John+D.+Rockefeller+sr.

History. His Standard Oil empire shaped the way business men handle financial problems, social problems, and public problems even today. A clever, determined, yet practical man, Rock efeller's resourceful attitude fueled him to take advantage of this vulnerable time period and respectfully opened the minds of the public to new business ways, their governments faults, and possible prosperity of the time. John D. Rockefeller is the "American Dream". =__﻿Early Life__= William 'Bill' Avery Rockefeller, like his son, was very resourceful and clever but in a less respectable way. Bill didn't have a solid job and would do what he could do to make money for his family back home, even if that meant tricking people. For some time, he would go door-to-door selling exageratted novelties, distorted herbal remedies, and pretending he was deaf and mute to get his customers sympathy. Despite his marriage to Eliza Rockefeller in 1837, the Rockefellers housekeeper birthed two of Bill's children-something Eliza learned to live with. He believed in a carefree lifestyle without the 'normal' morals and would be gone for long periods of time in far distances in order to escape any possible complications with his con-life and the law.
 * John Davidson Rockefeller** is one of the most controversial and influential figures in American

While William was away, his tolerant wife stayed home, taking care of their farm and the kids. Eliza Rockefeller raised her kids Lucy, John, MaryAnn, William, and Frank with discipline and respect, teaching them to give to charities and follow the Baptist beliefs. John was born on July 8, 1839 in Richmond, New York as the second oldest of the family.In 1853, the family moved to Cleveland on Bill's carefree impulse. Even from an early age John showed abilities to pinpoint goals while also pursuing them without impulse and when he turned 16, he decided to look for a job to help out his struggling family.

__﻿Start to Fame__
At the age of of 16, John ended his high school career to attend Mercantile College. He took a business course for 3 months and then felt he got what he wanted out of it and searched for a job. He would go from firm to firm, in a dark suit, asking to talk to the head of each company. He would tell the assistants "I understand book keeping, I'd like to get a job" with more confidence and drive than they've ever seen. Finally the commission company Henry and Tuttle hired him as their clerk at the ripe age of 16. After a good 3 years of working for another person, Rockefeller became his own boss and started his first produce company with englishmen Maurice Clark. In the first year of trade, they grossed $450,000. Even from the beginning, Rockefeller showed emmense talent for his methods and organization. During the creation of railroads in 1859, Rockefeller noticed the increase of need for the oil business. He soon branched his company out to the promising oil refining industry and his partner, Clark, was bought out by Samuel Adams who had an education in the new field Rockefeller was pursuing. Much to Clark's dismay, Rockefeller and Andrews then became Cleveland's largest refineries.

With a new partners, H.G. Flager and his brother William, and a new financial helper, S.V. Harkness, the firm created a new name that still draws emotion today-Standard Oil.

=__﻿Standard Oil Empire__= Until then, no one had really taken control of the newly created oil industry. The oil business was a mess and needed someone as careful and thorough as Rockefeller to organize it. A year after Standard Oil was formed it was worth 1 million dollars, but this wasn't the complete control that John was looking for. He wanted complete control over the whole industry and the major thing in his way was competition.

In this way, Standard Oil is bitersweet. Rockefeller's intelligent decision to buy out competing refineries was genius yet corrupt. He bought out independent refineries, leaving many families who depended on their bussiness' income, out of a way to get money. Despite the corruption, Rockefeller proceeded to take over the oil industry. After buying out competing refineries in Cleveland and even stretching to New York, Pittsburg, and Philedelphia. He was completely dependent on his own company and didn't pay anyone else to handle his transportation. He owned his own docks, boats, trains, ships, and warehouses so the middle man was cut out.

Standard Oil was worth 70 million dollars by 1872 but with the prosperity came complications. Because of his booming success and sneaky business procedures, he was ridiculed publicly by journalists and politicians alike. Ida Tarbell, a journalist who came from a family that owned a small refinery, wrote a series of articles that were said to 'expose the trecheries' that Standard Oil was supposedly commiting. Articles like Ida's and others stirred up concern in Congress and in 1911 Standard Oil was to be shut down.

=Legacy= Standard Oil was one of the first trusts. John D. Rockefeller created this company with the passion, drive, and intelligence that could be seen by his peers even at an early age and after signing over Standard Oil, it was worth 200 million dollars. Rockefeller wasnt the average power hungry boss. Thanks to his mother Eliza, he was very motivated to give back. In his life span he was estimated to have contributed 550 million dollars to different projects. His first was Rockefeller University, of which he gave almost 80 million dollars to. In 1937, John D. Rockefeller passed away of natural causes in Florida. John was a clever man whose dream was to get and give back. He inspired business man to do what they dreamed and people can still respect and value his work now.

Chernow, Ron. // Titan: the Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. // New York: Random House, 1998. Print.

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Martin, Albro. "Rockefeller, John D. (1839–1937)." //Encyclopedia Americana.// Grolier Online, 2011. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.

Windermere, Natasha. "John D. Rockefeller Biography." // John D. Rockefeller //. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. .