John D. Rockefeller

American industrialist and philanthropist (1839–1937)

  • Fame68.2
  • Momentum0.6
  • Founders rank#47
Source-basedFalling
  • Fame68.2
  • Momentum0.6
  • Founders rank#47
  • Wikipedia238.8K
Lived 1839–1937, aged 98United States
  • Wikipedia
    83 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Era
    1839–1937
    Aged 98
  • Known for
    Freakonomics
    2010
Summary
Updated 2026-06-25

He built a machine so efficient it controlled 90% of America's oil by 1900, then watched the Supreme Court break it into 34 pieces in 1911 for antitrust violation. The wreckage became ExxonMobil and Chevron; his personal stake made him the country's first billionaire.

Biography

About

Rockefeller was born July 8, 1839, in Upstate New York, worked as an assistant bookkeeper at 16, and at 20 began business partnerships focused on oil refining. He founded Standard Oil in 1870, ran it until 1897, and remained its largest shareholder as kerosene and gasoline made him the richest person in the United States. The company lowered costs and expanded distribution through innovation and consolidation in a permissive legal environment—critics pointed to regulatory capture, and Rockefeller reportedly said, "Competition is a sin." Author Ida Tarbell's writings amplified the criticism. By…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from John D. Rockefeller

John D. Rockefeller
said
The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee, and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.
Attributed in How to Win Friends and Influence People (1937) by Dale Carnegie
John D. Rockefeller
said
I believe the power to make money is a gift of God … to be developed and used to the best of our ability for the good of mankind.
Interview with William Hoster, quoted in God's Gold (1932) by John T. Flynn
John D. Rockefeller
said
I believe it is a religious duty to get all the money you can, fairly and honestly; to keep all you can, and to give away all you can.
TIME Magazine (21. May 1928)
John D. Rockefeller
said
The most important thing for a young man is to establish a credit — a reputation, character.
The Men Who Are Making America (1918) by Bertie Charles Forbes
John D. Rockefeller
said
Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It's to see my dividends coming in.
Remark to a neighbor, quoted by John Lewis in Cosmopolitan (1908)
Where to find them

Platforms

By the numbers

Score breakdown

The six component signals behind the Fame score, and their ranks across the leaderboards.

Fame
Falling
68.2
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Momentum0.6
Historical32.6
Now attention6.7
Source confidence65.0
Completeness75.0
Global rank
Country rank
Category rank
#47
Receipts

Sources

  • Wikidata
    wikidata · wikidata.org
    High confidence
  • Wikipedia
    wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
    High confidence
  • Pantheon 2.0
    database · pantheon.world
    High confidence