monopolist, Standard Oil immediately raised prices sharply. She was soon recognized as the richest in the world at that time. It was then that the fortunes of the Rockefeller family became and their name became a symbol of wealth.
End of monopoly
The Americans, who were always interested in the current state of the Rockefellers, soon realized that they were in their trap of Mr. John Davison, and now the price of fuel would depend only on goodwill. In this regard, the Sherman Antitrust Act was passed.
Rockefeller had to split Standard Oil into 34 small companies. At the same time, in all of them the businessman retained a controlling stake and even increased his capital. As a result of the division, such famous firms as ExxonMobil and Chevron emerged. Their assets are still a significant part of what the Rockefellers own (today their net worth is more than three billion).
State of the Rockefeller clan at the end of the 19th century
Except oil business, which brought in $3 million annually. The businessman owned 16 railway and 6 steel companies, 9 real estate companies, 6 shipping companies, 9 banks and 3 orange groves.
Although the family lived in great comfort, they did not flaunt their wealth as other New York 5th Avenue millionaires did. At the same time, the Rockefellers' condition was constantly the subject of gossip. Their Pocantico Hills villa, a 283-hectare plot of land in Cleveland, luxury homes in Florida and New York State, a golf course in New Jersey, etc. were discussed.
Children
Rockefeller dreamed of living to be 100 years old, but did not live to see this for three years, dying of a heart attack in May 1937.
He raised his children very strictly, trying to instill in them a respect for money and a desire to earn it. He appointed one of his daughters as director, and she made sure that the brother and sisters were not lazy in fulfilling their duties. At the same time, children received a specific reward for any housework, and were fined for being late.
There was no question of any pampering in the Rockefeller family. In particular, as adults, they recalled how their father once wanted to give them a bicycle, but their mother advised them to buy one for everyone, so that the children would learn to share with each other.
The only son of John Davison Rockefeller, who was his father's namesake, fully lived up to his hopes. He did not strive to make a brilliant career, but devoted his life to his family and to being useful to society. As for the daughters, one of them died at a young age, the other went crazy, and only Alta and Etis lived long life, enriching your clan with new connections.
John Davison Rockefeller Jr.
After the death of his father, who gave him $460 million in his will, he spent a significant part of his fortune on charity. In particular, it was on John's initiative that New York became the headquarters of the UN. The construction of a complex of buildings for this organization cost Rockefeller Jr. $9 million. John had six children. They received from their father a fortune equal to $240 million.
Margaret Rockefeller Strong
Not many people know that John Davidson Jr. was not the person who inherited most of his father's money. The Rockefeller fortune, which in 1937 was estimated at $1.4 billion, or rather more than half of it, went to the granddaughter of the founder of the dynasty, Margaret. The young woman was the daughter of Bessie Rockefeller and Charles A. Strong. Large sums from the inheritance also went to Margaret's children and the medical research institute founded by her great grandfather.
Grandchildren in direct male line
John Davison Rockefeller Jr. had six children. Daughter Abby, like her brother John, were major philanthropists. Thanks to them, many foundations and organizations were founded, including the Institute of Pacific Relations, etc. Nelson Rockefeller, who was Vice President of the United States in 1974-1977, achieved particular success. Another Rockefeller grandson, Winthrop, was governor of Arkansas.
David Rockefeller: current status and brief biography
The oldest member of the clan was born in New York in 1915. He is the last of John Davidson Rockefeller Jr.'s children. In 1936, he graduated and was then sent to study in In 1940, John defended his dissertation on the topic “Unused Resources and Economic Waste” and received a doctorate in economics. In the same year, he began a career in public service, becoming the secretary of New York's Fiorello La Guardia. During World War II, David Rockefeller first worked for the Departments of Health, Defense and Welfare, and in May 1942 he went to the front as a private. There he was sent to work in intelligence and carried out various government assignments in German-occupied France and North Africa.
As a result, he met victory with the rank of captain, and then participated in various business family projects. In 1947, David Rockefeller became director of the Council for international relations, and 14 years later - president of Chase Manhattan Bank. In April 1981, on the eve of his 66th birthday, he resigned from this post, as he had reached the age limit.
At the moment, David Rockefeller (his net worth today is $2.5 billion) has reached a very advanced age and is already more than 100 years old. Recently there were reports in the press that he had another one. Apparently, the billionaire strives to live forever. At the same time, he is known as the main ideologist of birth control, since he believes that the Earth is overpopulated.
The name of David Rockefeller is often heard during speeches by famous conspiracy theorists. In particular, they call him the founder of the Trilateral Commission, created in 1973 to coordinate the approaches of the United States, Canada, Japan and the richest countries Western Europe to the most important political and economic issues facing humanity. The activities of this organization are hidden for the general public by such a dense veil of secrecy that, in comparison with the Trilateral Commission, the activities of the no less famous Bildelberg Group can be called absolutely transparent. However, no one knows exactly the program of this organization.
At the moment, the right considers the Trilateral Commission to be a world government, and the left is a club of rich people who do not want to obey anyone.
Rothschilds
Often, when the general fortune of the Rockefellers is discussed, they also remember the representatives of one of the most successful financial clans in Europe. It's about about the Rothschilds, whose family business was founded more than 250 years ago, and began with a small shop of a Jewish money changer in the Frankfurt ghetto.
There is no, and cannot be, exact information about the state of this dynasty, which operates not only in the USA, but also in Europe, since according to the will of its founder, this information cannot be announced.
At the moment, the head of the family is Nathaniel Rothschild. He has a sister, Emma, who is a world-renowned economist. Few people know that Nathan Rothschild is a member of the international advisory board of the Russian
History's Two Greatest Financial Dynasties: Allies or Adversaries
Throughout the history of their existence, the Rockefellers and the Rothschilds have worked more than once within the framework of fairly close business partnerships, participating in projects and acquiring shares in each other’s assets. At the moment, no particularly intense competition has been observed between the families, since their representatives prefer to negotiate on all issues.
To date, the Rockefellers (today's fortune is 300 billion) and the Rothschilds have agreed on a strategic partnership. In addition, they announced the merger of some of their assets. In particular, RIT Capital Partners (the Rothschild investment company) acquired a stake in the Rockefeller group. The latter has $34 billion in assets under management. These include the oil and gas group Vallares, as well as shares in such well-known companies as Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Dell and Oracle.
As for the assets of RIT Capital Partners, they are estimated at 1.9 billion pounds sterling, most of which are invested in shares and government bonds.
By the way, while people are arguing what Rockefeller’s fortune is (150 or 300 billion), the clans, at least as some publications claim, are preparing to destroy the euro, since they no longer see the need for such a currency. They are also credited with the sharp economic breakthrough in China, which could not have been predicted some 30-40 years ago.
According to experts, the rapprochement of the Rothschild and Rockefeller clans will continue in the future.
Charity
The Rockefellers (currently their fortune is estimated at $300 billion) have always been great philanthropists. These traditions are still alive today. In particular, it was recently estimated that the elder of the David family gave away $900 million during his long life. In 2014 alone, he donated about $79 million to support various charitable projects.
Today, no one can say exactly what the fortune of the Rothschilds and Rockefellers is. However, of course, these two dynasties are among the richest clans on the planet and influence the politics of the United States and many other countries on the planet.
The name John Rockefeller is known to almost every person. Few people in the modern world have not heard of his famous “12 golden rules,” which were invented a long time ago, but have not lost their relevance until today.
John Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1839 in New York State. The father practically did not raise his son, since almost all his free time was spent on entertainment and women of dubious reputation.
But my mother, on the contrary, put her whole soul into raising her beloved son. It was she, together with the priest, who instilled in the boy the basic principles of life from early childhood. Later, John Rockefeller spoke about economy and work: “Life is constant work. But the main thing is not only to earn money, you need to be able to save - this will help you save what you earn.”
When the billionaire passed away, Rockefeller's fortune was estimated at $1.4 billion. In 2006 prices, this amount was equivalent to 192 billion. What capital! Yes, perhaps it’s worth taking a closer look at the 12 Golden Rules.
The life principles that mother laid in little John Rockefeller back in early childhood, he was able to carry it through his entire life. They became the basis of the famous “12 golden rules”.
Little John made his first money by buying candy with his own money and then resell it. Well done, you say. Perhaps, but he sold them to his younger sisters. In this first small business of the future billionaire, the law of surplus value, the basic law of entrepreneurship, was in effect. Little John on own experience I was convinced that buying in bulk means saving. This is how he learned to “make money” and learned the basics of trading - through practice, and not by reading economic works.
The money increased significantly. And yet, many teachers will probably find this way of earning money disgusting. Although for those who pass a disappointing verdict on a child who sells candy to his own sisters at a price higher than the purchase price, it is quite possible to object.
- Firstly, sweets are far from being an essential item; you can do without them.
- Secondly, perhaps the girls were simply too lazy to go to the store themselves to buy candy.
- Thirdly, they bought one piece of candy from their brother, thinking that this way they would spend less money on the treat.
The girls simply could not think as globally as their brother.
When John was seven years old, he decided to get into production, raising turkeys in his backyard and then selling them very profitably to his neighbors. This allowed the future multimillionaire to formulate one of the rules of doing business: any work brings income.
Then the future, or perhaps even the current, entrepreneur lent the $50 he earned to his neighbor, which brought him an additional 7% per annum. And as a pleasant bonus, there is one more rule of business: money should not lie idle - it must constantly “work”, generating income!
The hidden soulfulness of a multimillionaire philanthropist
Little John was not at all a callous and soulless child, but quite the contrary, he had a sensitive and vulnerable soul, capable of compassion and emotion. When his sister died, he was so shocked by this misfortune that he ran away from everyone, fell face down on the ground and lay there all day.
John Davis Rockefeller grew up, but remained just as sensitive and responsive. In his early youth, he was attracted to one girl from his class, but with whom nothing really worked out. Much later, she was left a widow and in dire need of money. John found out about this completely by accident and awarded the unfortunate woman a pension.
This is far from the only example of generosity shown by John. His mother was a deeply religious person and managed to instill in her son a sincere faith in God. Rockefeller regularly donated a tenth of his income to the church. In addition, he financed the construction of Spelman College, the University of Chicago, Rockefeller University, the Museum of Modern Art and many monasteries throughout the country. Through the Rockefeller Foundation, the richest man in the world donated fabulous sums for the development of medicine. He, in particular, financed numerous projects to combat yellow fever. In all cases of charitable donations, John Davis Rockefeller required that his participation in a particular program remain a secret from the public.
The descendants of the outstanding founder of the Rockefeller clan continue to be actively involved in charity work today. The tithe law became one of John Rockefeller's 12 Golden Rules.
A negative example is also an example
John Rockefeller, while still just a child, learned several more rules that he did not change even as an adult. The boy's father drank constantly, causing John's mother to suffer from it all her life. Healthy image life became one of Rockefeller’s rules, following which he completely abandoned alcohol and tobacco.
The father, by his example, “taught” his son another rule. The boy spent his entire childhood observing his father’s wild lifestyle and made a firm decision for himself never to repeat such mistakes. The “negative example” worked 100%, and Rockefeller became an exemplary father and faithful husband.
John owes his father the most important rule of doing business, about which the billionaire himself said: “He often bargained with me and bought various services from me. He taught me how to buy and sell. My father was simply “training” me to get rich!”
Businessmen are not born, they are raised
John Rockefeller was married only once to Laura Celestina Spelman, with whom they had four children: three daughters and a son. John loved his wife very much and remained faithful to her throughout his life. He said that without Laura's advice he would never have been able to achieve such success; he would simply be doomed to poverty.
The approach to raising children in the Rockefeller family was very original and was based, naturally, on the “12 golden rules” of the father of the family.
The entire organization of the life of the little Rockefellers was based on work. But John instilled a love of work in his children through material incentives. For example, each child received a few cents for killing a fly, sharpening a pencil, getting a good grade in school, or studying music. Work in the garden beds was especially highly valued.
Second rule education was to teach children to be unpretentious, and again through monetary bonuses. If you gave up candy for the whole day, you could count on an additional reward.
Third rule involved instilling precision, accuracy and responsibility in children. Anyone who was late to the table, did not carry out an assignment, or simply did not obey had to pay a fine.
The young Rockefellers lived in some semblance market economy. One of the daughters, Laura, played the role of “company director”. She, along with the other children, kept her own ledger, wrote reports and kept balance sheets.
Rockefeller Sr. believed that without the ability to save correctly it is simply impossible to achieve success. It's no surprise that this became one of the "12 Golden Rules."
John Rockefeller's success story
At one time, John Rockefeller often said: “To achieve success, you need to work not only with your hands, but also with your head.” The success story of the multimillionaire himself became a vivid illustration of this rule.
When John turned 16, he decided not to go to college, but to go straight to work. The Rockefeller family then lived in Cleveland, where the young man completed a three-month accounting course and immediately began searching for a suitable place. Luck smiled at him only a month and a half later, when John was offered the position of assistant accountant at the Hewitt and Tuttle trading company. The career of a talented young specialist took off and after some time he was offered the position of chief accountant. But bad luck, Rockefeller’s salary in his new place was supposed to be several times lower than that of his predecessor, which offended him terribly. Pride did not allow John to accept such a humiliating offer in his opinion.
This was Rockefeller's only experience as an employee. After that, he was always his own boss and subordinate, which allowed him to achieve such amazing success.
In 1861, the Civil War began in the United States. Then John Rockefeller, together with his partner, Clark, was engaged in supplying pork, flour, salt and other products to regular army units. During four years of hostilities, they managed to make a decent fortune.
But the real breakthrough for the business partners was the discovery of oil deposits near Cleveland. In 1864, Clark and Rockefeller were already trading Pennsylvania oil with all their might. John realized that this was a real Goldmine” and suggested that Clark concentrate his entire business on selling oil, but he refused due to the banal fear of “burning out.” Rockefeller was not one to give in to difficulties. Having been refused, the future billionaire bought out his partner’s share in the joint venture for $72.5 thousand and focused all his attention on the oil business.
The entire future life of John Rockefeller can easily fit in just a few lines. 1870 - founded the Standard Oil company, becoming its manager. 1897 - John Rockefeller retired.
Today, the Rockefellers have combined their fortunes with another of the richest dynasties, the Rothschilds. But the descendants of John Rockefeller, a talented entrepreneur, multimillionaire, who never received a higher education, still remember and honor his “12 golden rules.”
If you want to be rich, be it!
So, what are these magical “12 golden rules”? In fact, these are just quotes from John Rockefeller. But everyone who wants to be rich and successful must know, remember, understand and accept them.
- Work less for others. The more you work for others, the faster you lose money. “Work” comes from the word “slave.”
- The ability to save is a step towards success. Buy goods strictly according to the list, which must be prepared in advance. You need to buy in bulk or wherever it is cheaper.
- If you don't have money, it's time to start a business. If there is no money at all, you need to do this as quickly as possible.
- Success and great wealth come through passive income.
- Dream big. For example, earn at least 50 thousand dollars a month.
- Other people bring us money. If you want to be rich, be friendly. An unsociable person cannot count on success.
- Surround yourself with winners and optimists. A poor environment is a direct path to poverty.
- There are no and cannot be excuses for postponing the first step towards your goal.
- Read more about rich people. Success stories and thoughts of successful people will help you fulfill your desires.
- Dream and believe that your dreams will come true. If you stop dreaming, you will start dying.
- Help those in need. Help not for money, but just because. Give 10% of your income to charity.
- Build your business and enjoy the money you earn. You need to work in order to live, and not “put money under the mattress.”
These rules became “golden” because they were actually tested by the first richest man in the world. They will never lose their relevance.
- Richford[d], NY, USA
- Chancellor University [d]
Biography
early years
Rockefeller was the second child of six children in the family of Protestants William Avery Rockefeller (October 13 - May 11) and Louise Selyanto (September 12 - March 28). He was born in Richford, New York. His father was first a lumberjack, and then a traveling merchant who called himself a “botanical doctor” and sold various elixirs and was rarely at home. According to the recollections of neighbors, John's father was considered strange person who try to avoid hard physical labor, although they have a good sense of humor. By nature, William was a risk-taker, which helped him build up the small capital that allowed him to buy a plot of land for $3,100. However, risk-taking coexisted with foresight, so part of the capital was invested in various enterprises. Louise, John's mother, ran the household, was a very devout Baptist, and was often in poverty because her husband was away for a long time and she constantly had to save on everything. She tried not to pay attention to reports of her husband's oddities and adultery.
Rockefeller recalled that from an early age his father told him about the enterprises in which he participated, explained the principles of doing business, he wrote about his father: “He often bargained with me and bought various services from me. He taught me how to buy and sell. My father was simply “training” me to get rich!”
When John was seven years old, he began feeding turkeys for sale and earned money by digging potatoes for his neighbors. All results commercial activities he recorded it in his little book.
With his first salary, Rockefeller acquires a good ledger. In it he writes down all his income and expenses, paying attention to even the smallest details. He treated this book with special awe and respect, keeping it for the rest of his life. As well as the memory of your first working day, as an understanding of your first step on the path to becoming.
He invested all the money he earned in a porcelain piggy bank, and already at the age of 13 he lent a farmer he knew $50 at the rate of 7.5% per annum. His father's upbringing was continued by his mother, from whom he learned hard work and discipline. Since the family was large, and William Rockefeller’s enterprises did not always end successfully, she often had to save.
At the age of 13, John went to school in Richford. In his autobiography, he wrote that it was difficult for him to study and he had to study hard to complete his lessons. Rockefeller successfully graduated from high school and entered Cleveland College, where he taught accounting and the basics of commerce, but soon came to the conclusion that three-month accounting courses and a thirst for activity would bring much more than years of college, so he left it.
Career
Standard Oil brought Rockefeller $3 million annually [ ], he owned sixteen railroad and six steel companies, nine real estate firms, six shipping companies, nine banks and three orange groves.
Rockefeller's name became a symbol of wealth: he lived in great comfort, but did not flaunt his wealth like other millionaires on New York's 5th Avenue. He had a villa and 700-acre (283 ha) plot of land on the outskirts of Cleveland, as well as homes in the states of New York, Florida and a personal golf course in New Jersey. But most of all he loved the Pocantico Hills villa near New York.
Rockefeller wanted to live to be a hundred years old, but did not live to see it three years- On May 23, 1937, he died of a heart attack at the age of 97.
Charity
At the end of his life, Rockefeller gave away up to half a billion dollars, and yet his only son, John Rockefeller Jr., inherited $460 million. He also spent about half a billion on charity, and in addition gave money for the construction of the Rockefeller Center for the communications industry in New York. With all this, he left $240 million to his six children. Rockefeller Jr. also built the famous Empire State Building skyscraper. Being pious man, Rockefeller donated part of his fortune to the church, especially to the Northern Baptist congregation of which he was a member.
Rockefeller Plateau, discovered in 1934, in the western part of Mary Byrd Land (West Antarctica) is named after Rockefeller, who financed the American expedition led by Richard Byrd.
The asteroid (904) Rockefellia, discovered in 1918, is also named after Rockefeller.
As of the 2000s, John Rockefeller is considered the richest person in history; Forbes magazine estimated his fortune in 2007 equivalent terms at $318 billion, while the most great fortune of that time - Bill Gates - amounted to about $50 billion.
Family
John Rockefeller Sr.'s five grandchildren continued the tradition of philanthropy and political involvement. The most famous of them was Nelson Rockefeller, Vice President of the United States in 1977. Younger son John Rockefeller Jr., David Rockefeller, was the head of Manhattan Bank in the 1980s.
His wife Laura could compete with John in his tight-fistedness and stinginess, in his coldness and prudence. Modern researchers all say that Spelman was such a perfect character match for Rockefeller that it was amazing. They were able to live without spills for more than sixty years.
Notes
- BNF ID: Open Data Platform - 2011.
- Encyclopædia Britannica
- SNAC - 2010.
- The All-Time Richest Americans (undefined) . All the Money in the World. Forbes (14 September 2007). Retrieved May 4, 2014.
- The 20 Richest People Of All Time (undefined) . Business Insider(2 September 2010). Retrieved May 4, 2014.
- http://www.timelines.ws/states/FLORIDA.HTML
- http://www.timelines.ws/20thcent/1937.HTML
For financiers, Rockefeller's biography is a role model, because he was the richest man of the 20th century. Having worked his way up from bookkeeper to corporate owner, Rockefeller amassed a fortune with a lot of zeros. At the same time, John was an example not only in financial success, but also in charity.
Birth
Rockefeller's biography begins in 1839, when he was born in the city of Richford. William, the father of the future millionaire, worked in various fields: he lent money, traded timber, etc. Thanks to his penchant for risk, he managed to amass a small capital ($3,100), part of which was used to purchase land plot. William prudently invested the other part in several enterprises. He told little John about his investments, explaining the specifics of doing business.
First earnings
John Rockefeller, whose biography will be discussed in this article, earned his first money at the age of 7. He raised turkeys for sale and dug up potatoes from his neighbors. John recorded all his income in small notepad. Having saved $50 by the age of 13, the future oil magnate lent it to a farmer at 8% per annum. At the age of 16, having completed courses in accounting, he went in search of work. Six weeks of searching were unsuccessful. Finally, John got a job at Hewitt and Tuttle as an accounting assistant. Working 16 hours a day, Rockefeller quickly established himself as a professional, and was soon offered the vacant managerial position. True, they began to pay three times less than his predecessor. John quit... It was the first and last time when he was employed.
Own company
Further, Rockefeller's biography leads us to 1857, when the future oil magnate opened a joint business with Maurice Clark. The partners were lucky: it broke out Civil War with the southern states. The US government needed tons of biscuits, tobacco, sugar and meat, as well as hundreds of thousands of rifles, uniforms and millions of cartridges. To fulfill these orders, there was little starting capital, and John decided to take out a loan. The likelihood of refusal was high, but Rockefeller went to the director of the bank and frankly told everything. Sincerity young man impressed the banker and the loan was approved.
Standard Oil
John Rockefeller's history as an oil tycoon began in 1865. At that time, everything was illuminated and kerosene itself was obtained from oil. John immediately realized the prospects of this business and began its production, opening the Standard Oil company. When the business began to generate income, Rockefeller began buying up other oil companies. By 1880, through numerous mergers, Standard Oil owned 95% of the oil market. Didn't even change the situation. The millionaire simply split Standard Oil into 34 small companies, each of which he owned a controlling stake.
Charity
Rockefeller's biography is filled not only with financial victories. He is the largest philanthropist in American history. At the beginning of the twentieth century, John handed over the management of the business to reliable partners, and he himself was only involved in charity work. In 1905, he donated $100 million to the church, and by the end of his life he had given away more than half a billion.
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