John D. Rockefeller was a person in the United States.
John Davison Rockefeller Sr. ( July 8 , 1839 -- May 23 , 1937 ) was an American oil industry business magnate and philanthropist . He is widely considered the wealthiest American of all time , and the richest person in modern history . Born into a large family in upstate New York , he was shaped by his con man father and religious mother . Standard Oil was the first great business trust in the United States .