John D. Rockefeller, in full John Davison Rockefeller, (born July 8, 1839, Richford, New York, U.S.—died May 23, 1937, Ormond Beach, Florida), American industrialist and philanthropist, founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. By 1882 Standard Oil had a near monopoly on the oil business in the United States.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica