Excerpt from Random Reminiscences of Men and Events

By John D. Rockefeller

Published in 1909

John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) was the founder and driving force behind the Standard Oil Company, one of the largest corporations of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The company's spectacular rise to domination of the oil industry in a few short decades was largely the result of Rockefeller's foresight and vision, his hard work, his demand for efficiency, and his mission to cut out competition by whatever means was available. It was Rockefeller's goal to control every aspect of the oil business, from taking it out of the earth to shipping it, refining it, selling it, and even delivering it to its end users. During Rockefeller's years as the company's president, Standard Oil was often criticized by the public for being a monopoly, which meant that the corporation had almost exclusive...