Rockefeller

Craig Boliek

02/24/2017

HIUS 222-C02

Rose, Kenneth W. "American National Biography Online: Rockefeller, John D." American National Biography Online: Rockefeller, John D. February 2000. Accessed February 24, 2017. http://www.anb.org/articles/10/10-01418.html.

John D. Rockefeller was one of the wealthiest, most prosperous men alive during late 1800s to early 1900s. Adjusted for inflation, his wealth amassed between 340 and 660 billion dollars. He was one of the most famous business leaders and entrepreneurs who ever lived. He was a CEO of the Standard Oil Company, as well as a devout Baptist and very well-known philanthropist. There was a lot of scrutiny in the life of Rockefeller, due to his to his monopoly in the oil-refining business, but his generous donations and tithing throughout his life would prove him as a very strong moralled man with deep religious faith.

        Rockefeller was born in New York to a very broken and dysfunctional family. He had a very close relationship with his mother who was also a very passionate Baptist. He started out as a smalltime bookkeeper at sixteen, working long hours and only amounting to fifty cents a day. Rockefeller had only two goals in his life, which were to make one hundred thousand dollars and to live to be one hundred years old. He unfortunately only lived until the age of ninety-seven, but the other goal was no problem for Rockefeller. He began his own business venture at twenty with a small loan from his father of a thousand dollars. Soon after, he began an endeavor in the oil refining business. He started controlling almost every aspect, due to his deals and connections with the different railroad companies throughout the United States and that is where he attained most of his wealth.

        Rcokefeller was also known to be a very generous man throughout his life. He was an avid reader of the Word of God. He also attended church twice a week, led a Bible study, and helped as the church janitor at times. It was said that he gave away almost half of his fortune to different philanthropical causes. One of his most known charities that is still running today is the Rockefeller Foundation, which helps promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world, through education, health, and science.

        Rockefeller was a very competitive businessman, but also a Christian and a family man for the duration of his life. For having a very rocky start, God blessed him and he was able to bless so many others. He is still blessing people, even today, through his family and the charities that continue on in his legacy. Rockefeller had a philosophy that he based his entire life upon: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38, NIV)