While Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates bounced back and forth last week as America’s richest person, Money tracked who else has publicly worn that crown through the years, using the 1996 book, “The Wealthy 100: From Benjamin Franklin to Bill Gates — A ranking of the Richest Americans, Past and Present.”
Here’s a resulting list of the 14 known wealthiest Americans across various eras, and the years they reigned, per Money and the two guys who wrote the book on U.S. wealth, Michael Klepper and Robert Gunther.
1/2. Jeff Bezos – The Amazon CEO became the world’s richest man last Thursday, for a few hours, before a drop in shares saw him slide to second on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
2/1. Bill Gates – Microsoft’s founder has held the top spot since May 2013 but, as USA Today noted, Bezos net worth was driven to $92.3 billion last Wednesday, in comparison to Gates' $90.8 billion, after Amazon’s shares peaked at $1,083.31.
3. Elias Hasket Derby (1779-1799) – This sea merchant took over his father Richard Derby’s business and transformed it into one of the most successful firms in America. Encyclopaedia.com notes that he helped establish Salem, Massachusetts as a leading port by opening American trade to China and the Indian Ocean.
4. John Jacob Astor (1828-1848) – He obtained his wealth as a real estate developer. Biography.com notes Astor was best known for contributing towards building the Waldorf-Astoria hotel.
5. John McDonogh (1848-1850) – Papers published by Tulane University refer to McDonogh as a “merchant, planter, slaveholder and philanthropist of New Orleans.” He gathered land throughout southern Louisiana and, by the time of death, was considered one of the largest landowners.
6. Cornelius Vanderbilt (1857-1877) – Probably described best by History.com as “a shipping and railroad tycoon,” as well as a self-made millionaire, Vanderbilt’s net worth at the time of his death was estimated to be 1/87 of U.S. GNP, said Money.
7. Jay Gould (1877-1892) – Also a railroad baron, Money estimated Gould’s net worth at time of death to be “just” 1/185 of U.S. GNP.
8. Andrew Carnegie (1892-1917) – Carnegie was a wealthy businessman and steel tycoon who, Biography.com noted, “later dedicated his life to philanthropic endeavors.”
9. J.D. Rockefeller (1917-1937) – John D. Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company through which, according to History, he obtained his wealth. Money estimated his net worth at the time of death to be 1/65 of U.S. GNP.
10. Henry Ford (1937-1947) – Ford was the most successful of the world’s many auto inventors, designers and manufacturers.
11. Robert Wood Johnson Jr. (1947-1968) – Johnson sat as chairman of Johnson & Johnson and, according to American National Biography, “was instrumental in persuading the company to expand and diversify its operations.”
12. J. Paul Getty (1968-1976) – Getty made his wealth buying and selling oil leases, noted Forbes.
13. Sam Walton (1976-1992) – If you didn’t know, Walton was the founder of Walmart.
14. Warren Buffett (1992-1995) – Buffett is hailed as one of the most successful investors ever. Forbes noted his Berkshire Hathaway owns more than 60 companies.
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