Did you know that one of the greatest fortunes in American history began with a heated argument over a $100 annual raise right here in Cleveland?In the 1850s, a teenage John D. Rockefeller was working as a bookkeeper for the commission merchants Hewitt & Tuttle. He demanded an $800 salary. The firm offered him $700. Outraged at the refusal, the young Rockefeller borrowed $300 (at 10% interest) from his father, William A. Rockefeller, and partnered with Englishman M.B. Clark to launch their own commission house business.That bold move marked the beginning of Rockefeller’s legendary career in business — a path that would eventually make him the wealthiest man in modern history.The 1937 Cleveland Press recounted several colorful stories illustrating Rockefeller’s legendary thrift and business sharpness:
- He once calculated that a man’s 10-cent cigar habit cost $187 a year when compounded over time.
- Hotel staff recalled him refusing to pay for breakfast during a blizzard because “I don’t want to eat breakfast here and I won’t pay for it.”
- He was known for his open door to visitors (with the polite request to “be brief because I’m a busy man”).
- Despite his immense wealth, he collected almost no art, cared little for grand opera, and preferred old church hymns.
The article also highlighted Rockefeller’s admiration for plant experimenter Luther Burbank and his own interest in horticulture.A quintessential Cleveland success story — born from frugality, determination, and a refusal to settle for less.