Contents
John D. Rockefeller
Building Standard Oil into an oil-industry giant and using his fortune to fund medical research and education.
Standard Oil · Rockefeller Institute
- Born
- 8 July 1839
- Birthplace
- Richford, New York, United States
- Died
- 23 May 1937
More people
John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller built his fortune in oil refining and distribution. Standard Oil’s scale made him enormously wealthy, but its restrictive business practices also made it a target of antitrust action. His later foundations helped reshape organised philanthropy.
Early life
A moving childhood
His family lived in several communities before settling near Cleveland, Ohio.
Bookkeeping first
He began work as an assistant bookkeeper in 1855, developing habits of detailed accounting.
Career
- 1859
First partnership
Entered a produce-commission business with Maurice Clark.
- 1863–1870
Into oil
Invested in a Cleveland refinery and then co-founded Standard Oil.
- 1882–1897
Trust and retirement
Expanded through the Standard Oil trust before withdrawing from daily management.
- 1901–1913
Institution building
Established organisations supporting medical research, education and philanthropy.
Companies & projects
Standard Oil
Built an integrated refining and distribution enterprise.
Rockefeller Institute
Founded the medical research institute that became Rockefeller University.
Rockefeller Foundation
Created a foundation supporting public health and other international work.
Beyond work
Antitrust judgment
In 1911, the US Supreme Court ordered Standard Oil’s breakup for violating antitrust law.
Religious giving
A Baptist, he gave to churches and charitable causes before becoming wealthy; later philanthropy was organised on a much larger scale.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Institutional biography and career record ↗Photo: Published by Scientific American Compiling Dep't, New York. 1907.. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
