Business Tycoon Biographies Andrew Carnegie, John D Rockefeller, & Henry Clay Frick: The Story of America’s Oil and Steel Founding Fathers

By Richard Milton

Do you ever wonder how the Rockefeller family and others became some of the most influential individuals and families in modern history or who founded some of the biggest oil, gas, and steel companies in the US and the stories behind them?

 

And would you be thrilled to find a collection of stories of the great industrialists that literally brought to the fore the fruits of American capitalism and philanthropy – men whose wealth, influence, and philanthropy easily dwarfed that of our modern-day billionaires?

 

If you've answered YES, keep reading...

 

You Are About To Discover The Biographies Of America's Oil And Steel Founding Fathers, Andrew Carnegie, John D Rockefeller And Henry Clay Frick, That Led To The Gilded Age!

 

Do you know there was a time in history when the business magnates and titans boasted of so much more wealth than the world has seen from even the top technology visionaries and innovators?

 

The tech giants like Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and even Jeff Bezos do not even remotely compare to the kind of wealth that John D Rockefeller possessed and others such as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick.

 

During America's Gilded Age, which stretched for almost half a century (1870-1900), there was so much progress that was made in the United States that cannot be denied.

 

The kind of Second Industrial Revolution that the America underwent due to the various figures of wealth and power was nothing short of impressive economic growth. Especially during such a time of great expansion and fewer regulations, they had the power and means to create opportunities and jobs for so many people, such as typewriters, cash registers, or even mechanical reapers.

 

So, you can only imagine the kind of wealth and power these men possessed.

 

That's why, until today, there has never been a wealthier man than John D Rockefeller in today's economy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MG Publishing
• Release date: Dec 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393079477

Book preview

Business Tycoon Biographies Andrew Carnegie, John D Rockefeller, & Henry Clay Frick

The Story of America’s Oil and Steel Founding Fathers 

Richard Milton

Table of Contents

The Biography of Andrew Carnegie

Introduction

The Beginning Days of Andrew Carnegie

Carnegie as an Industrialist

A Blow to the Industrial Revolution

Bridging the Gap

A Grand Entrance

A Fight From Within

New Opportunities

The Panic Removed

Controlling the Empire

Fighting Imperialism

A New Era of Steel

The End of a Life, the Beginning of a Legacy

The Philanthropy and Works of Andrew Carnegie

The Biography of John D. Rockefeller

Introduction

Before Standard Oil

Birth and Beginnings

Family

Religion

Career

The Standard Oil Era

The South Improvement Company

The Cleveland Massacre

The National Refiners’ Association and the Panic of 1873

The Standard Oil Trust

Versus the Pennsylvania Railroad

The Issue of Monopolies

Post-Standard Oil

Philanthropy

Examining Rockefeller’s Philanthropy

Death and Legacy

Lasting Influences

Visiting

Conclusion

The Biography of Henry Clay Frick

The Life and Death of an American Industrialist

The Early Life of a Future Millionaire

Frick Coke Company

Frick the Millionaire

The Complex Relationship of Frick and Carnegie

The Johnstown Flood

The Homestead Steel Strike

The End of a Rocky Partnership

Family and Art

The Death of an Icon

The Biography of Andrew Carnegie

Introduction

When an individual accomplishes a great task within an industry, there is much said in promotion of that individual’s work ethic and innovation. Indeed, the world seems poised to discover these people, showcase their genius, and send them back into the workforce to continue their innovation. For some, this fame will last a lifetime, and for others the wheels of innovation around the world will eventually overtake their former discovery, rendering their work obsolete. Often with that obsoletion goes their name. There are others, however, who make a life-changing discovery that vaults these individuals into the annals of fame for their entire life and, on all accounts, for the rest of humanity. While such individuals can achieve fame by merit of their innovation, there is another way that one can cement their legacy in history: their philanthropy.

Today more than ever, philanthropy is the foremost social activity responsible for fame. Whereas companies could once get away with contributing nothing but product, whether tangible or intangible, to society it would seem companies today are forced to undertake some form of philanthropy, whether that be through social activism or financial support of charitable organizations. Many organizations are finding that such work is the only means of remaining viable in their respective industries. There was a time, however, when individuals who focused on philanthropy were set far apart from their peers in the same industry and sometimes the entire world as a whole. One such man was Andrew Carnegie, the father of the Carnegie Steel Company.

Andrew Carnegie is the quintessential philanthropist, his legacy being centered on his ability to give away money in what many would deem a selfless, almost reckless manner. While Andrew’s fortune was amassed through his innovation in the field of steel processing, his life-altering change would be felt in the field of philanthropy. Although many remember Andrew’s developments in steel, many more remember, and have likely read, his 1889 editorial titled The Gospel of Wealth "in which Andrew appealed to the more fortunate citizens and businessmen of America to undertake philanthropy as their life’s greatest goal. It remains a secret where Andrew got his philanthropic motivation, some asserting that his childhood may have played a pivotal role in his molding of becoming America’s most generous philanthropist.

Andrew was born in Scotland before emigrating to the United States in 1848. As a 12-year-old youth when he joined his parents  during their emigration to the United States, Andrew was forced to enter a new culture and society before his teenage years, obviously causing enough disruption to cement a foundation of empathy that would one day be pivotal in his philanthropic campaign. Not only was Andrew’s philanthropy the beneficiary of his disrupted life, so was his work ethic. As an immigrant in the United States, Andrew brought with him an insatiable work ethic that would distinguish him from the other youth. Beginning his career as a telegraph operator, Andrew made a series of very wise investments resulting in his partial ownership of the railroad, bridge infrastructure, and financial industry. While his career in the steel industry would be founded on his innovation, it was his financial prowess that afforded him the opportunity to begin operating in the steel industry.

After a lucrative career in the steel industry in which he built the Carnegie Steel Company, Andrew sold the company to J.P. Morgan for an astounding $303,450,000. This was the foundation for the U.S. Steel Corporation which became the center of antitrust legislation years later. Upon completion of the sale of the company, Andrew was vaulted to the title of Richest American for years. Thus, ushered in the next phase of Andrew’s life and arguably the most life-changing element of his life. Andrew held a special interest in the continued education and particularly, the formal literacy of American children. To aid in the education of children, Andrew made yet another life-altering contribution to the world: the library. While Andrew hardly invented the library, he did become its leading supporter and began constructing libraries around America. Many of these libraries still stand today, the name Carnegie Library etched somewhere on the building’s frame or structure. Andrew would go on to also establish one of the leading music halls in the world, Carnegie Hall, home to performances by world-class musicians. This music hall has long been the litmus test of successful musicians. To aid in the scientific education of individuals, Andrew made an investment in higher education with the creation of the Carnegie Institution for Science.

Not all of Andrew’s philanthropy was focused on the United States, however; he did still pay homage to his home country of Scotland. Later in his life, Andrew would find the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, a leading fund that supported the ongoing education of some of Scotland’s most prestigious universities.

Today, the legacy of Andrew Carnegie is found in the philanthropy movement of the United States and, perhaps, the world. His philanthropy has stood the test of time, causing his legacy to continue being taught in history books over one hundred years after his death. The life of Andrew Carnegie is a valuable lesson in the art of giving with no thought of return, an element foundational to a successful career in any walk of life. The legacy of Andrew Carnegie will last forever, life’s testament of what happens when unused resources are spread around to those who need it most.

The Beginning Days of Andrew Carnegie

On a cold November day in 1835, Andrew Carnegie was born into the Carnegie family, the son of Margaret and William Carnegie. The Carnegies were an established family in Dunfermline, Scotland, where Andrew’s father worked as a weaver. The Carnegie family was very poor but worked hard and thus emerged as a family close through the ties of struggle. Andrew later revealed the full extent of his meager childhood, noting that the family had one single room which encapsulated all activities of the home. One year after Andrew’s birth, his father came to the conclusion that the home did not meet the family’s needs and decided to move across the city to a house that was more spacious. During this time, Andrew’s father began working more, as well,  and soon saw  his job come into full demand. When Andrew turned four, his family enrolled him in the Free School of Dunfermline where Andrew was introduced to the benevolence of his first philanthropist: Adam Rolland. It was through one philanthropist’s kindness that the world’s greatest philanthropist was educated and one day became so compassionate.

Andrew developed a love for the writings of Robert Burns when his uncle brought some of his works to a family gathering. Andrew developed a relationship with fine poetry and literature, a love that never waned. As Andrew grew up, he became interested in the economics of his country. Andrew was afforded the rare and seemingly tragic privilege of seeing the laws of supply and demand directly affect his family at a young age. Whereas Andrew’s father  was able to move his family to a  larger house on account of his booming business as a weaver, the demand for such work began to diminish as more and more men chose the occupation. With work dwindling to lows that his father had never seen before, Andrew watched as his father slowly grew depressed from the lack of income. When his father revealed that there was simply not enough work to sustain the family, the decision was made to leave Scotland for the economic boom taking place in the United States. Borrowing only enough money to pay for passage on a ship, the Carnegie family moved to the state of Pennsylvania and settled in the city of Allegheny.

Upon arrival in Pennsylvania, the Carnegies were met by the rapid expansion of Pennsylvania. The state was quickly becoming one of the industrial leaders of the United States, and the influx of workers was also increasing the number of residents. The United States was focused on purchasing goods from within the country at the time, and Allegheny was the epicenter of the movement. While the state was booming, the trade of Andrew’s father, weaving, was almost as stagnant in the United States as it was in Scotland. When Andrew’s father realized he was going to have to choose a new career, he applied at a cotton mill near the family home. Subsequently, Andrew was also able to acquire a job at the Anchor Cotton Mills, where he worked as a bobbin boy. Andrew received a very good wage per hour for his work but more important than his wage was the recognition he received. Andrew was quick to demonstrate his hard work ethic in addition to his unique sense of innovation while on the job. When his efforts caught the eye of John Hay, another industrialist, Andrew moved from making $1.20 a week to making $2.00 a week, a meager wage for the day. It was around this time that Andrew’s father stopped working at the mill in order to begin working as a weaver yet again. Andrew remembered the stress with which his father made the various transitions between work, observations that cemented themselves in Andrew’s mind his entire life.

Carnegie as an Industrialist

When Andrew turned fourteen, he was offered a job as a messenger boy for the Pittsburgh branch of the Ohio Telegraph Company. Andrew’s starting pay at this job was an increase from his previous job, $2.50 per week. While this was still meager in terms of current wags, Andrew was more focused on developing a career than developing a bank account. Andrew made sure that he delivered work which was accurate yet timely and soon began memorizing the nuances of the telegraph machine. He became so skilled that he was able to translate the incoming messages without the aid of pen and paper. This fine attention to detail afforded Andrew a promotion where he was employed as a telegraph operator.

During this time, Andrew developed a friendship with another philanthropist, Colonel James Anderson. Colonel Anderson had a desire that all young children be able to read and thus, set out to open his personal library to any working boy who was willing to come to his home on a Saturday night. Andrew was among the first young men to take up the Colonel on his offer, regularly making visits to take or return books. The result of Anderson's philanthropy likely laid the foundation of Andrew’s desire later to develop hundreds of libraries. In fact, Andrew pledged "if wealth ever