Who Was The Richest American In History?
Having a colossal between wealth and influence, America’s wealthiest citizens have consistently been a figure of fascination. But just who is the wealthiest of them all? Read on to find out who the wealthiest American in history actually was.
Who Was The Richest American In History?
When it comes to the wealthiest American in history, there are actually two contenders. One is John D. Rockefeller, often considered the wealthiest person in modern history while the other is Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and the current richest man in the world.
John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller was an American oil magnate and the founder of Standard Oil Company. John D. Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1839 in Richford, New York. He was the grandson of William Avery Rockefeller, a farmer, bigamist, and salesman. Rockefeller was raised in a deeply religious family and was known for his frugal lifestyle and business acumen from an early age. He made his first million at age 24 after he invented a method of refining oil that increased profits and dramatically reduced production costs.
At the peak of his success and wealth, Rockefeller was worth an estimated $900 billion, when adjusted for inflation which is 1.5 times the estimated wealth of Jeff Bezos currently. Rockefeller was a major philanthropist, and while he died in 1937 at the age of 97, his legacy lives on through his various philanthropic institutions.
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is the current wealthiest man in the world and founder of the technology giant, Amazon. He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 12, 1964 and his family moved to Houston, Texas when he was a 4-year-old. Bezos attended Princeton University majoring in computer science, and upon graduation he worked at DE Shaw, a Wall Street investment banking firm. Bezos left his job and founded Amazon in 1994, a company that is currently valued at around $1.71 trillion.
Currently, Bezos is worth around $193 billion, when adjusted for inflation and has held the top spot on the Forbes’ list of The World’s Billionaires for the past three years. He is actively involved in philanthropy, donating $821 million to the Bezos Day One funds, that support homeless families and charities across the US and he has also pledged $10 billion to The Climate Pledge Fund a renewable energy fund to combat climate change.
Richest American In History: Who Wins?
When adjusted for inflation, the wealthiest American in history is John D. Rockefeller, who is estimated to have been worth $900 billion at the peak of his success. Meanwhile, current richest American Jeff Bezos is estimated to be worth around $193 billion.
Comparing The Wealth Of These Richest Americans
• John D. Rockefeller was an American Oil Magnate and founder of Standard Oil Company while Jeff Bezos is the current wealthiest man in the world and founder of technology giant, Amazon.
• Rockefeller was worth an estimated $900 billion, when adjusted for inflation at the peak of his success and Bezos is currently worth around $193 billion.
• Rockefeller made his first million at 24 and Bezos left his Wall Street job to found Amazon in 1994.
• Rockefeller is a major philanthropist, donating billions to universities and charities, while Bezos has donated over $821 million to homeless families and charities and pledged $10 billion to The Climate Pledge Fund.
John D. Rockefeller is considered to be the wealthiest American in history, with an estimated wealth of $900 billion when adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos, current world’s richest man, holds the record for being the wealthiest American alive with a current worth of around $193 billion. However, both of these titans are renowned for their philanthropy, donating billions of dollars to charities and organizations around the world.
