In 1870, John D. Rockefeller Sr. founded the Standard Oil Company. He would go on to become one of the wealthiest Americans of all time and a polarizing figure. Many celebrate his business skills while others question his morality. He was the first billionaire in the United States, cementing his family’s affluence for generations to come. John would go on to have a long life, dying at age 97 in 1937. He had five children in his lifetime. Many of his family members have not been so fortunate.
Even though the Rockefellers have an abundance, that doesn’t mean their lives have always been smooth and easy. The dynasty has been plagued by tragedies and scandals over the years. Here’s a look at some of them.
One of the first tragedies the family faced happened in 1951. John Sr.’s great-niece Winifred was a socialite. She died by suicide at age 46 by leaving two of her cars running in her garage in Greenwich, Connecticut. Making things even worse, two of her daughters were also found dead in one of the cars.
In 1961 Michael Rockefeller died under mysterious circumstances at just 23 years old. He was the son of former US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, making him John Sr.’s great-grandson. While collecting indigenous art in New Guinea, his canoe capsized. It is not known what happened from there. Many believe he swam to shore only to be eaten by cannibals.
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Mary Rockefeller Morgan, Michael's twin sister, does not believe this was the case. “Nobody knows what happened to Michael, and that leaves our family in a terrible place of not knowing,” she told People. “I wanted him to be alive so much that sometimes I thought I saw him in a crowd.”
The twins' father was Nelson Rockefeller. He died in 1979 also under mysterious circumstances. Some believe he was having an affair with his 25 year old assistant, Megan Marshack. Nelson died at home and many believe Mary took an hour to call for help after his passing.
Eileen Rockefeller acknowledged both her family’s troubles and their extreme privilege. The great-granddaughter of John D. Rockefeller opened up to CBS about this. “There is no question that the privileges have way outweighed the responsibilities, the difficulties. But where I think I feel common ground with everybody watching is that we all suffer from something growing up,” she mused. “It doesn't matter if we have money or don't have money; we suffer in our own ways. And the net worth of our bank account is not nearly so important, ultimately, as the self-worth.”
On July 10, 1978, John D. Rockefeller III was killed in a car crash at the age of 72. He was the eldest son of John D. Rockefeller Jr. Sixteen-year-old David Low crashed head-on into the car John was a passenger in, resulting in a fatal three car pileup.
Even fake Rockefellers have issues. Christian Gerhartsreiter pretended to be Clark Rockefeller and worked his way up in the art world. When he kidnapped his daughter during a custody battle, his con was discovered. Turns out he murdered his former landlady’s son. He is now serving 27 years in prison.
David Rockefeller seemed to have escaped the family curse. He was the youngest child of John D. Rockefeller Jr., who lived to the age of 101. He was the family patriarch from 2004 to 2017 and worked as an economist and investment banker.
