William Goodsell Rockefeller

William Goodsell Rockefeller was an American businessman and financier, and a member of the prominent Rockefeller family. He was the son of William Rockefeller and the nephew of John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil. William Goodsell Rockefeller was also the cousin of John Davison Rockefeller Jr., who would later become a prominent businessman and philanthropist in his own right, involved with institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Council on Foreign Relations. As a member of the Rockefeller family, William Goodsell Rockefeller was connected to a wide range of influential individuals and organizations, including J.P. Morgan, Henry Clay Frick, and the Federal Reserve System.

● Early Life and Education

William Goodsell Rockefeller was born on May 21, 1870, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, to William Rockefeller and Almira Geraldine Goodsell. He was educated at Yale University, where he was a member of the Skull and Bones Society, a secret society that also counted George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and John Kerry among its members. During his time at Yale University, Rockefeller was also involved with the Yale Club of New York City and the New York Yacht Club. After graduating from Yale University, Rockefeller went on to work in the financial industry, where he was associated with firms such as Kuhn, Loeb & Co. and the National City Bank of New York, which later became Citibank.

● Business Career

William Goodsell Rockefeller's business career was marked by his involvement with a number of prominent companies and organizations, including Standard Oil, which was founded by his uncle John D. Rockefeller. He also worked with National Transit Company, which was a subsidiary of Standard Oil, and was involved with the development of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad. Additionally, Rockefeller was a director of the Bank of the Manhattan Company, which later became part of J.P. Morgan & Co. and eventually JPMorgan Chase. Through his business dealings, Rockefeller was connected to a wide range of influential individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison, who were all involved with the development of the United States economy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

● Personal Life

William Goodsell Rockefeller was married to Sarah Elizabeth Stillman, who was the daughter of James Jewett Stillman, a prominent banker and president of the National City Bank of New York. The couple had two children, James Stillman Rockefeller and Sheldon Stillman Rockefeller. Through his marriage, Rockefeller was connected to a number of other prominent families, including the Stillman family and the Aldrich family, which included Nelson Aldrich, a prominent politician and financier who was involved with the creation of the Federal Reserve System. Rockefeller was also a member of a number of social clubs, including the New York Yacht Club and the Knickerbocker Club, which counted Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt among its members.

● Philanthropy

William Goodsell Rockefeller was involved with a number of philanthropic organizations and causes, including the Rockefeller Foundation, which was founded by his uncle John D. Rockefeller and his cousin John Davison Rockefeller Jr.. He was also involved with the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, and supported a number of other charitable organizations, including the YMCA and the YWCA. Through his philanthropic work, Rockefeller was connected to a wide range of influential individuals and organizations, including Andrew Carnegie, who founded the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Julius Rosenwald, who was a prominent philanthropist and businessman involved with the development of the Sears, Roebuck and Co..

● Death and Legacy

William Goodsell Rockefeller died on November 30, 1922, at the age of 52, in New York City, New York. He was buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York, which is also the final resting place of Washington Irving and other notable figures. Through his business dealings and philanthropic work, Rockefeller left a lasting legacy, and his name remains closely associated with the Rockefeller family and their many contributions to the development of the United States economy and society. Today, the Rockefeller family continues to be involved with a wide range of influential organizations and institutions, including the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, and the Bilderberg Group, which count Henry Kissinger, Alan Greenspan, and Paul Volcker among their members. Category:American businesspeople