Early Life
John Davison Rockefeller was born on July 8th, 1839, in Richford, New York. He was the second of six children. His father was a traveling salesman who traded various goods. Rockefeller’s mother stayed at home and raised her family very strictly. Rockefeller’s mother taught him to work, save, and to donate to charity. The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1853. While there, Rockefeller graduated high school with a particular gift for mathematics. Even at the age of twelve Rockefeller was money-wise; he had already saved up $50 (which was quite a bit for someone his age). After searching for a month, Rockefeller finally got his first job in 1855 as an assistant bookkeeper.
Beginning a Business Career
In 1859, Rockefeller (at the young age of twenty) and his colleague, Maurice Clark (a young Englishman) started their first company, Clark and Rockefeller. They were merchants who sold foodstuffs and other miscellaneous items. Rockefeller was very hardworking, and was no gambler. He planned and calculated everything, and would not make speculations or take loans. In the first two years of business, Rockefeller brought in a profit of $21,400. However, Rockefeller began to realize that the commission merchant business was going to be quite limited in Cleveland. That’s when Rockefeller had a new idea…
John Davison Rockefeller was born on July 8th, 1839, in Richford, New York. He was the second of six children. His father was a traveling salesman who traded various goods. Rockefeller’s mother stayed at home and raised her family very strictly. Rockefeller’s mother taught him to work, save, and to donate to charity. The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1853. While there, Rockefeller graduated high school with a particular gift for mathematics. Even at the age of twelve Rockefeller was money-wise; he had already saved up $50 (which was quite a bit for someone his age). After searching for a month, Rockefeller finally got his first job in 1855 as an assistant bookkeeper.
Beginning a Business Career
In 1859, Rockefeller (at the young age of twenty) and his colleague, Maurice Clark (a young Englishman) started their first company, Clark and Rockefeller. They were merchants who sold foodstuffs and other miscellaneous items. Rockefeller was very hardworking, and was no gambler. He planned and calculated everything, and would not make speculations or take loans. In the first two years of business, Rockefeller brought in a profit of $21,400. However, Rockefeller began to realize that the commission merchant business was going to be quite limited in Cleveland. That’s when Rockefeller had a new idea…