- John D. Rockefeller was born July 8, 1839, in Richford, New York.
- He was the second child of six to the marriage of William “Big Bill” Rockefeller and Eliza Rockefeller.
- By the age of 12, he had saved over $50 from working for neighbors and raising some turkeys for his mother.
- Rockefeller attended Central High School from 1853 to 1855 in Cleveland, Ohio.
- He was very good at math and was on the debating team. The school encouraged public speaking and even though Rockefeller was only average, it was a skill that would prove to useful to him.
- In 1855, Rockefeller dropped out of high school to enter Folsom Mercantile College.
- At the age of 16, he completed business course in 3 months and secured a bookkeeping position with Hewitt & Tuttle, a commission merchant and produce shipper.