Who was the first American billionaire and richest man in the world?

Sad to say that he & the other 3 names listed were all quite ruthless business men and were instrumental in changing the way corporate America treats its employees.

And yes, they may be philanthropists but they also did something bad in their lives. Chase helped paid a national debt yet he stole Tesla’s AC/DC invention from General Electric by saying that it was under Edison’s time when Tesla learned that the light bulb will run better with AC/DC. It might be true but it was Edison’s fault as he would not listen to his helper Tesla when the latter was telling him about it. So Tesla resigned and worked on his own discovery invention. Carnegie, afraid on dealing with his workers whom he was overworking, hired a manager who was more cruel than him. Consequently, this manager overworked more the steel workers and even hired the Pinkertons (a detective group) to fight the workers who started a strike in the steel company. Many workers were killed during the confrontation besides those who were dying from overwork and accidents. That was the time when the labor union started. Rockefeller bought the other oil companies just to shut them down besides reducing his price to a point where the competitors would not be able to afford it. Only Ford had a better reputation. He fought against the car monopoly and that was the time when Roosevelt was in position already. He won in the court case and started the mass assembly of his vehicle hence providing jobs to American people. His mass assembly was copied by other producers like the chocolate and make up factories. (You can correct my recollection of the story if ever there’s something off. )

He was far from a philanthropist. He was one of the 'Big Three', along with J.P. Morgan and Carnegie. He was a tyrant to his employees, and anyone who disagreed with him. It was only much later in his life that he mellowed at all, mostly being forced to after Teddy Roosevelt broke up his vast monopoly. Only Carnegie sought philanthropy on his own, after fighting his own demons. These three were the beginning of what we fight against overwhelming us today. Capitalism at any cost, left unchecked.

LoopyLynda74, agreed but after many contests among all of them to be the richest, it was Carnegie who started the trend of seeing who could donate the most to charities. I think Carnegie won since most of his estate went to charities.

And contributed to the Great Depression by buying and shorting stock on his own companies, before it was illegal to do so.

For those who don't know this picture was taken at a rapid transit stop in East Cleveland OH in 1910.

Agent Liv, no arguing your facts, but Ford was a well know racist and supporter of Hitler. So they were all brilliant, tremendously wealthy, and complete bastards.

There are credible sources that cite Carnegie as the first billionaire, obtaining that status upon selling his interests to J. P. Morgan. There are also credible sources that cite John Pierpont Morgan as the first billionaire through his astute manipulation of the Steel industry with the creation of U.S. Steel. And others, as you indicated, which name Rockefeller as the first. There is no "right" answer to this question.

My daughter roomed with Amy Rockefeller in a summer program for 7th graders at Wellesley. She was surprised my daughter didn't bring her riding clothes with her.

Carnegie and Chase bought a president because they didn’t want Roosevelt to run for presidency. Roosevelt ran as VP and became president, if I remember it right, when his president died(?). They didn’t want Roosevelt to be the president because they know that Roosevelt would dismantle monopoly. The very first businessman who connected the US states was Vanderbilt who built the railroad. He got the idea from his job in a shipping company. The ships sort of connected each island (by delivering goods from one island to another). So he thought of a way how goods can be delivered also from one state to another in the US. Even the oil of Rockefeller was transported through Vanderbilt’s trains. Source: The Men Who Built America (DVD)

All these men are OG. Original Robber Barons! Greedy guts.

gardens capes is offensive and that king game is just dumb. get rid of them.

PlatinumPsycho, I understood Ford admired Hitler but I don't think he supported him for that small distinction.

I remember, as a kid, seeing ESSO gas stations. That gasoline was produced by Standard Oil (S O).

LoopyLynda74, they are the reason for the laws against monopolies in the USA. The men were all very competitive. Interesting little known fact about them; After Vanderbilt’s death in 1877, Andrew Carnegie, John D Rockefeller and JP Morgan ll made a decision and a pact between them that they would donate their earnings to charities, build libraries, museums and theaters etc. The competitive driven pact was whomever died with the least amount of money to their name would win in the competition of the philanthropy.

LoopyLynda74, and not in a good way....

It literally could have been any of these guys. All names representing American wealth in the industrial age.

Brina, American the question asked

“I don’t want a nation of thinkers. I want a nation of workers.” This famous quote from Rockefeller came the morning after the night he dined with the devil.

LoopyLynda74, people don't need mentors to be unjust. all they need is their own built-in greed.

There's a joke that says a reporter asked Rockefeller's lawyer how much money the old man left behind when he died. The lawyer is said to have replied, "All of it, he couldn't take it with him. "

That's why Obama changed the name of Mt.mckinley to something else.

The Big 3 didn't count on McKinley getting assassinated. When McKinley became President it was the only time in history that the Presidency was bought.

Since Carnegie and Rockefellermade Big Pharma, it's more profitable to keep a country sick than heal naturally. These standards are still mandatory to this day. To speak homeopathic ways, conventional docs can be fired.

Uninitialized, businessman the best are sharks nice guys do finish last in business

They're all snake oil salesmen.

ok stop with the narrative from the men who built America. we've all seen it.

Player #SassySLR, Rockefeller founded and funded Stillman college and was very pro black education. He was very philanthropic but adamant that his name not be used in conjunction with his giving.

He and his family are abhorrent for what they have done to the United States. Controlling all areas of the market, banks, and federal reserve, its no wonder the Pope kissed his hand!!

SilverDreameater9011, I did not know that thank you

LoopyLynda74, guess we think alike lol

LoopyLynda74, And I am giving you a not good comment

To LoopyLynda74, you have a lot of likes on this answer

Wow I did not know that answer 😂

Player #3813778, Carnegie sold Carnegie Steel for $450M. Well short of a billion. He was already rich, but not half a billion rich.

His first job was an assistant bookkeeper!? For his Dad? 😵

J.D.Rockefella was a crook he broke every law on the book's,,,,, but money talks & B.S. walks. And he still got away with it! Standard Oil was a monopoly,,, which is illegal in the U.S.A., when he finally went to Court on numerous charges he broke up Standard Oil into multiple name's and divided them amongst the Rockefella family! And still making millions everyday. Thank-You Corporate Amercia

been at that building before, they have the Christmas tree there too

Recently watched a nonstop documentaries about the"Men who built America" over the holiday season and Rockefeller was of them. A ruthless man who became a billionaire.

Brilliant man.