John Davison Rockefeller

John Davison Rockefeller (New York, July 8, 1839 - Ormond Beach, May 23, 1937) was a prominent American businessman. An influential entrepreneur and industrialist, he globally reformed the oil industry by founding Standard Oil, one of the largest companies in history. He was also a philanthropist, donating much of his fortune to charitable and family causes, keeping $24 million for himself and donating approximately $540 million before his death. Some historians consider him the first person whose fortune exceeded one billion dollars and the richest individual to have ever lived. Born in New York in 1839, Rockefeller grew up in an environment marked by his father's dubious activities, a purported quack doctor. After starting his career in business, in 1865, he invested in an oil refinery, standing out for his aggressive strategies, such as discount agreements with carriers. He founded Standard Oil, consolidating control over oil production and refining in the United States. In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court declared Rockefeller's monopoly illegal and ordered the company to be divided into thirty-four separate companies. In 1896, at the age of 57, he formally retired from management, leaving control to the administrators and his son John Davison Rockefeller Jr. His legacy includes the creation of the Rockefeller Foundation and a significant influence on the oil industry and the economic development of the United States.