- John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in history, was once a
young fellow who cut his business teeth on grain, hay and meats
— agricultural commodities. John Davison Rockefeller arguably
ranks as the most wealthy man ever — his cashbox stuffed with
about $330 billion in today’s dollars. Every few years, Business
Insider or Forbes line up their lists of the richest individuals
in history. Almost invariably, a grim Rockefeller stares down
from the top of the heap, keeping the pile down with one sharp
heel wedged against Andrew Carnegie’s forehead and the other dug
into Henry Ford’s back. The future king of oil was born into a
relatively poor New York family in 1839 — and even as a child
was driven by numbers, barter, turning a buck and riches. As a
boy, Rockefeller played prophet to his own wealth; he firmly
believed it was of a matter of when, not if. At 16, living in
Cleveland, Ohio, Rockefeller got his start. Legend has it he
knocked on the door of every commodity house in Cleveland and
asked for a job. Doo