John Rockefeller. Richest man in history

Symbol American dream, a multimillionaire who earned incredible wealth, Rockefeller was a very mysterious and controversial figure. Unmercenary and philanthropist, at the same time a cunning and cruel businessman, whose name was used by the wives of ordinary hard workers to frighten their children. The article introduces the reader to the fascinating life path of John Rockefeller.

Childhood years

In the summer of 1939, little John Rockefeller was born into a working-class Protestant-Baptist farming family. The family was large and poor. The constant lack of money forced me to save on everything. John's mother devoted more time to raising the 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 with early years shape commercial thinking.

John Davidson Rockefeller began to show entrepreneurial talents at the age of five. He resold the purchased candies with a small markup per handful. He was engaged in raising turkeys, from the sale of which he earned fifty dollars. Then he invested it profitably: he lent it to a neighbor at interest. Rockefeller developed the habit of keeping track of his income and expenses as a child.

John Rockefeller was distinguished from his peers by his calm character, leisurely and sometimes absent-mindedness. According to the recollections of one of the adults, “he was a very quiet and thoughtful boy.” Behind the external slowness hid a good reaction, excellent memory and composure. Their strong qualities he demonstrated more than once during games. In checkers battles, he often won victories, keeping his opponent in suspense and exhausting him throughout the game.

Youth

In the eyes of those around him, Rockefeller John Davison looked like a strange teenager: a thin face with thin lips and impassive eyes, the look of which not everyone could withstand when communicating. Rockefeller’s lack of emotion, dispassion and firmness of character always frightened people, for which his competitors later nicknamed him “the devil.” Beneath the stern exterior was a kind-hearted and sensitive man.

Having already become rich, John Rockefeller once heard about the difficult fate of his former classmate, whom he once really liked. To help a widowed and poor woman, he provided her with a pension from his income.

John Davidson Rockefeller went to school late, at age 13, but did not graduate from school or college. Lack of degrees has never been a barrier for many millionaires. His only education was accounting courses. The training took three months, after which the 16-year-old teenager went in search of work in Cleveland, where his family had moved. He joined Hewitt and Tuttle as a clerk. A company engaged in the sale of real estate and transportation turned out to be good place hired work, but the first and last for John.

An economic mindset and innate responsibility helped the young clerk rise to the rank of accountant within two years. Rockefeller John Davison reacted outwardly calmly to the $8 increase in wages, but deep down he believed that this was an inflated and undeserved salary. Then he bought a diary and began to track 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. 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 constant supplies of provisions to the warring parties. After receiving the loan, the scope of activity of the Clark and Rockefeller trading company was expanded. Supplies 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. Active distillation of oil became part of the business partners' activities in 1863, when the plant was built. After two years, John offered Maurice to buy out his share for 72 thousand dollars, since he wanted to do only the oil business. So he became the sole owner of the well.

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

From pawns to market kings

The year 1870 saw the opening of Rockefeller's oil company, Standard Oil, outpacing its competitors. Together with friend and business partner Henry Flagler, John Rockefeller bought out numerous individual refining and oil production firms to form a trust.

Competitors were left with no choice: join the trust or go bankrupt. At the same time, John did not disdain dirty methods, such as unfair competition and industrial espionage. Rockefeller had many tricks in his arsenal. The use of front companies, which were actually part of Standard Oil, made it possible to enter the local market of a competitor and cause a sharp drop in prices, forcing it to conduct unprofitable activities and go bankrupt. In addition, such opportunities made it possible to “slow down” oil supplies to an unwilling refiner. John acquired bankrupt companies for next to nothing.

Rockefeller concluded contracts with all suppliers, bought oil in huge volumes, leaving other companies without raw materials. It is noteworthy that many oil entrepreneurs did not know that the neighboring companies putting pressure on them were part of Standard Oil, since 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 using an agent network. False employees came to work at competing companies, spent months collecting data, searching for “ weak points» business. Rockefeller met with his spies in different times, prepared dossiers on oil managers. The schedule was planned in a special way: partners, competitors and other visitors did not overlap. Encrypted telegrams flew 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 large archive. Part of the file was even small firms, grocers, purchasing kerosene for heating from the Rockefeller company.

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

Antimonopoly law

Knowledge of accounting greatly helped the newly-made millionaire, who tracked almost every barrel. When 95% of the market gathered under the auspices of Rockefeller, he raised prices for petroleum products and received gigantic dividends. All this would come to an end with the adoption of antitrust legislation.

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

In addition to oil, the billionaire had logistics, banking and agricultural businesses. But in his old age, after 1897, he transferred control to his partners and became involved 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 amounted to more than half a billion dollars. Oh him former glory Everyone has long forgotten the insidious businessman; he became known as a philanthropist.

IN life rules John Rockefeller included mandatory assistance to the church. Being a pious man, he believed that good deeds should be done quietly. Throughout his life, he donated 10% of his income to the Baptist community. During 1905, the church received from him at least one hundred million dollars.

In 1982, John helped found the University of Chicago, to which he allocated 80 million. Three years later, the opening of the New York medical institute named after Rockefeller. In addition, the billionaire owes its existence to the Museum of Modern Art, the General Council for Education, several monasteries and a Charitable Foundation. Those in need still receive assistance 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 reminded Rockefeller of his mother in many ways. The marriage took place in 1864. She became his friend for many years and an assistant in difficult moments of his life. The billionaire always highly valued his wife’s advice. “Without her instructions, 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 ones. For example, after cleaning the garden, you were allowed to take a walk, and if you were late you could lose candy. On the plot, each child had his own bed, where they had to weed.

In order to instill in children the desire to work and earn money, Rockefeller introduced small monetary incentives and fines for them. Children could receive a reward for almost anything: 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 almost 0.5 billion dollars. John Rockefeller Jr. spent the resulting capital wisely. He allocated a significant amount for charitable purposes. He invested in the communications industry, in the construction of the Rockefeller Center, and spent up to 10 million gratuitously on the construction of the UN headquarters. If it were not for this donation, the UN building in New York might not have appeared. The remaining six children received 250 million from their father. The construction of the famous Empire State Building was also carried out by Rockefeller John Davison Jr.

How much did Rockefeller earn?

By 1917, the income of the Rockefeller empire amounted to a billion dollars. Taking into account inflation and the realities of today, such profits would amount to hundreds of billions; so far no one has surpassed John.

He came to the end of his life with shares in each subsidiary of Standard Oil. There were more than thirty of them, and the total volume 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 tank cars for railway transportation, and tankers and steamships numbered in the dozens!

John himself owned 16 railway companies, 6 metallurgical 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. Enormous wealth created opportunities for lobbying his interests in political circles, which John Rockefeller skillfully used. The biography of the millionaire contains the fact: he always knew how to make connections and 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 followed him for years.

The 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 raised 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 he was of his honesty and moral values. The paradox is that the billionaire was cruel and ruthless towards his competitors. It was John Rockefeller who always knew how to knock out an opponent. Books can tell the story of how he set up a clash between transport corporations in order to, as a result of a profitable deal, reduce the cost of oil transportation by up to 1.5 times.

Rockefeller's sharp mind and mentality helped him achieve success. 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.”
• “Philanthropy is beneficial if it helps you become independent.”
• “The ability to win people over is a commodity that I am willing to purchase at a price higher than anything else in the world.”

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 to count other people's money, so it is not surprising that many are interested in the question of what the Rockefellers' fortune is at the 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 net worth was barely a couple of hundred dollars when he entered adulthood, was born in 1838 in Richford, near New York, the second of 6 children of William Avery Rockefeller and Louise Celanto.

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 land plot. 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 fortune was $1 billion in 1905, was 7 years old when he was digging potatoes for his neighbors and raising turkeys for sale. 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 death was $1.4 billion) already at the age of 16 began looking for a permanent job. A certificate of completion of accounting courses and good knowledge in the field of mathematics allowed him to become an employee of Hewitt & Tuttle, 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 beginning Civil War This small company, which traded grain, hay, meat and other goods, had excellent prospects, as the United States federal authorities had a need for large-scale food supplies to supply the army.

It was obvious that there would not be enough start-up capital to develop 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 do not even think about the important role that smart woman in his career, as well as in increasing and preserving his 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 product that the Rockefellers made a huge fortune from.

The founder of the dynasty had unsurpassed business sense, and when they were invented kerosene lamps, 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 project and become a partner in a new business. Soon the company Andrews and Clark was created, which began building the Flats oil refinery in Cleveland. It later grew into the Standard Oil Company.

The 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 railroad workers for more low prices for the transportation of 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

In addition to the 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 being useful to society. As for the daughters, one of them died at a young age, the other went crazy, and only Alta and Etid lived a long life, enriching their 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 amounts Margaret's children and the medical research institute founded by her great grandfather also went from the inheritance.

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 on Foreign 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 surgery. 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 discussed general condition The Rockefellers are also remembered for representatives of one of the most successful financial clans in Europe. We are talking 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 net worth 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 Vallares oil and gas group, 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. Only in 2014 did he transfer to support various charity projects about 79 million dollars.

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 planet and influence the policies of the United States and many other countries on the planet.

Many hated and cursed him, wanted him to lose all his money, but John Davison Rockefeller Sr. still increased his fortune with every passing year. The most interesting thing is that this man was most proud of his morality: he followed strict rules all his life, raised his children the way he was once raised.

Rockefeller's ancestors were Huguenots and lived in fickle France. In the 17th century, they left this country to escape the Inquisition and the royal dragoons, who were hunting for heretics. In Germany, the Rockfeil family changed their surname to the German style. The emigrants were hardworking, loyal to each other, but indifferent to strangers. Their faith demanded this, and John Rockefeller never violated these rules.

In the next century, the Rockefellers continued their journey and ended up in the New World. There they stopped in a city in New York state called Richford. And in 1839 John Rockefeller was born. John's father, William Avery Rockefeller, loved money very much and earned it by any honest or dishonest means. He pretended to be both a deaf mute and a herbal doctor, sold various pieces of glass, won prizes at shooting competitions, etc. William always went away to work for several months at a time, always dressed well, and gradually increased his small fortune. And little John looked at his father and learned.

He was a practical young man and, looking at his relatives, made many useful conclusions. From his mother, for example, he inherited hard work, honesty, discipline, his father taught him to love money, John’s grandfather achieved nothing, was talkative and self-willed, and the boy did not want to be the same. Even as a child, young Rockefeller began doing business: he caught turkey poults and sold them after a while, bought candies and then sold them to his own sisters at a premium. All of John's proceeds were in the piggy bank. A little later, the boy gave them to his father at interest.

Almost no one knew the human side of John Rockefeller. Such people try not to obey emotions, feelings, because they main goal- get rich. But several situations in John's life perfectly prove that he was a sensitive boy.
At the time when the young man receives secondary education, his father escapes from the creditors he deceived and abandons his family. Later he changes his last name and leaves for another woman. At sixteen, John travels to Cleveland and begins looking for work. Many owners of firms and companies refuse him. Six weeks later, he was hired by Hewitt and Tuttle as an assistant accountant. Rockefeller came to work early in the morning (at 6:30), and ended his working day after 22:00. The future oil magnate loved to work and in a short period of time established himself as a competent professional. Therefore, after the manager of the company stopped working, John was immediately appointed to this position. True, his salary was set almost 3 times less than his predecessor. Rockefeller was very offended by this, and he left the company. He never worked for anyone else.

At this time, John Maurice Clark wants to open his own business and is looking for a person who could invest another $2,000. The English entrepreneur and John Rockefeller become partners and create the Clark and Rochester trading house. During the civil war they managed to earn good money. After some time, John begins to produce oil.
Before Rockefeller turned twenty-five, everyone he knew thought he only loved money. But this turned out not to be the case. One girl had been waiting for John for nine years. He met Laura Celestia Spelman at school. Then the young man confessed his love to her, but the girl replied that he should first find himself good job and achieved something in life.

The future millionaire was born in July 1839, in Richford, New York. In addition to John, the family had five more children. The father of the family, in pursuit of income, did not shy away from dubious activities, such as trading in medicinal potions of unknown origin, disappearing from home for several months at a time. Caring for the children and home fell entirely on the shoulders of the mother, the zealous Protestant Eliza Davison. Never having complete confidence in the return of her unlucky husband to the family hearth, Eliza ran the household zealously and economically, teaching her children to work and thrift. One fine day, John's father completely disappeared from the family's life, marrying a young girl and becoming a bigamist. However, by that time, 16-year-old John was already able to take care of himself.

Start of a career

After graduating from high school, Rockefeller attended a 10-week business course at a business college, where he studied accounting. The education of the future millionaire was limited to this.

16-year-old John D. Rockefeller began his career as a clerk in a Cleveland textile store with a salary of $5 a week.

In 1859, at the age of 19, he co-founded his first company with the young Englishman Maurice Clark. In the first year they earned 450 thousand. dollars - Clark was engaged in the supply of groceries, grain, hay and was looking for markets, while Rockefeller controlled office management, accounting and relationships with banks.

Rockefeller demonstrated his organizational genius from the very beginning. The firm prospered during the Civil War between 1861-65 between the North and South. Both partners were of conscription age and both paid their way out of military service. But the company managed to earn a tidy sum from supplies for the needs of the military.

Standard Oil Company

Meeting Samuel Andrews, who had knowledge of crude oil refining, gave the thoughts of the future multimillionaire a new direction. Andrews was convinced that kerosene was the future and he managed to infect Rockefeller with his conviction. Five years later, while still a partner in a grocery company, Rockefeller invested several thousand dollars in one of the rapidly developing oil refineries in Cleveland. The firm “Andrews and Clark” was founded, in which two years later Rockefeller became a senior partner, simultaneously buying out Clark’s share. The company becomes the largest oil refinery in Cleveland.

Thanks to financial assistance new partners Harkness and Flager (who also provided favorable discounts for rail transportation), the company outperformed most of its competitors in the oil industry. An ordinary company founded in Ohio in 1870 by John D. Rockefeller, his brother William, Harkness, Flager and Andrews, called the Standard Oil Company, had a capital of 1 million. dollars, and a year later it already provided 40% of the profit. Soon the company controlled a tenth of all oil refining in the United States.

However, Rockefeller dreamed of a monopoly. He bought most of the processing plants in Cleveland, as well as New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. He entered latest methods transportation, including rail tanks and pipelines. By 1879, the company refined 90% of American oil using its own fleet of trucks, ships, docking plants, packaging plants and warehouses. In the 1880s, the company began investing in the exploration and production of crude oil both in the United States and in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Beginning in 1885, a system of specialized committees was introduced to manage the huge Standard Oil empire, each of which oversaw its own segment: production managed production, purchasing handled purchases, etc. Nowadays, business structuring is an axiom, but in the days of Rockefeller, such a management apparatus was something unheard of and revolutionary.

The so-called "muckrakers" - journalists exposing corruption - Henry Demarest Lloyd and Ida Tarbell collected a lot of facts about the illegal and dubious transactions of Standard Oil. Rockefeller was criticized for railroad discounts, price fixing, bribery, and the takeover of small firms through unfair competition.

In 1911, after many years trials Supreme Court The United States decided to recognize Standard Oil as a monopoly subject to fragmentation. The company was broken into 34 smaller ones, and Rockefeller retained control of each of them. If before the court decision the millionaire’s fortune was estimated at 300 million dollars, then two years later he was already “worth” 900 million. – the lost antitrust case became a new impetus for his career. More and more cars appeared on city streets, requiring everything more oil, which means more and more money flowed into Rockefeller’s pockets.

Family life and personal qualities

From childhood, a God-fearing and strict mother instilled in her son hard work and strong religious principles. John D. Rockefeller categorically did not drink alcohol, demanded the same from his employees, and regularly attended church. As a follower of the Baptist Church, he contributed 1/10 of his income throughout his life, following the church tithe rule. In some years, this share amounted to tens of millions of dollars.

In 1864 he was married to Laura Celestia Spelman. The young people were amazingly suited to each other - Mrs. Rockefeller was a pious Puritan who despised secular entertainment and adored church services. The marriage produced five children - the future heir to the empire, John Davison Rockefeller Jr. and his three sisters - Bessie, Edith and Laura. The family lost another daughter in infancy.

Experiencing a mystical craving for making money, in everyday life Rockefeller had no bad habits or inclinations. Having amassed an incredible fortune, he had no intention of giving up his lifestyle. Rockefeller taught his children to work and thrift, just as his mother once did.

At the same time, huge sums were donated to charity. With Rockefeller's money, the University of Chicago and the Medical University named after him were founded in the USA, and charitable foundation, which is still in effect today. According to some estimates, John D. Rockefeller gave more than half a billion dollars to charity - the billionaire spent on good causes from his point of view as easily as he earned.

Hello! As always, Ruslan Miftakhov welcomes you! Surely today there are no people who do not know about richest man in the world throughout history - John Rockefeller, whose fortune, taking into account inflation, would now be 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 this is most likely the majority!) will be interested in this article.

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

John was born in New York State on July 8, 1839. His family, in particular his mother, instilled in him from childhood the basic life principles which he followed until his death.

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

An interesting fact from the biography of the future billionaire: with the money given to him for his birthday, he bought candies, and then sold them one at a time to his sisters “at a premium.” The teachers did not like the boy’s “business”, but no one forced the sisters to buy candy, and they could do it themselves.

When the boy was about seven years old, he learned another rule of business: any work can bring income. He raised turkeys and then sold them to his neighbors at a profit. Is this bad business? However, nowadays it is difficult to find such independent child what John was like.

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

But don't think that John was a callous person. He was very upset when one of his sisters died. He was very sensitive, responsive, and thanks to his mother, a believer. And he always gave 10% of his income to those in need, and also built several universities, colleges and churches.

Not only the mother, but also the father, who led a riotous lifestyle, influenced the boy’s upbringing. Rockefeller, who looked at his drinking father and his mother's suffering, forever decided to lead a healthy and correct image life, was 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, after completing 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 entire 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 supplying food for soldiers, from which they made a small capital. And in 1864 they began to engage in oil, deposits of which were discovered near Cleveland.

Clark was not a risk-taker, and was afraid to pursue only oil, as John wanted. And then, having bought out his partner’s share for $72,500, not being afraid to take out 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 arrogant. He died at the age of 97 (in 1937), and according to his will, his descendants are still involved in charity work.

I promised it would be brief, but I dragged on a little with the life stories of such a great man, among which there are a lot of instructive moments.

Now let's get down to the treasured list.

Rockefeller's 12 golden rules

John wrote a book called Memoirs in 1908, in which he talked 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 situation, but also a successful and joyful life. They are very useful for everyone. Of course, some may disagree with them and come up with various excuses.

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

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

Until next time.

Best regards, Ruslan Miftakhov