Rockefeller lived during the Gilded Age and became one of the most prominent and successful men of this time period. Because of his values and prosperity in his oil business, Rockefeller aspired to help other people through his philanthropic ways and achieved this by making many charitable donations thus benefiting society and becoming one of the biggest philanthropists of the time. Some of the major contributions that he made were to the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, the Rockefeller Foundation, University of Chicago and the General Education Board. .
John Rockefeller was born to a large family on July 8th, 1839 in Richford, New York. His family was very strict and was of the devout Baptist faith. His father would take long trips away from the family for his business, therefore John became very close to his mother. He adapted her values such as moral discipline, hard work, religion and thrift and these values would remain with him through his whole life (Rose 694). In 1853, the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio and after high school, John landed his first job in a produce commission house. A couple years later, he quit that job and started his own business with a man named Maurice B. Clark and the company was called Clark and Rockefeller. In the first year they were very successful and made about $450,000. John didn't let this success get to his head and his beliefs and religion helped keep him grounded. "He used aphorisms to remind himself to follow the road of proper conduct." In 1865, the company had become the largest oil refinery in Cleveland and then Rockefeller bought out Clark's part of the company for $72,000 and it eventually become called Standard Oil Company. Most of the profits that he made would be used to help him start being a philanthropist and enrich society. .
By the end of the first year of Standard Oil in 1870, it had a capital of $1 million and by 1879 it controlled 90% of oil in the United States.