William Rockefeller Jr. | |
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Born | William Avery Rockefeller Jr. May 31, 1841 Richford, New York, U.S. |
Died | June 24, 1922 | (aged 81)
Burial place | Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, New York |
Occupation(s) | Financier, businessman |
Known for | Co-founder of Standard Oil |
Spouse |
Almira Geraldine Goodsell
(m. 1864; died 1920) |
Children | 6 |
Parent(s) | William Rockefeller Sr. Eliza Davison |
Relatives | See Rockefeller family |
William Avery Rockefeller Jr. (May 31, 1841 – June 24, 1922) was an American businessman and financier. Rockefeller was a co-founder of Standard Oil along with his elder brother John Davison Rockefeller. He was also a part owner of Anaconda Copper, which was the fourth-largest company in the world by the late 1920s. Rockefeller started his business career as a clerk at 16. In 1867, he joined his brother's company, Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler, which later became Standard Oil. The company was eventually split up by the Supreme Court in 1911. Rockefeller also had a significant involvement in the copper industry. In 1899, Rockefeller and Standard Oil principal Henry H. Rogers joined with Anaconda Company founder Marcus Daly to create the Amalgamated Copper Mining Company, which later returned to the name Anaconda Copper.
He married Almira Geraldine Goodsell in 1864, and they had six children. Rockefeller died in 1922, leaving a gross estate of $102 million, significantly reduced by debts and taxes. He was a prominent member of the Rockefeller family, contributing to its reputation as a leading American business dynasty.