Today I will tell you about how I made my fortune - the first dollar billionaire, the richest person in the world in the history of mankind. To this day, the name of this man is a symbol of wealth. John Davison Rockefeller lived in the second half of the 19th - first half of the 20th century, but is still in charge.

The first billionaire of our time, heading - Bill Gates lags behind him in terms of level financial condition more than 4 times! Biography and success story of John Rockefeller, the most Interesting Facts from life in today's publication on Financial Genius.

John Rockefeller: biography. Childhood.

John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (he later had a son with the same name) was born in 1839 in Richford, New York. His parents were very religious (Protestants), the family was large: in total, 6 children were born in it, of which John Rockefeller was the second. John's father had little capital, but often left for a long time, selling elixirs, during these periods his mother was in poverty and saved a lot on everything.

From childhood, the mother, father and priest, whom the Rockefeller family often visited, taught their children to take care of personal finances, work and earn money on their own. FROM early years business has become one of the main directions for John family education.

His father often paid him for various services, while bargaining. At a very young age, Rockefeller already bought a pound of candy, then distributed them in piles and resold them to his sisters for more. At the age of 7, he began to earn money from neighbors, digging potatoes for them, and growing turkeys for sale. From childhood, John Davison Rockefeller led, writing down all his income and expenses in a small book, and putting all the money he earned into his piggy bank. By the way, he kept his home accounting, which began from an early age, and continued to keep it all his life.

At the age of 13, John Rockefeller saved up $50 and loaned it to a farmer he knew at 7.5% per annum.

John successfully graduated from high school, after which he entered a college that taught the basics of accounting and commerce, but soon decided that he would only lose time there, so he left the college, and instead completed a three-month accounting course, after which he began.

John Rockefeller: biography. Career and entrepreneurship.

John Rockefeller got his first serious job at the age of 16, after 6 weeks of searching: he first became an assistant accountant in a trading company with a salary of $ 17, and was soon promoted to an accountant with a salary of $ 25 per month. Rockefeller proved himself so well in this position that after some time, when the head of the company left his post, John became the manager of this company with a salary of $ 600. However, Rockefeller did not like that the previous manager was paid $ 2,000 a month, and he was only $ 600, so he soon quit.

This work became the only place of employment in the biography of John Rockefeller.

In 1857, Rockefeller learned that an English entrepreneur was looking for a business partner with a capital of $2,000. At that time, he only had $800, but he got excited about this idea, so he borrowed the missing money from his father at 10% per annum and became a junior co-founder of Clark and Rochester, which specialized in the sale of hay, grain, meat and some other goods.

When the company needed to borrow to increase working capital, John Rockefeller negotiated with the bank: thanks to his sincerity and talent for persuasion, he was able to convince the manager to provide their still young company with a loan in the required amount.

John Davison Rockefeller: The Oil Business.

At the beginning of the 2nd half of the 19th century, kerosene lamps became popular in the United States, which stimulated an increase in demand for the main raw material for their production - oil. During this period, John Davison Rockefeller met the practicing chemist Samuel Andrews, who specializes in the processing of petroleum feedstock and predicts a great increase in the popularity of kerosene as a lighting product. They combined their capital with the capital of Rockefeller's business partner Clark and created the oil refinery "Andrews and Clark".

John Rockefeller saw great prospects for the oil market and tried to persuade Clark to transfer all available capital to this business. When he nevertheless refused, Rockefeller bought out his share in the enterprise for $72,500 and devoted himself entirely to the oil business.

In 1870, John Davison Rockefeller Sr. created his main oil company, Standard Oil, which in the future brought him the main wealth. This company has already carried out a full cycle: from oil production to production and supply of the final product.

At his firm, John Rockefeller introduced a non-standard system: instead of wages he settled with employees with company shares, which constantly grew in price and brought good income. It turned out that the employees themselves were interested in diligently and efficiently doing their work: after all, the success of the company depended on this, which means the growth in the price of its shares and their personal income.

The Standard Oil Company developed rapidly, increasing its turnover, and John D. Rockefeller began to invest in other oil companies the profits received from its activities. He found an opportunity to dump on the cost of transporting products by negotiating with transport railway companies, which competitors could not afford. Therefore, Rockefeller put his competitors before a choice: either merging with him, or bankruptcy. So many of them gradually became part of Standard Oil.

In just 10 years, John Rockefeller's company became an almost absolute monopoly in the United States: 95% of the country's oil production was concentrated in it. After that, Rockefeller raised the prices of his products and Standard Oil became the largest oil company in the world.

Another 10 years later, in 1890, the US antitrust law was passed. At first, the oil tycoon circumvented his norms in every possible way, but when he could no longer resist the authorities, 21 years later, in 1911, he divided his corporation into 34 enterprises, retaining a controlling stake in each of them.

The Standard Oil Company annually brought Rockefeller a profit of $ 3 million (in terms of current money, this is billions). The corporation's assets included:

– more than 400 enterprises;

– more than 90 miles of railway tracks;

– more than 10 thousand railway tanks;

- 60 oil tankers;

- 150 ships.

The company's share in the world oil turnover exceeded 70%.

John Rockefeller: fortune.

The fortune of oil tycoon John Rockefeller was estimated at 1.4 billion dollars, in terms of the current American currency - this is 318 billion dollars. At the time of his death, Rockefeller's fortune was 1.54% of US GDP, and in 1917 it reached 2.5% of US GDP.

In addition to Standard Oil, John D. Rockefeller's assets included:

– 16 railway companies;

– 6 steel companies;

– 9 firms engaged in real estate trade;

– 6 shipping companies;

– 9 banks;

- 3 orange groves.

Rockefeller lived richly, but never focused on his wealth. He had several villas and houses in different states, a land plot of 273 hectares, and a private golf course.

John Rockefeller: Charity.

From the earliest years, John Rockefeller consistently used 10% of his income for: he transferred to help the Baptist Church. Over the course of his life, he transferred more than $100 million there.

In addition, Rockefeller donated about $ 80 million to the University of Chicago, he also became the founder and sponsor of the New York Institute for Medical Research, and later established the well-known Rockefeller Charitable Foundation.

At the end of his life, John Rockefeller gave away about half a billion dollars to charity.

John Rockefeller Jr.

John Davison Rockefeller Jr. is The only son John Rockefeller. He inherited $460 million from his father, and spent about that amount on charity throughout his life. In particular, thanks to his donations, the UN headquarters in New York and the famous Empire Building skyscraper were built.

John Rockefeller Jr. left behind 5 sons (known as the Rockefeller grandsons) and a daughter. Each of them has its own history, but all of them are somehow connected with doing business.

John Rockefeller: interesting facts.

John Rockefeller from childhood dreamed of living to be 100 years old and earning $100,000, but he only lived to be 97 years old and earned $1.4 billion.

At the age of 96, John Davison Rockefeller received an insurance payment of $ 5 million as a person who lived to that age. The insurance company estimated the probability of such an “insured event” as 1:100,000, and this was the first such case in the history of the company.

In 1908, John Rockefeller wrote a book - "Memoirs", in which he described his life path, his success story. To this day, the Memoirs of John Rockefeller is a very popular book, published many times in huge circulations, highly appreciated by readers and critics.

Rockefeller company employees scared their children with it: “If you cry, Rockefeller will take you.”

Most of all, John Rockefeller was proud not of his wealth and achievements, but of his morality, which he considered impeccable.

The most famous quotes of John D. Rockefeller:

- Whoever works all day has no time to earn money;

– Your well-being depends on your own decisions;

- If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.

Here she is - the biography and success story of John Rockefeller - the richest man on earth, an oil tycoon.

Stay on, improve your financial literacy, learn to use personal finances wisely and effectively, and perhaps someday you too will be able to achieve at least a small fraction of what John Davison Rockefeller achieved in life. See you soon!

Hello! As always, Ruslan Miftakhov welcomes you! Surely today there are no people who do not know about richest man in the world in history - John Rockefeller, whose fortune, if inflation is taken into account, would now amount to about 200 billion dollars. Can you put this on yourself?

Today I decided to tell you about Rockefeller's golden 12 rules and talk about the secret of his success. I believe that everyone who is interested in increasing their income (and most likely the majority of them!) Will be interested in this article.

To begin with, I would like to give a few facts from his life, upbringing, in order to understand: how did it all start, how did you manage to earn so much? And then we will take a closer look at his cherished list of golden rules, which he always observed himself, and advised everyone else to do the same.

John was born in the state of New York on July 8, 1839. His family, in particular his mother, instilled in him the main life principles which he followed until his death.

Since childhood, the boy has learned in practice the basic principles of the economy, one of which is to buy in bulk cheaper.

An interesting fact from the biography of the future billionaire: with the money given to him for his birthday, he bought sweets, and then sold one by one to his sisters “at a premium”. The teachers didn’t like this “business” of the boy, but no one forced the sisters to buy sweets, and they could do it themselves.

When the boy was about seven years old, he mastered another business rule: any work can bring income. He raised turkeys, after which he profitably sold them to his neighbors. Is this bad business? However, nowadays it is difficult to find such an independent child as John was.

The boy did not spend the money received for the turkeys, and did not just put it under his pillow, but lent it to a neighbor, receiving 7% from this. This lesson learned would then go into one of his passive income rules.


But do not think that John was a callous person. He was very upset when one of his sisters died. He was very sensitive, sympathetic, and thanks to his mother - believers. And he always gave 10% of his income to the needy, and also built several universities, colleges and churches.

Not only the mother, but also the father, who led a wild life, influenced the upbringing of the boy. Rockefeller, who looked at his drinking father, and at the suffering of his mother, forever decided to lead a healthy and correct lifestyle, was a faithful husband and a wonderful father to his children.

How did you manage to earn a huge fortune?

John did not even finish college, and at the age of 16, having completed a 3-month accounting course, he went to work as an assistant accountant, after a month and a half of searching, in Cleveland, where his whole family lived. Later, he was offered the position of chief accountant, but he always wanted to work for himself, and refused it.

During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Rockefeller, and his companion Clark, were engaged in the supply of food for soldiers, on which they made a small capital. And in 1864 they began to deal with oil, the deposits of which were discovered near Cleveland.


Clark was not a risky person, and was afraid to deal only with oil, as John wanted. And then, having bought out the partner's share for $ 72,500, not being afraid to take a loan, Rockefeller went into the oil business. He founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870 and managed it skillfully until his retirement in 1897.

This is how John Rockefeller earned his capital, but he never became conceited. He died at the age of 97 (in 1937), and according to his will, his descendants are still involved in charity work.


Promised briefly, but delayed a little with life stories such a great man, among which there are a lot of instructive moments.

Now let's get down to the to-do list.

12 Golden Rules of Rockefeller

John wrote a book in 1908 called "Memoirs", in which he told about his life path, success stories, how to get rich, and also described the ethical and moral principles by which he lived.

So, let's take a closer look at its basic rules:


These are the rules that allow you to achieve not only good financial position but also a successful and joyful life. They are very helpful for everyone. Of course, some may not agree with them, and come up with various excuses.


But this is everyone's business. I believe that one should learn from the advice of people who have really achieved a lot. And their advice is not just words, but really proven actions.

I hope these rules help you achieve your goals! Good luck to all!

See you again.

Sincerely, Ruslan Miftakhov

John Davison Rockefeller Born July 8, 1839 in Richford, New York - died May 23, 1937 in Ormond Beach, Florida. American entrepreneur, philanthropist, the first dollar billionaire in the history of mankind.

Founded a company in 1870 Standard Oil and managed it until his official retirement in 1897. Standard Oil was founded in Ohio as a partnership of John Rockefeller, his brother William Rockefeller, Henry Flager, Jabez Bostwick, chemist Samuel Andrews, and one non-voting partner, Stephen Harkens. As the demand for kerosene and gasoline soared, the Rockefellers' wealth also increased, and he became the richest man in the world in his day, with a net worth of $1.4 billion (1937 nominal) or 1.54% of US GDP at the time of his death. Adjusted for inflation The New York Times estimates his wealth at about $192 billion. in 2006 equivalent.

Rockefeller was one of the US philanthropists, the founder of the Rockefeller Foundation, who donated large sums to medical research, education, in particular, to fight yellow fever. He also founded Chicago and Rockefeller University. He was a believing Baptist and donated part of his income to support church institutions throughout his life. He was noted as a hardworking, purposeful and devout Christian, for which his partners called him "Deacon". He always preached healthy lifestyle life and a complete rejection of alcohol and tobacco. He had four daughters and one son, who inherited the management of the Rockefeller Foundation.


Rockefeller was the second of six children in a Protestant family, William Avery Rockefeller (October 13, 1810 - May 11, 1906) and Louise Celanto (September 12, 1813 - March 28, 1889).

He was born in Richford, New York. His father was first a lumberjack, and then an itinerant merchant who called himself a "botanical doctor" and sold various elixirs and was rarely at home. According to the recollections of neighbors, Father John was considered a strange person, trying to avoid hard physical labor, although having a good sense of humor. William was a risk-taker by nature, which helped him build up the small amount of capital that enabled him to buy land for $3,100. However, the propensity for risk was side by side with foresight, so part of the capital was invested in various enterprises.

Eliza, John's mother, kept the household, was a very devout Baptist, and was often in poverty as her husband was constantly away for long periods of time and she constantly had to save money on everything. She tried not to pay attention to reports of oddities and adultery of her husband.

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 just “trained” me to get rich!”

When John was seven years old, he began to raise turkeys for sale, worked part-time digging potatoes for neighbors. He recorded all the results of commercial activities in his little book.

From his first paycheck, Rockefeller acquires a solid ledger. In it, he writes down all his income and expenses, paying attention even to the little things. He treated this book with special awe and respect, keeping it for life. As well as the memory of your first working day, as an understanding of your first step on the path of becoming.

He invested all the money he earned in a porcelain piggy bank, and already at the age of 13 he lent $ 50 to a farmer friend 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 the enterprises of William Rockefeller did not always end well, she often had to save money.

At 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 the lessons. Rockefeller successfully graduated from high school and entered Cleveland College, where they taught accounting and the basics of commerce, but soon came to the conclusion that a three-month accounting course and a thirst for activity would bring much more than college years, so he left him.

In 1853, the Rockefeller family moved to Cleveland. Since John Rockefeller was one of the oldest children in the family, at the age of 16 he went to look for work. By that time, he was already quite good at mathematics, and completed a three-month accounting course in Cleveland. After six weeks of searching, he was hired as an assistant accountant for a small real estate and shipping company, Hewitt & Tuttle, and soon rose to the position of accountant. He was quickly able to establish himself as a competent professional, and as soon as the manager of Hewitt & Tuttle left his post, Rockefeller was immediately appointed in his place. At the same time, the salary was set at $ 600 dollars, while his predecessor received $ 2,000, because of this, Rockefeller left the company, and this was his only hired job in his biography.

Just at this time, the English entrepreneur John Morris Clark was looking for a partner with a capital of $ 2,000 to create a joint business. At that time, Rockefeller had accumulated $ 800, he borrowed the missing amount from his father at 10% per annum, and on April 27, 1857, he became a junior partner of the Clark and Rochester company, the company traded in hay, grain, meat and other goods. During these years, the southern states announced their withdrawal from the Union and a civil war began, the federal authorities needed to supply a large army, and to fulfill large-scale orders for food supplies, the starting capital of $ 4,000 was not enough, the company needed a loan. Despite the fact that the company was young, Rockefeller managed to make a positive impression on the director of the bank with his sincerity, and he agreed to provide the company with a loan.

In 1864, Rockefeller married teacher Laura Celestine Spelman. whom he met while still a student. Being pious, she also possessed a practical mindset. Rockefeller noted: “Without her advice, I would have remained poor.”.

In the late 1850s and early 1860s, kerosene lamps became widespread and the demand for oil, the raw material for kerosene, increased. At this time, Rockefeller met the chemist Samuel Andrews, who was involved in oil refining and was convinced of the promise of kerosene as a means of lighting. Rockefeller, on the other hand, was interested in a message about an oil field discovered by Edwin Drake in 1859. Common interests rallied Andrews and Rockefeller, and they, on an equal footing with Clark's company, founded new company oil processing company Andrews and Clark. The partners founded the Flats refinery in Cleveland. Transported oil and finished products by rail.

The Standard Oil Company was founded in 1870. Rockefeller took up the search for oil; already at the beginning of his career, he noticed that the entire oil business was organized inefficiently and chaotically, and focused on putting things in order. The first step was to create a company charter. In order to motivate employees, Rockefeller at first decided to refuse wages, rewarding them with shares, he believed that thanks to this they would work more actively, because they would consider themselves part of the company, since their final income would depend on the success of the business.

The business began to generate income, and Rockefeller began to gradually buy up other oil firms one at a time, small enterprises that were not very expensive. This strategy did not sit well with many Americans. Rockefeller negotiated with railroad companies to regulate transportation prices, so Standard Oil received more low prices than its competitors: it paid 10 cents for transporting a barrel of oil, while its competitors paid 35 cents, and the Rockefeller company also received income from a difference of 25 cents from each barrel. Competitors could not resist him, Rockefeller put them before a choice: to unite with him, or ruin. Most of them chose to become part of Standard Oil in exchange for a share of the shares.

Already by 1880, thanks to numerous small and medium-sized mergers, 95% of America's oil production was in the hands of Rockefeller. After becoming a monopoly, Standard Oil raised prices and became the largest company in the world at that time. Ten years later, the Sherman Anti-Monopoly Act required Standard Oil to be split up. Thereafter Rockefeller split the business into 34 small companies and in all of them he retained a controlling stake and at the same time increased capital. Practically all major American oil companies descended from Standard Oil, including ExxonMobil, Chevron.

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 from New York's 5th Avenue. He owned a villa and 700 acres (283 ha) of land on the outskirts of Cleveland, as well as homes in New York, Florida, and a personal golf course in New Jersey. But most of all he loved the villa "Pocantico Hills" near New York. Rockefeller wanted to live to be a hundred years old, but did not live three years - on May 23, 1937, he died of heart attack at the age of 97 years.

John Rockefeller family:

The five grandsons of John Rockefeller Sr. continued the tradition of philanthropy and involvement in politics. The most famous of them was Nelson Rockefeller, Vice President of the United States from 1974-1977. The younger son of John Rockefeller Jr., David Rockefeller, was the head of the Manhattan Bank from 1969-1980.

They say that part of Rockefeller's success belongs to his wife. Few could compete with John in his stinginess and stinginess, in coldness and prudence. But his wife Laura Spelman was able to outdo him. They understood each other perfectly, and she gave him a lot of thoughtful judicious advice during his work in business. Modern researchers everyone is talking about how Spelman was such a perfect fit for Rockefeller that it was amazing. They were able to live like water for more than sixty years.

A symbol of the American dream, a multimillionaire who earned fabulous wealth, Rockefeller was a very mysterious and controversial figure. Unmercenary and philanthropist, at the same time a cunning and cruel businessman, in whose name the spouses of ordinary hard workers frightened their children. The article introduces the reader to the fascinating life path of John D. Rockefeller.

Childhood

In the summer of 1939, little John Rockefeller was born into a working farming family of Protestant Baptists. The family was large and poor. The constant lack of money forced to save on everything. John's mother devoted more time to raising children, who instilled in them religiosity and hard work.

The father of the Rockefeller family moved from forestry to sales. Working as a traveling salesman allowed him to earn more. So entrepreneurship became their family craft. Lessons and conversations with his father helped John form a commercial mindset from an early age.

Entrepreneurial talent John Davidson Rockefeller began to show at the age of five. Bought sweets resold with a small margin for a handful. He was engaged in growing turkeys, on the sale of which he earned fifty dollars. Then he profitably invested them: he gave his neighbor a loan at interest. Rockefeller developed the habit of keeping track of his income and expenses as a child.

John Rockefeller differed from his peers in a calm character, slowness and sometimes absent-mindedness. According to the recollections of one of the adults, "he was a very quiet and thoughtful boy." Behind the outward slowness was a good reaction, an excellent memory and composure. Their strengths he demonstrated more than once during the games. In drafts battles, he often won victories, keeping his opponent in suspense and exhausting him throughout the game.

Youth

In the eyes of those around Rockefeller, John Davison looked like a strange teenager: a thin face with thin lips and impassive eyes, the look of which not everyone could stand when communicating. The lack of emotions, passionlessness and firmness in Rockefeller's character always frightened people, for which later competitors called him the "devil". Beneath his stern exterior was a kind and sensitive man.

Already rich, John Rockefeller once heard about the difficult fate of his former classmate, whom he once really liked. To help a widowed and impoverished woman, he issued her a pension at the expense of his income.

John Davidson Rockefeller went to school late, at 13, but did not graduate from high school or college. Lack of diplomas has never been an obstacle for many millionaires. His only education was accounting courses. It took three months to study, after which the 16-year-old teenager went in search of work already in Cleveland, where his family moved. He joined Hewitt and Tuttle as a clerk. The firm involved in the sale of real estate and transportation, was good place employment, but the first and last for John.

The economic mindset and innate responsibility helped the young clerk to rise to the rank of accountant within two years. Rockefeller, John Davison, outwardly calmly reacted to an increase in wages by $ 8, but deep down he believed that this was an overestimated and undeserved salary. Then he bought a diary and began to take into account his finances. The notebook was with him throughout his life and became one of the symbols of his success.

Independence and first business

Businessman Maurice Clark invited 18-year-old Rockefeller to the business. To become an equal partner, John Davidson Rockefeller invested his savings and borrowed money. The new company was engaged in the sale of hay, grain, meat and various goods. The civil war that broke out in the United States in 1861 required a constant supply of provisions to the warring parties. After receiving a loan, the scope of the trading company of Clark and Rockefeller was expanded. Deliveries of flour, meat and other goods continued in large volumes.

John D. Rockefeller met the end of the war at the epicenter of the oil rush. The deposit was discovered near Cleveland. The active distillation of oil became part of the activities of business partners in 1863, when the plant was built. After two years, John offered Maurice to buy out his share for 72 thousand dollars, since he only wanted to do the oil business. So he became the sole owner of the well.

The fateful meeting for Rockefeller and the emergence of a new ally - S. Andrews, a chemist, contributed to the reorientation from oil production to sales. An oil company based on John's experience and rules, long years increased income.

From pawns to market kings

1870 was marked by the discovery oil company Rockefeller Standard Oil, overtaking competitors. Together with friend and business partner Henry Flagler, John Rockefeller bought out numerous single refinery and oil firms to form a trust.

Competitors were left with no choice: enter the trust or go bankrupt. At the same time, John did not disdain dirty methods, such as unfair competition and industrial espionage. There were many tricks in Rockefeller's arsenal. The use of shell companies, which were actually part of Standard Oil, made it possible to enter the local market of a competitor and arrange a sharp drop in prices, forcing him to conduct unprofitable activities and go bankrupt. In addition, such opportunities made it possible to "slow down" the supply of oil to a refiner who did not want to make contact. John bought bankrupt companies for next to nothing.

Rockefeller signed contracts with all suppliers, bought oil in gigantic volumes, leaving other companies without raw materials. It is noteworthy that many oil entrepreneurs did not know that neighboring firms that put pressure on them were included in Standard Oil, since the regime of the strictest secrecy was observed. In 1879, the trust took control of 90% of the oil market.

Spy Games

During the "war" to control the market, Standard Oil collected information through a network of agents. Front employees came to work in competing enterprises, collected data for months, searched for “ weak spots» business. Rockefeller met with his spies at different times, preparing a dossier on oil managers. The schedule was planned in a special way: partners, competitors and other visitors did not intersect. Encrypted telegrams "flyed" between the agents and the head office.

Data on the main firms of competitors and all buyers of petroleum products in the United States flocked to a large archive. Even small firms, grocers, who purchase kerosene for heating from the Rockefeller company, were part of the file cabinet.

Only the pedantic John Rockefeller could plan and conduct such an aggressive war, whose biography contains the following fact: when he was informed of a complete victory over his competitors, the millionaire was not at all surprised, because he considered success inevitable.

antitrust law

Knowledge of accounting helped the newly minted millionaire, who kept track of almost every barrel, in many ways. When 95% of the market gathered under the auspices of Rockefeller, he raised the price of petroleum products and received huge dividends. All this would come to an end with the adoption of antitrust laws.

The Sherman Anti-Trusts Act was passed in 1890 and monopolies were to become a thing of the past. But John successfully beat him for more than twenty years. After 1911, the Standard Oil empire had to be divided into 34 enterprises, in each of which he kept a share. Some of them are still successfully operating in the US. Thus, the Rockefeller Trust became the ancestor of all the major oil corporations in America.

In addition to oil, the billionaire had a logistics, banking and agricultural business. But at an advanced age, after 1897, he handed over management to the partners and engaged in charity and other activities.

Rockefeller - philanthropist

The story of John Rockefeller is truly unique. His fabulous profits accounted for more than 2% of the US gross domestic product, but even more amazing was his generosity. Donations by the end of his life's journey amounted to more than half a billion dollars. Everyone has long forgotten about his former glory as a cunning businessman, he became known as a philanthropist.

The life rules of John Rockefeller included the obligatory help of the church. Being pious person he believed that good deeds should be done quietly. Throughout his life, he donated 10% of his income to the Baptist community. In 1905, the church received at least one hundred million dollars from him.

In 1982, John helped found the University of Chicago with $80 million. Three years later, the opening of the Rockefeller Medical Institute in New York took place. In addition, the Museum of Modern Art, the General Council for Education, several monasteries and Charitable Foundation. Those in need are still receiving help transferred from companies through the Rockefeller Foundation.

Billionaire Family

Rockefeller met his wife in his youth. Laura Celestina Spelman was a teacher. The pious and practical girl in many ways reminded Rockefeller of his mother. The marriage took place in 1864. She became his friend for many years and assistant in difficult moments of life. The billionaire always highly appreciated the advice of his wife. “Without her guidance, I would have remained poor,” John Rockefeller used to say. The memoirs do not tell what kind of poverty he had in mind, material or spiritual.

Rockefeller was a strict and fair father. Children were brought up in work, order and modesty. Like other kids, they were rewarded for good deeds and punished for bad deeds. For example, after cleaning in the garden, it was allowed to take a walk, and for being late, you could lose sweets. On the plot, each child had his own garden bed, where weeds had to be weeded.

In order to instill in children the desire to work and earn money, Rockefeller introduced small cash incentives and fines for them. The guys could get a reward for almost everything: working in the garden, helping their parents, playing music or abstaining from sweets.

Rockefeller John Davison Jr. took over his father's business in 1917 and managed to leave a significant mark on history. He inherited nearly $0.5 billion. The resulting capital, John Rockefeller Jr. spent wisely. He allocated a significant amount for charitable purposes. He invested in the communications industry, for the construction of the Rockefeller Center, spent up to 10 million free of charge on the construction of the UN headquarters. If not for this donation, the UN building in New York might not have appeared. The remaining six children received 250 million each from their father. Rockefeller John Davison Jr. also built the famous Empire State Building.

How much did Rockefeller earn?

By 1917, the income of the Rockefeller empire was equal to a billion dollars. Adjusted for inflation and realities today, such profits would amount to hundreds of billions, so far no one has surpassed John.

He approached the life outcome with shares in each subsidiary of Standard Oil. There were more than thirty of them, and the total volume that they occupied in oil sales in America reached 80%. Back in 1903, the oil concern consisted of 400 companies, 90,000 pipeline miles, 10,000 railroad tanks, and tankers and steamships numbered in the dozens!

John himself owned 16 railroad companies, 6 iron and steel companies, 9 financial institutions, 6 shipping companies, 9 real estate firms, and 3 orange orchards. In addition, he was the owner of villas, land and several houses, even a personal golf course. Grandiose wealth created opportunities for lobbying their interests in political circles, which John Rockefeller skillfully used. The biography of a millionaire contains a fact: he always knew how to make connections and a good relationship not only with ordinary people but also with politicians and senior officials. Rumors that Rockefeller manipulated the White House and the US Treasury have haunted him for years.

Secret of success

Success in life depends on many factors. Rockefeller had the toughness, acumen necessary for an entrepreneur, determination, hard work and self-confidence. But the real guiding star in life for him was the family, faith and religious values ​​​​that his mother nurtured in him. They helped John survive in the brutal oil business with its uncontrolled rampant crime: explosions, blackmail and robbery. Thanks to the unpretentiousness of a believer, Rockefeller knew how to save money and always had funds for business investments.

He was not as proud of his fabulous wealth as his honesty and moral values. The paradox is that in relation to competitors, the billionaire was cruel and ruthless. It was John Rockefeller who always knew how to knock out an opponent. Books can tell the story of how he engineered a collision between shipping corporations to cut oil shipping costs by up to 1.5 times as a result of a lucrative deal.

Rockefeller was helped to succeed by his sharp mind and mentality. He owns such sayings as:

  • "If you work all day, you don't have time to get rich."
  • "Earn a reputation and it will work for you."
  • "Success depends on the decisions of the individual himself."
  • “Patronage is good if it helps you become independent.”
  • “The ability to win people over is the commodity that I am ready to purchase at a price higher than anything else in the world.”

John Davison Rockefeller Sr.: biography

John Davison Rockefeller, photo

John Rockefeller is the richest and most successful man in the history of mankind.

His fortune was 318.3 billion dollars (at the dollar rate for 2007). He was 74 years old when he was at the peak of his wealth, his fortune was 1.53% of the income of the American economy, he was America's first billionaire.

« I never guessed who I would be in this life, but I always knew that I was born for something more.”- so, according to the memoirs of his beloved grandson David, said John Davison Rockefeller.

As a young man, John Davison Rockefeller ( John Davison Rockefeller, abbreviated DDR) said that he had 2 dreams in life: the first to earn $ 100,000, and the second - to live to be 100 years old. He was 2 years and 2 months short of 2 goals, but he made his first dream come true with tremendous success.

John with son

Rockefeller was born into a poor family

Full name - John Davidson Rockefeller Sr. he later had a son with the same name) was born July 8, 1839 in the State of New York, USA, and died in 1937 at the age of ninety-eight (98).

His father, William Avery "Big Bill" Rockefeller was a lazy man who spent most of his time thinking about how to avoid manual labor. John's mother, Louise (Eliza), was a self-employed, very devout Baptist, and was often in poverty as her husband was constantly away for extended periods of time and constantly had to save money on everything. However, thanks to the influence of his mother Louise and the devout Baptist John D., he grew up to be quite a hard-working guy.

  • Mother was a terribly devout Baptist, so from childhood she inspired John with the idea that you need to work hard and constantly save.
  • The Rockefellers moved to the New World in the 18th century and are slowly moving north to Michigan. Things are piled into a creaking wagon drawn by oxen, Rockefeller's grandfather holds the reins, his wife and children follow, swallowing road dust. They stopped in the city of Richford, New York: John Rockefeller would be born there in 1839.
  • He became the "Devil" as a child. His dry, skin-covered face, devoid of luster of eyes and thin pale lips greatly frightened those around him. In fact, he was quite sensitive and emotional, he just seemed to hide all his feelings in the farthest pocket of his soul. Few knew what John really was.

In young age

Education

At 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 the lessons. Rockefeller successfully graduated from high school and entered Cleveland College, where they taught accounting and the basics of commerce, but soon came to the conclusion that a three-month accounting course and a thirst for activity would bring much more than college years, so he left him.

Starting a business and how to get rich

The business was part of John's family upbringing. As a child, he bought a pound of candy, divided it into small piles, and sold them to his sisters at a small markup. And at the age of seven he raised turkeys and sold them to his neighbors. Earned on this $ 50, he lent to a neighbor farmer at 7% per annum.

In 1853, the Rockefeller family moved to Cleveland. Since John Rockefeller was one of the eldest children in the family, at the age of 16 he went to look for work.

John began his career in 1855 at the age of 16 as an accountant in the Cleveland trading firm Gevit & Tettl with a salary of $5 and then $25 a week.

From his first paycheck, Rockefeller acquires a solid ledger. In it, he writes down all his income and expenses, paying attention even to the little things.

He, like Morgan, was of military age when the outbreak broke out in the United States. Civil War. And both paid off their service in the army for 300 dollars (in the North of the country this was a common practice for those with funds).

Having gained enough experience, in his opinion, and having saved $ 800, in 1858 John left the company to open a partnership called Clark & ​​Rockefeller (Clark & ​​Rockefeller) - a small grocery firm, typical of the era of small business.

In the early 1860s, Rockefeller went out of business and organized a new company, Rockefeller & Andrews, focusing on refining oil and trading in kerosene, and continued to develop.

Then several more firms joined it, and in 1870 they founded the Standard Oil Company, with a capital of $ 1 million, which, with the help of successful business decisions and some predatory and illegal actions, became a giant monopoly.

In its heyday, Standard Oil had about 90% of the refined oil (kerosene) market in the United States (in the beginning, Standard Oil's products were not of particular interest to the oil industry, the gasoline produced by those refineries was flooded in rivers because it was counted useless).

In 1910, 55 years after Rockefeller made his first $5, he became the world's first dollar billionaire. “Through perseverance, anything - whether right or wrong, good or bad - will be achieved,” Rockefeller said.

In 1911, the Supreme Court declared Standard Oil a monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act, and the Standard Oil Company was split up.

The corporation broke up into 30 small companies with different boards and directors, in which John Rockefeller retained controlling stakes. By this time, John Rockefeller had long since stepped down from the board of the company, but still had a huge percentage of the shares. Every year he received at least $ 3 million from this business.

Oil prices are the secret of success

Since crude oil is virtually useless without distillation, hundreds of refineries sprang up on the other end of the pipeline (and this is true. Under Henry Ford, there were 240 automobile companies, of which only three remained - Ford, Chrysler and General Motors).

In Cleveland, Rockefeller's Standard Oil was just one of 26 refineries battling to survive in a very shaky single-supplier market.

In the 60s of the 19th century, the price of crude oil ranged from $13 per barrel to 10 cents. In fact, Rockefeller was not the first to appreciate the economic potential of the new industry, since the resulting kerosene could heat homes and light the streets of America's rapidly growing cities.

The cheaper it was for a ferryman to deliver oil from the field to the refinery and from the refinery to the market and consumer, the greater the margin he could play with.

Rockefeller successfully did both.

In early 1872, entering into an alliance called the South Improvement Company, Rockefeller entered into a pact with three railroad companies (Pennsylvania, New York Central and Erie): they received the lion's share of all oil transportation.

In exchange, Standard Oil was given preferential rail fares while its competitors in the refinery business were crushed with punitive prices. In addition to huge price advantages, Rockefeller received from the union of shippers and carriers (South Improvement Company) detailed information about competitors' shipments, which helped a lot in undermining their prices.

Time to work is the secret to success

Rockefeller knows that the Lord blesses the righteous, and turns his life into a constant feat - he comes to work at 6.30 in the morning, and leaves so late that he has to promise himself to finish his accounting no later than ten in the evening.

John's favorite game

Daily practice of my favorite game - golf - provided the necessary exposure to fresh air and sun. He did not forget about indoor games, reading and other beneficial activities.

A successful marriage is the secret to success

This 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 the short student days of Rockefeller, but got married only after 9 years. The girl attracted John's attention with her piety, practicality of mind and the fact that he reminded him of his mother. According to Rockefeller himself, without the advice of Laura, he would have "remained a poor man."

The state of the Rockefeller clan at the end of the 19th century

Except oil business, bringing in $ 3 million annually, the businessman owned 16 railroad and 6 steel companies, 9 real estate firms, 6 shipping companies, 9 banks and 3 orange groves.

« I believe that the destiny of any person on earth is to honestly take everything that you can, and just as honestly give everything that you can."- so he formulated his life credo John.

At 16, Rockefeller began working as an accountant and philanthropist.

Rockefeller has always been a philanthropist, he gave 10% of his income from his very first salary to charity. As his wealth grew, so did his contributions to charity.

« Grandfather was not interested in acquiring Scottish or French castles, he was disgusted by the thought of buying art or yachts', says David Rockefeller.

In 1908, John wrote and published a book called "Memoirs" where Rockefeller's 12 Golden Rules were formed.

When John Davison started, his fortune was in the thousands of dollars, and all the money went into business. Now that he had hundreds of millions, it was time for godly charity.

Fifty thousand letters came to Rockefeller a month asking for help - as far as possible, he answered them and sent people checks.

  • He helped found the University of Chicago with a $35 million donation, established scholarships, paid pensions - all paid for by the consumer, who was forced by Rockefeller to shell out as much for Standard Oil for kerosene and gasoline.
  • In 1901, he founded the New York Institute for Medical Research (since 1965 - Rockefeller University), in 1903 - the Council for General Education, in 1913 - the Rockefeller Foundation, in 1918 - the Laura Spelman Foundation (in honor of his wife - helping children and social sciences).
  • His total philanthropic donations totaled over $700 million.
  • Half of America dreamed of extorting more money from John Davison Rockefeller. The other half was ready to lynch him. Rockefeller is getting old. Passions, seething around, acted on his nerve.

In all the places where the aged Rockefeller appeared, he distributed handfuls of five- and ten-cent coins from his pockets to everyone around him. And I always took a supply of them with me.

John gave birth to four daughters and one son - John Davison Rockefeller, Jr. (born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1874, died May 11, 1960 during winter holiday in Arizona), who continued the work of his father ( the youngest had six children, and his five sons, representing the third generation of the Rockefeller dynasty, also became famous in business, finance and philanthropy).

John Sr. died in 1937 at the age of 98, he was worth $1.4 billion (1937 nominal) or 1.54% of the US GDP, but gave away half of his accumulated wealth before his death, founding a philanthropic organization that continues to give money for charity, to this day.

    John Davison Rockefeller Senior (John Rockefeller), 1839-1937, biography

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    John Rockefeller is the richest and successful person in the history of mankind. His fortune was 318.3 billion dollars (at the dollar rate for 2007). He was 74 years old when he was at the peak of his wealth, his fortune was 1.53% of the income of the American economy, he was America's first billionaire. “I never knew who I would be in this life, but ...