John D. Rockefeller Who was the first on to make the Standard Oil Company we have today? John D. Rockefeller. A hero to many and a villain to others, John D. Rockefeller started from nothing and turned into the smartest business man, and possibly the richest man in history. He is still recognized for his hard work and his wisdom at a very young age. He was very cautious with his decisions he made but was very bold and not “hesitant” (Poole, Keith). John D. Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1839 in Richford, New York. Rockefeller’s dad (William Rockefeller) was a doctor who said he could “cure cancer” (Poole, Keith). Rockefeller’s mom (Eliza Rockefeller) was very religious and strict, She taught John how to save money and work hard. When John was only twelve he managed to save up fifty dollars just from raising turkeys for his mother and by helping his neighbors. In 1853 John and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio where John went to Folsom’s Commercial College.…show more content… Rockefeller learned “… single and double bookkeeping, penmanship, commercial history, mercantile customs, banking, and exchange.” (Poole, Keith). Rockefeller’s dad showed him how to draw up notes and write other business papers. When John was sixteen, Rockefeller got a job as a bookkeeper at Hewitt & Tuttle making fifty cents a day. While he was working as a bookkeeper he began to be more of a grown man. He took on more responsibilities at Hewitt & Tuttle. At nineteen he arranged transportation deals involving railroads, canals, and lake boats. Rockefeller “impressed his employers with his seriousness and diligence.” (Poole, Keith). After four year working at Hewitt & Tuttle John and his friend Maurice, Clark opened their own business together called Clark & Rockefeller in 1859. To start off Clark & Rockefeller each man give $2,000 at the start. They gave loans to merchants in the hay, meat, and grain industry. In the first year there business had grossed