William Rockefeller

Background

William Rockefeller was born in New York, United States. He was the third child of William Avery and Eliza (Davison) Rockefeller and the younger brother of John D. Rockefeller. The family apparently originated in Germany, the original American ancestor, Johann Peter Rockefeller, and his son Peter, coming to America from Sagendorf, Germany, about 1722 and settling in Somerville, New Jersey. the third child of William Avery and Eliza (Davison) Rockefeller and the younger brother of John D. Rockefeller. The family apparently originated in Germany, the original American ancestor, Johann Peter Rockefeller, and his son Peter, coming to America from Sagendorf, Germany, about 1722 and settling in Somerville, New Jersey, United States. In 1853 the roving father moved his family again to Strongsville, Ohio; then, in a year, to Parma, a neighboring district, and in 1857 to Cleveland, where the family settled definitely.

Education

William attended the public schools

Religion

He had but small piety, though he occasionally made contributions to the Baptist Church.

Personality

He was a jovial man who loved good living.

He had little interest in philanthropy and such gifts as he made he was very secretive about.

Connections

On May 25, 1864, he married Almira Geraldine Goodsell, to which union were born six children, four sons and two daughters.

Wife:

Almira

On May 25, 1864, he married Almira Geraldine Goodsell, to which union were born six children, four sons and two daughters.

Brother:

John

When the oil industry, which then consisted largely of refining and selling kerosene for illuminating purposes, gave signs of becoming a great export business, John Davison Rockefeller invited his younger brother to join his firm to take charge of its export selling functions in New York.