Titans of Industry: Henry Ford

The final biography I will do regarding this series on Titans of Industry during America's Gilded Age is Henry Ford. His name is synonymous with the Model T that revolutionized the automobile market. His claim to fame is not that he invented the automobile but rather that he was able to mass produce them and make them affordable for the general public.

Throughout the early 1900s he quickly ascended to the top of the automobile market, just as Vanderbilt dominated the railroad market, Rockefeller dominated the oil market, Carnegie dominated the steel market, and JP Morgan dominated the banking market. He amassed a great amount of wealth throughout his lifetime and to this day his name has become an iconic American automobile brand.


Early Life of Henry Ford

He was born in Greenfield, Michigan in 1863 to a farming family. Both his parents were hard working and each of Henry's siblings helped run the farm. However at an early age Henry showed disinterest in the farming business and rather displayed a more technical skill. As a teenager he became a skilled watch repairmen which would inspire him to further mechanical endeavors. Henry was extremely saddened by the early death of his mother in 1876 and decided he wanted to leave the farming business.

In 1879 he left the farm to move to Detroit where he found work as a machinist at various manufacturing companies. He quickly acquired a keen interest in the Westinghouse Farm Engine, which was essentially a steam engine on wheels often pulled by horses, and the earliest version of a tractor. By 1882 Henry Ford was hired on by the Westinghouse Company as a repair mechanic for this machine. During this time he also studied business and bookkeeping at the Detroit Business Institute. 


Ford Motor Company

By 1888 Henry married Clara Jayne Bryant and together they had one child. In 1891 he was hired as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company of Detroit and a couple years later he was promoted to become the chief engineer. During this time Henry began experimenting with the gasoline powered automobile on his free time. In 1896 at the age of 32 he was able to manufacture a self-propelled vehicle, in which he named the Ford Quadricycle his first automobile design. His early invention was even admired by his boss and famous inventor Thomas Edison.

In 1899 Ford resigned from the Edison Illuminating Company and founded the Detroit Automobile Company. His goal was to produce affordable and efficient vehicles however the product was expensive and low quality causing Henry to dissolve the company two years later. In 1901 he designed a much improved 26 horsepower automobile. With this design Ford was able to challenge the famous racer Alexander Winton and beat him in a publicized event. With the attention and proceeds from the race, he was able to form the Henry Ford Company with various partners and investors.

However a year after it's establishment, one of Ford's business partners brought on another chief inventor, Henry Leland to contribute. This undermining of his vision frustrated Henry, who quickly decided to leave this company that later became renamed the iconic Cadillac Automobile Company. Ford was able to produce another groundbreaking speed automobile, the Ford 999, which had an 80 horsepower speed and yet again won publicized racing victories. In 1902 Henry Ford partnered with businessman, Alexander Malcomson to fund his 3rd automobile business, Ford & Malcomson Ltd. They later partnered with businessmen John and Horace Dodge for machine parts. With the inclusion of the Dodge Brothers the business was renamed the Ford Motor Company in 1903.


Model T Breakthrough

One of Ford's first major business successes was the production of his Ford 999 race automobile. Notable racers such as Barney Oldfield won many races around the country, such as the newly established Indianapolis 500. The success of the race car brought fame to the name of Ford as the fastest locomotive of the time. However Ford wanted to mass produce a standard and affordable automobile for the general public and this design finally took shape in 1908 with the introduction of his Model T design. It had the wheel on the left, with a four-cylinder engine and transmission fully enclosed. The design was cheap, easy to drive, and easy to repair and soon became the standard design for all automobile companies.

Ford's greatest claim to fame and success during this time was his application of mass production. He created an efficient industry unlike any before him, thru the introduction of the assembly line. This system of a moving belt significantly increased production, far beyond previous railroad, steam, or other manufacturing plants had ever achieved. Through this efficient design Henry was able to quickly mass produce the model and lower the price of his automobile thru various marketing and advertising campaigns. By 1918 half of the cars in America were Ford Model Ts and Henry Ford had established himself as a powerful business titan. 

He remained however fair to his employees, and while he was against labor unions at the time he could always relate with the working class. Ford surpassed all business magnates before him, by considering his workers as a key element to his production. He exemplified this philosophy by introducing the 5 dollar work wage in 1914 which was double that of most other production work. He also introduced the 5 day, 40 hour work week, which would boost productivity yet also give his workers more leisure time. 

Personal Interests and Antisemitism

During World War I and World War II Henry Ford was strongly opposed to intervening however did his part to support the US Army. He created an aviation company during the war, to supply aircraft for the military. His Ford Trimotor became the first successful US passenger airliner and was referred to as the "Tin Goose". However his aviation business did not quite take off as his automobile business did and was discontinued by 1933 during the Great Depression. Ford remained a fervent supporter of Woodrow Wilson and his League of Nations. He even ran for senator of Michigan in 1918 however loss to William Alden Smith. 

During the 1920s, Henry Ford began displaying strong right-wing extremism and religious prejudice against the Jews. He strongly believed in conspiracy theories that the Jews were on a mission to control the world as was stated in the publication of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Henry Ford played a large role in the distribution of this conspiracy pamphlet during the 1920s.

In 1919 he began to publish the Dearborn Independent a weekly newspaper that became a platform for antisemitic fervor. This newsletter, specifically the publication of The International Jew: The World's Foremost Problem, became influential in the early rise of Nazi Germany's racist ideology. However by 1927 Henry Ford was forced to dissolve the newsletter after various lawsuits from the Jewish Anti Defamation League. In a business effort to salvage his image, Ford publicly apologized for the content and stated that he was not fully aware of everything that was written.

Before the outbreak of World War II, Ford disapproved of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal policy and especially getting involved in the war. However he yet again played a crucial role in supplying automobiles and aircraft to the US military. In 1942 he established another aviation plant known as Willow Run, which became the largest assembly line in the nation and mass produced the B-24 bomber. During this time however Henry Ford's mental health began to fade perhaps due to the death of his only son Edsel. In 1945 he decided to retire and pass the company over to his grandson Henry Ford II (who managed the company until 1979). Henry Ford died in 1947 at the age of 83 and his automobile industry has continued to flourish to this day. He is the 12th wealthiest man in American history and a defining example of an American industrial business titan. 

Titans of Industry: JP Morgan

The next iconic figure in my study of American industrialists is John Pierpont Morgan. He is perhaps better considered a businessmen rather than an entrepreneur, who was able to capitalize on growing markets through massive buyouts and investments. He played a pivotal role in the gilded age of industry that transformed America into the leading economy in the world.

The two most prominent businesses he helped establish was General Electric and US Steel. Both of these companies became billion dollar corporations and leaders in their respected industries. While JP was able to finance numerous massive companies he is perhaps best regarded for his banking empire, which to this day is the largest bank in the United States.

Early Life of JP Morgan

Unlike the other entrepreneurs I have studied thus far, JP Morgan was born into wealth, and was able to expand upon it to become one of the wealthiest men in history. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1837 to the prominent Morgan banking family. As a child he was infected with Rheumatic fever, an illness that brought him long term skin infections. However JP Morgan overcame this skin abnormality to become one of the most influential business men in American history.

By 1857 JP Morgan entered the family business of banking in New York City, helping manage his partnership with George Peabody. He established numerous partnerships with banks in Philadelphia, London, Paris, and New York City. He was able to skip out on the Civil War by paying for substitute soldiers and was accused of wartime profiteering on various occasions.

He continued expanding his banking empire by consolidating other banks and buying out troubled businesses, a process that became known as "Morganizations". By 1871 the JP Morgan & Co bank was established as one of the most prominent banks in New York City and by 1900 it was one of the most powerful banks in the world.


Funding Thomas Edison & General Electric

By 1876 the American inventor Thomas Edison was making major breakthroughs in electricity such as the phonograph and the carbon microphone. However his most groundbreaking invention came in 1878 with the introduction of the light bulb. This would challenge the need for kerosene lights and completely change the market of lighting. JP Morgan quickly saw the profit in Edison's new invention and funded the Edison Electric Light Company. This company was in heavy opposition to Rockefeller's Standard Oil, who feared the light bulb would bring the demise of his business.

The 1880s brought on a decade of electrical innovation and from this came a new business market that caused the War of Currents. Edison was devoted to his direct current system of power delivery, proclaiming it as the safe and reliable means for electricity. However his apprentice, Nikola Tesla introduced a different and more powerful way to deliver electricity known as alternating current. Tesla was funded by the prominent businessman, George Westinghouse, and together they established the Westinghouse Electric Company, which began a leader in the electricity market.

Edison attempted an anti-AC campaign to demonstrate the dangers of this current, however it was to no avail and the demand for AC began to exceed the demand for DC. In order to ensure his investment did not falter to Westinghouse's rapid ascension, JP Morgan began partnering with AC companies. In 1892 JP Morgan merged the Edison Electric Company to become General Electric which controlled three quarters of America's electrical business, whose only competition was the Westinghouse Electric Company.


Carnegie buyout & US Steel

JP Morgan ensured his financial dominance in 1900 when he was able to negotiate a major buyout with Charles M. Schwab and Andrew Carnegie. At the time JP Morgan owned various steel, coal, and mining companies and wanted to merge them all into one single entity. Andrew Carnegie was considering an early retirement and agreed to sell his Carnegie Steel Company to JP Morgan for what became the largest business take-over in American economic history. By 1901 US Steel was the undisputed largest company in the country.

By the early 1900s US Steel controlled two-thirds of the steel industry producing not only the steel but managing numerous building projects. US Steel played a pivotal role in the boom of skyscrapers, bridges, railroads, and various other products. It's mass production was on par with the booming steel industries of Germany and Britain. However similar to Rockefeller's empire, US Steel quickly became considered an unfair monopoly, and received harsh criticism from the government, journalists, and businessmen alike.


Progressive Era 

At the turn of the century, JP Morgan was well aware of the growing social and political concerns of his time. He played a large role in the Efficiency Movement of the Progressive Era and believed that modernization thru science and technology was the answer to all of society's flaws. While he became a target of heightened government regulations he still supported his country thru various economic crisis, most notably the Panic of 1907 that saw the American economy on the brink of collapse. Morgan was able to unite with the major banks of New York City to re-invest in struggling companies and help revitalize the economy. In order to ensure this did not happen again JP Morgan worked with Senator Nelson Aldrich to create the Federal Reserve System in 1913.

From 1890 to 1913 JP Morgan organized and managed 42 major corporations in addition to his banking empire. He was a devout Christian and supported Conservative values in the midst of heightened attacks against his wealth. He was a notable benefactor to the arts, and throughout his lifetime had an impressive collection of which he spent 50 million to acquire. He died at the age of 75 and is recorded as the 23rd richest American history. 

Titans of Industry: Andrew Carnegie

Next up in this study of iconic American industrialists of the Gilded Age is the steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie. He was a Scottish immigrant who exemplified the pursue of the American dream in the land of the free-market. He displayed remarkable business ambition at an early age and was able to capitalize on the railroad and steel industries. He was the first business man who was able to efficiently mass produce steel which lead to the building of bridges and skyscrapers. He is recorded as the 3rd wealthiest American in history and was also a leading philanthropist, giving much of his wealth to charities and foundations.


Early Life of Andrew

Andrew Carnegie was born in a small cottage in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. His parents were working class weavers enduring hard times in their country. As a kid Andrew was inspired by his uncle and read about historical Scottish heroes such as William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. During the 1840s starvation became a serious issue in Scotland, and the Carnegie family decided to migrate to the United States in pursue of a better life. They arrived to the city of Allegheny, Pennsylvania in 1848.

Both Andrew and his father got jobs in the local cotton mills, where Andrew began to excel as a bobbin boy, changing spools of thread. He was eventually recruited for a higher paying position and in 1849 he landed a job as a telegraph messenger boy for a Pittsburgh Telegraphy Company. He displayed keen interest in the telegraph business and within a year he was promoted to becoming an operator. He continued to display a strong work ethic and sharp intelligence which he gathered from the many books he read. By 1853 his big break came when he was recruited by the railroad business magnate, Thomas A. Scott, who offered Andrew a position as secretary for his Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

Railroad Business

By 1859 Andrew continued to climb the ranks of Thomas Scott's business and soon had a post of his own as the superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Andrew continued to learn from his business mentor, Thomas Scott, while managing his own affairs. He brought on several members of his family to help him manage his post, and also began making investments in other businesses.

Carnegie continued to display great business ambition in the railroad business by helping improve the service as well as partnering with other companies to compete with Vanderbilt's Railroad empire. By the outbreak of the Civil War, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company became a critical tool of the union army. Thomas Scott became Secretary Assistant of War, and Carnegie managed the companies distribution of military supplies and telegraphic messages. The railways gave the Union Army a key logistical advantage that helped defeat the Confederate Army.


Keystone Bridge Company

During the outbreak of the war, Carnegie began to notice a rising demand for iron and saw it as a new booming market. Iron products were needed for military armor, gunboats, cannons, shells, and other various reasons. Carnegie decided to leave the railroad business and fully invest in the steel industry that was center in Pittsburgh. He eventually established his own steel rolling mill, and used his partnership with Thomas Scott's railroad business to get a fast edge above the competition.

In 1865 he established the Keystone Bridge Company which became one of the early leaders in producing steel bridges. The company's major breakthrough came when Thomas Scott commissioned a massive bridge be built across the Mississippi River, which lead to the construction of the Eads Bridge in 1874. This bridge became an architectural breakthrough, and became the new standard for major steel bridges. Carnegie was able to use this success to catapult his efficient steel production business.


Carnegie Steel Company

Andrew Carnegie did not marry until the age of 51, in 1886 after his mother passed away. His steel production continued to boom and in 1892 he founded the Carnegie Steel Company. He was quickly able to get an edge over the rest of the competition for his efficient business techniques. This included the use of the Bessemer converter which made it quicker to mass produce steel. Also was his system of vertical integration in which he supplied all the resources his company needed. This ultimately made for a more cost effective business flow. By 1889 the US economy was producing more steel than the UK, much of this was owned by Carnegie's steel empire.

While Carnegie made significant contributions to the American economy he is certainly not free of controversy. Two instances in specific somewhat tarnished his legacy on the handling of his workers. First there was the Johnstown Flood of 1889, in which a poorly constructed dam broke releasing tons of water onto the town of Johnstown, PA killing 2,209. Much of the blame for this catastrophe fell on Carnegie and his partner Henry Clay Frick for their newly developed cottage club near the dam.

The second instance was the Homestead Strike of 1892, which was a labor union confrontation that was poorly handled. Carnegie left the management of this crisis to one of his partners Henry Clay Frick. Frick was a notable for crushing labor unions, and did not want to compromise with the steel workers asking for wage increases. In response the workers barricaded themselves in front of the steel mills, halting their replacements in a tense standoff. Herny Frick brought in armed Pinkerton agents to squash the blockade. The final result was a massacre, killing 10 and injuring many more. To this day it is considered one of the most violent labor disputes in American history.


Establishment of US Steel

By 1901 Carnegie was ready for retirement at the age of 66, and sold his steel empire to JP Morgan which gave way to US Steel. This buy-out remains to this day one of the largest industry takeovers in American history. The company became the first ever billion dollar corporation, even surpassing Rockefeller's Standard Oil empire. During this time there was a boom of skyscrapers in cities such as Chicago and New York provided by US Steel. Carnegie still remained a board member, and was now able to enjoy a life of leisure while becoming one of the 2nd richest Americans in history (behind only Rockefeller).

Carnegie spent his final years as a notable philanthropist, donating large sums of money to charities and public institutions. He was a notable scholar, activist, and advocate for the arts in his retirements. He helped fund over 3000 libraries as well as numerous schools, universities, museums, and so forth. One of his most iconic buildings is his musical venue Carnegie Hall, built in 1891 as a homage to his appreciation of music. It remains to this day one of the most prestigious venues for classical or popular musical performances. Carnegie died in 1919 at the age of 83 and gave his remaining 30 million to charity. 

Titans of Industry: John D. Rockefeller

Next up is perhaps one of the most iconic of American capitalists, the oil tycoon, John D. Rockefeller. To this day he is listed as the wealthiest American in history. His name is synonymous with American business, and many of his family members have gone on to become significant businessmen or politicians in their own right. It's a name I have always been quite familiar with however do not know much about his story and how he was able to dominate the oil industry.

John D. Rockefeller built his fortune in the oil business as it boomed in the Gilded Age. The key to his success was that he controlled the refinement of the oil rather than the drilling process. In controlling the refinery he was able to control the market. His is another very interesting rags-to-riches story, as he was able to climb the industrial ranks to become one of the most powerful men in America at the turn of the century. His ambition was driven by what he considered a divine cause, and he is the utmost example of achieving the American dream through the free-market.

Early Life of John D. Rockefeller

He was born in 1839 in Richford, New York to a working class family. His father began as a lumberman, but eventually became a salesman and con artist referred to as "Devil Bill". He traveled frequently and was rarely at home during John's childhood. John thus had to do his part in helping provide for the family and took more after his religious mother. In 1853 his family moved to Strongsville, Ohio where John attended Cleveland Central High School and later studied business and bookkeeping at Folsom's Commercial College.

John acquired a sharp skill for business during his teenage years when he worked as an assistant bookkeeper for a produce firm called Hewitt & Tuttle. He was known as a very focused, serious, religious, and clever kid who set a goal early on that he wanted to amass a large fortune and live for a long time. In 1859 he partnered with Maurice Clark on a new bookkeeping firm for produce commissions of which he began to gain significant profit. By the outbreak of the Civil War, he was able to buy his way out of military service and instead offered food and supplies to the Union Army.

Oil Refinery Business

In 1863 John and his business partner Maurice shifted their focus to crude oil and built a oil refinery in "the flats" of Cleveland. The two partners were able to enlist a chemist, Samuel Andrews, who specialized in the distillation of oil into kerosene. Kerosene was the latest tool in providing light for the general public. Rockefeller later bought out this firm and established his own firm with Samuel Andrews as his partner in 1865. He also partnered with his brother, William Rockefeller, who also had an oil refinery of his own.

As the war was ending, John began making aggressive business moves to capture a stronghold on this new market. By 1867 the Rockefellers brought on another business partner, Henry Flagler, which became the beginning of Rockefeller's oil empire. It was during this time that John partnered with business magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt to transport his oil at a fair price. By 1870 Cleveland had become the center of the oil refinement business and Rockefeller disbanded his previous partnership to establish Standard Oil Trust.   

Standard Oil Empire and Monopoly

Rockefeller continued expanding his business thru his work ethic and competitive nature. He was able to ship his product at a fair price thru various railroad deals of bulk shipments. Thru his efficient management he was able to provide affordable kerosene for the entire nation, which before was only a luxury for the wealthy. By 1872, in what has become referred to as the "Cleveland Massacre" Rockefeller ruthlessly bought out his competition to control the refinery market and make Standard Oil the undisputed king of oil in the nation.

At this point Rockefeller began controlling every aspect of the oil market, from the drilling, to the refinement, to the disruption in what was perhaps one of America's first significant monopolies. He began gathering much opposition from the press, businesses, and even the government for what they saw as a man with too much power. Rockefeller however felt he was doing's Gods work, and believed that business was ultimately the survival of the fittest. By the end of 1870 Standard Oil was refining 90% of the nation's oil and Rockefeller was a millionaire.

His first significant opposition came in 1877 from Thomas A. Scott, a Pennsylvania Railroad president who was threatened by Rockefeller's latest pipeline initiatives. Scott felt that Rockefeller was essentially eliminating the need of oil to be transported via railway, and in response he began buying and building his own oil refineries. Rockefeller's competitive nature once again was in full effect as he began a price war against the Pennsylvania Railroad system which led to labor unrest.

While Rockefeller was ultimately able to win the standoff with Thomas A. Scott, it was only the beginning of a series of disputes targeting Rockefeller's monopoly on the market.  By 1880 Standard Oil was labeled by the press as the most grasping monopoly the country had ever experienced. At it's height Rockefeller's empire included 20,000 oil wells, 4000 miles of pipeline, 5,000 tank cars, and 100,000 employees. However during this time competition from European oilfields was emerging as well as the invention of the light bulb made kerosene less desirable.

Final Years in New York City

In 1884, Rockefeller moved his business headquarters to New York City and became a prominent figure in the city. He still continued to expand his business empire, despite all the opposition and changes in the oil market. In 1890 he began investing in the iron and ore industries which lead to new opposition with steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Their competition became major fodder for the New York news media. Rockefeller was able to become a member of US Steel's board of directors along side JP Morgan Chase and Andrew Carnegie. However the inquisition into his empire continued from President Roosevelt as well as  "muckracker" journalists such as Ida Tarbell, which forced him into early retirement at the age of 63.

In 1911 Rockefeller's Oil Empire took its largest hit when the Supreme Court of the United States found Standard Oil in opposition of the Sherman Antritrust Act, which ultimately ruled the organization as an illegal monopoly. In response Rockefeller had to break up his oil empire into 34 separate companies, which included notable businesses that still dominate today such as ExxonMobile, ConoccoPhilips, Chevron, and Pennzoil to name a few. Rockefeller spent his final years living in leisure, often suffering from anxiety and depression. While he climbed the mountaintop to become the wealthiest man in American history he was ultimately an unhappy person.

Titans of Industry: Cornelius Vanderbilt

As I've begun this study about iconic American entrepreneurs I notice there are about 5 that stand out above the rest. Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan Chase, and Henry Ford were all titans of their respected industries and became some of the wealthiest men in American history. Their climb from obscurity to dominance is the utmost demonstration of capitalism at work. I find their stories to be very intriguing especially since they played a crucial part in making America the strongest economies in the world.

Following the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, an industrial boom occurred in America, a period known as the Gilded Age (from the 1870s to early 1900s). It was a new age of industrial machinery that gave way for ambitious businessmen to capitalize on the free market and climb to the top. My first focus will be on Cornelius Vanderbilt, also known as the "Commodore", who was the first of these major industrialists. He created a railroad empire that made him one of the wealthiest Americans from the 1950s until his death in 1870s.


Early Life of Cornelius

Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in 1794 to a working class family in Staten Island, New York. His father owned a ferry in the New York harbor of which Cornelius worked on. He later begun his own ferry service at the age of 16, and quickly gained the nickname of the "Commodore" for his aggressive business demeanor. He married his business-minded cousin Sophia Johnson in 1813, and the two had 13 children together and were married until her death in 1868.

At the age of 19 Cornelius partnered with a steamboat line operated by Thomas Gibbons to captain one of his ships. He did this while still maintaining his ferry service. It was during this time that Cornelius developed somewhat of an apprenticeship with Thomas Gibbons and learned about the many complexities of the steamboat business. He continued to work for the Gibbons steamboat line after his death in 1826 while continuing to climb the ranks of the industry. 

Steamboat Engine Business

By 1829 Cornelius begun to break away from the Gibbons steamboat line and focus on his own businesses. He established multiple lines throughout the New York harbor and the surrounding region. By the 1830s he dominated the Long Island Sound and began expanding his control to managing railroad lines, the Staten Ferry line, and various real estate. By the 1840s Vanderbilt had established himself as one of the top businessmen in the New York region commonly referred to by his nickname "the Commodore".

During the Gold Rush of 1849 Vanderbilt shifted his business focus to ocean steamboats, with lines running from the East Coast to the West coast. At the time the Transcontinental railroad nor the Panama Canal was not yet built so the cargo was transported thru Panama by train. Through numerous disputes with New York, California, and Central American businessman Vanderbilt was able to exert his dominance on the steamboat business line from New York to California. During the Civil War he donated many of his ships to the Union Army however suffered terrible grief when his eldest son George Washington Vanderbilt II died during this time.

Railroad Empire

Following the Civil War and some years of grieving for his son, Vanderbilt shifted his focus to the growing railroad business. He served as a board member on several prominent railway companies throughout New York. In 1863 he took over the Harlem Railway and brought on his son, Billy, to help him manage several other railway companies such as the Staten Island Railway. By 1864 he had sold all his steamboat companies in order to fully focus on the railroad industry which he believed to be the new booming market.

Throughout the 1860s he continued to buy out the competition such as the Hudson River Railway, New York Central Railroad, and the Lake Shore Michigan Southern Railway. By 1867 he merged all these companies into one giant corporation known as the New York Central Railroad which operated lines from New York all throughout the Midwest region. This became one of the first major corporations in the United States that made Vanderbilt the most wealthy man in America.

In 1869 Vanderbilt commissioned the Grand Central Depot be built in New York City. This became one of the largest buildings in the city at the time and served as the central defining monument of Vanderbilt's empire. Even after Vanderbilt had reached the mountaintop he continued pressing forward. He became involved in numerous business disputes such as the Erie War, which lead him to become enemies with businessman Jay Gould and James Fisk Jr.

Vanderbilt played a crucial role in empowering John D. Rockefeller early in his career, when he offered the growing business magnate a partnership to transport his oil for a fair price. Vanderbilt knew that oil had become the new booming business market and in order to secure his empire he began investing with Rockefeller. However by this point Vanderbilt's health had begun to deteriorate and he would eventually die in 1877.

Before his death he contributed 1 million dollars to help establish a university in Nashville, TN that became known as Vanderbilt University. His railroad empire was later surpassed by the automobile industry in the 1900s, however he played a pivotal role in the ascension of the American economy. To this day he is listed as the 2nd wealthiest person in American history, after John D. Rockefeller.

Titans of Industry: Walt Disney

I'd like to start a new biographical series about famous American entrepreneurs that were titans of their industries. This idea came to me after recently watching a documentary on perhaps one of the most iconic American businessmen of all time, Walt Disney. While I'd like to categorize Walt as a movie icon, and that he certainly is, his legacy goes beyond just movies. He was ultimately a businessman who created an entertainment conglomerate based around his animations. His name has become synonymous with classic animated films and fairy tale destinations. The empire that he created throughout his career continues to thrive to this day. His franchise is considered an American staple in the likes of McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Nike, Apple, or Walmart.

It seems the name Disney is often more recognized for its movie production business rather than the person behind it all. Walt Disney was the perfect example of an American capitalist who rose to the top thru his innovative and ambitious character. By 1920s he moved to Hollywood to establish his iconic Walt Disney studios. He used groundbreaking animated techniques to lead Hollywood thru a Golden Age of animation thru the 1930s-1940s. He was not only an animator but also a voice actor most famously known for creating and providing the voice of Mickey Mouse.

By the 1950s he was a highly acclaimed producer and studio executive and began to expand his empire. He first opened his iconic amusement park, Disneyland in 1955 in Anaheim California. He later began television productions and live drama films such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Mary Poppins. He always demanded the best out of his staff, and while there have been accusations that he was antisemitic these claims cannot be justified. He died in 1966, at the age of 65, due to lung cancer, however his franchise continued to grow after his death. To this day Walt Disney Studios remains one of the iconic leaders in movie production and entertainment.

Walt's Early Life

One thing I like to understand in this study of famous American entrepreneurs is whether these moguls were born into wealth or paved their own path. In the case of Walt he was raised by a middle class family. His father Elias was a real estate businessman with limited success and moved the family from Chicago, Santa Fe, Kansas City, and back to Chicago. As a child, Walt displayed a great interest in cartoons and drawing. He stayed committed to his paper route for 6 years which demonstrated his hunger for business. His patriotism was demonstrated in WWI when he tried to join at the age of 16, and later was able to land a job as an ambulance driver at the end of the war.

Following the war he was able to land some work as an illustrator for a newspaper in Kansas City and also became an apprentice at an animation studio. During this time he acquired his interest in animation which was a new technology that merged video with illustrations. In 1921 Walt opened an animation studio with a friend called Laugh-O-Gram Studio and produced various short advertisements for theaters and businesses. In 1923 Walt produced a 12 minute feature film Alice's Wonderland however it was not enough to earn them profits and the company went bankrupt.

Move to Hollywood

In 1923 Walt moved to Los Angeles where his brother was living to further his business interests in animation. At the time New York City was the center of the cartoon industry however Hollywood was on the rise as the center of the movie industry. Walt was able to sign a contract for the production of more of Alice Comedies, which lead him to establish his Disney Studio with his brother Roy. In 1925 he hired an ink artist, Lillian Bounds, and married her later that year. They had two children together and remained married until Walt's death in 1966.

In 1927 film producer, Charles Mintz requested new material from Walt, which lead to the creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. However before this series could take off, Walt had financial disagreements with Charles Mintz which lead to the eventual collapse of this partnership. In response however Walt developed the character of Mickey Mouse, which was a similar peppy personality as Oswald. It was in 1928 that Disney released one of his first major iconic animations, Steamboat Willie, which introduced the character of Mickey Mouse as well as the first sound animation. (The film Jazz Singer was the first film to incorporate sound in 1927).

Throughout the 1930s Disney continued to produce Mickey Mouse films and introduced new groundbreaking musical animated films such as The Skeleton Dance (1929) and The Flowers and Trees (1932) which won Walt his first Academy Award for animation. Walt also won an Honorary Academy Award in 1932 for his creation of Mickey Mouse. A year later the Disney studio released The Three Little Pigs which won him another Academy Award and is considered one of the most significant animations of all time. By this point Walt Disney has established himself as the undisputed leader of animation in Hollywood.

Golden Age of Animation

However Walt was just beginning at this point and was always looking for ways to challenge himself as well as the industry. This is no doubt what made him so successful, his constant ambition to innovate. In 1934 he began a four year project on the feature animated film of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This became one of Disney's most ambitious costly projects, introducing color animation with multi-plane camera techniques introducing depth to his animation. While many in Hollywood dubbed it as Disney's folly the film actually became one of the most successful films ever produced at that time, collecting high revenues and more Academy awards.

Following the success of Snow White, by 1937 Walt Disney has introduced a Golden Age of Animation. His studio released two more ambitious animated projects Fantasia and Pinocchio in 1940, Dumbo in 1941, and Bambi in 1942. Each of these films went on to win numerous Academy Awards however performed poorly in the box office due to the onset of World War II. Due to the outbreak of war, Walt halted his animated projects and began propaganda and training productions to aid the United States military against Germany.

Other Projects and Disneyland

After the war Disney's business interests continued to expand beyond just animation. He produced several more successful feature animated films, Cinderella in 1950, Alice in Wonderland in 1951, and Peter Pan in 1953. However also began producing live action films such as Treasure Island in 1950, Robin Hood in 1952, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1954. He also began investing in the new medium of television and partnered with ABC in 1950. Together they aired The Wonderful World of Disneyland in 1954 which consisted of animated shorts catered for children.

One of Walt's most ambitious projects was the development of an amusement park that would embody the many fairy tales that he produced. In 1955 this vision became a reality with the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This amusement park consisted of various theme areas such as Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland. There was also rides, venues, and numerous attractions that brought thousands of visitors on a daily basis. To this day Disneyland has become a fantasy destination for children and families alike.

Disney continued a string of successful animated films with the release of Lady and the Tramp in 1955, Sleeping Beauty in 1959, One Hundred and One Dalmatians in 1961, and the Sword in the Stone in 1963. He also oversaw the musical production of Mary Poppins in 1964, a film that went on to garnish 13 Academy Award nominations. By 1966 however Walt grew very sick from cancer and died at the young age of 65. However his legacy carried on to become one of the most iconic film franchises in not only America but the world. To this day he holds the record for most Academy Awards at 22 Oscars. His name has become synonymous with entertainment, fantasy, and one of the most iconic American brands.  

Musical Study: The Early Life of Bob Dylan

I have been a huge fan of Bob Dylan since I first saw a documentary of his in the summer of 2006 (I believe it was No Direction Home). I remember I was working the night shift at the WTIU station in Bloomington where they always had some great quality shows on PBS late at night. That was around the time of my college days where I was beginning to appreciate classic rock. I knew of the name Bob Dylan yet I didn't understand it until that night. I remember after watching that documentary I felt so inspired by this unique and iconic folk singer.

From that point on I came to admire Dylan's rebellious attitude and his desire to be free. It's quite pertinent when listening to his music that he brought about his own original style to folk music; a twangy yet beautiful voice. I can understand how most people might think it bad singing or perhaps sound like whining, yet I disagree. I think his vocal style is quite original, raw, harmonious, powerful, and so very heartfelt. It embodies the stories in his folk songs quite often about the sad injustices of society. Yet Dylans' genius is the ability to blend both the melodic with the  melancholic to create very meaningful, beautiful, music.

To this day Bob Dylan remains one of my all time favorite musicians, (currently number 3 on my list behind the Beatles and Dave Matthews.) I even saw him live in concert in the summer of 2011, and visited his house in Duluth in 2016. I think Dylan is one of the most significant and prophetic people alive today. It seems almost each year I go into a bit of Bob Dylan appreciation phase, usually around the fall time. And I especially enjoy when I can discover some new songs of his.

One movie that always adds to the inspiration is I'm Not There, which provides various aspects of his life. The movie is a bit on the abstract side, but provides a great Dylan-esque backdrop and insight into his mind. This film makes me most intrigued by the early life of Bob Dylan, in the early 1960s, where his folk music was at it's purest state. I've often believed that Dylan's best music was his folk songs before he went electrical in the mid 1960s. He was only a teenager when he began writing and performing this groundbreaking music. And that's what I want to capture in this post. Is how did such a young kid become so experienced. 

Dylan's Childhood

He was born into a Jewish family from the northern region of Duluth, Minnesota. His grandparents migrated from Lithuania in 1905 and his parents owned an appliance store in the community. His birth name was actually Robert Allen Zimmerman which he would later change to Bob Dylan, as a nod to the famous poet Dylan Thomas. Dylan's childhood seemed quite normal for a middle class kid in the north. He listened to all the rock'n'roll of the time enjoying Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly as well as country music and folk music. His utmost idol was the folk singer Woody Guthrie. 

At the age of 10 Robert began writing poems and taught himself how to play the piano and the guitar. It became quite apparent at that point that he was extremely inspired by the music of the time and wanted to be a musician himself. In high school he formed several rock bands and even played at school functions. He performed covers of Little Richard and other famous rock songs. It was during this time that Dylan was searching for a musical identity of his own, which he would eventually find in college.

Dylan's College Years

It was in 1959, at the young age of 18 where Robert Allen Zimmerman began his transition into the famous folk singer we know today. He moved from Duluth to Minneapolis and enrolled in the University of Minnesota where he joined a Jewish fraternity. The new college atmosphere must have been the catalyst to setting Zimmerman free onto his destiny. It was at that point that he changed his name to Bob Dylan and declared himself fully committed to folk music.

"The thing about rock'n'roll was that for me anyway it wasn't enough. There were great catch phrases and driving pulse rhythms but the songs weren't serious or didn't reflect life in a realistic way. I knew that when I got into folk music it was more of a serious type of thing. The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, and much deeper feelings" 

-Bob Dylan

He stopped going to classes and began to perform at coffeehouses such as the Ten O'Clock Scholar and nightclubs. He became involved in the Dinkytown Folk Music scene, which was the cultural bar strip of the University. One of his classmates gave Dylan an auto-biography of the life of Woody Guthrie which consumed him and became his driving force. By this point Dylan had become more committed to his music then his studies. And after only a year as a student he dropped out of college to pursue his dream as a folk musician. He thus moved to New York City in 1960 and was on an obsessive quest to meet his idol Woody Guthrie and pave a career of his own.

Dylan's Rise in New York City

Bob Dylan was finally able to meet his idol, Woody Guthrie, in January of 1961 in a hospital where Guthrie was ill. At that point the two instantly developed a teacher-disciple dynamic in which Dylan often relates to that of Plato and Socrates. Dylan visited Guthrie frequently in the hospital sharing stories, wisdom, and even an original song he wrote called "Song to Woody". From then on Dylan was able to take on the New York City Folk scene with all the more confidence.

It was in Greenwich Village where the folk scene was most alive, and Bob Dylan quickly became one of the more popular performers. He befriended other folk singers of the area such as Rambling Jack Elliott, Dave Van Ronk, Fred Neil, and Odetta. He performed many covers yet also began writing and performing his own material during this time. In 1962 at the age of 20, Dylan released his first self-titled album. It consisted of covers of traditional folk and gospels songs as well as two original songs including his homage he wrote for Woody. Dylan hardly broke even with this first studio release however he pressed on and continued to write original songs.

A year later he released his 2nd studio album in 1963, The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, which brought him instant fame. The album consisted of original protest songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" which would become the anthem of the protest movement. Also one of my all time favorite Dylan songs, "Don't Think Twice it's Alright". At that point Dylan became the voice of his generation, a new counter-culture ideology that supported the Civil Rights Movement. This was essentially the beginning of the end of America's conformity age which became all the more dire following Kennedy's assassination. .

Leader of the Protest Movement

By 1963 Dylan found himself emerged in the political social upheavals of the time, most notably the Civil Rights Movement. As the musical voice of the protest movement Dylan embraced this role and partnered with notable protest singer (and later lover) Joan Baez. Together they performed during Martin Luther King's historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. A few months later Dylan released his third studio album entitled, The Times They Are a Changin', which embodied the protest issues of racism, poverty, and social change. The songs "The Times They are a Changing" and "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol" became powerful messages to the public.

However by early 1964 Dylan suddenly found himself uncomfortable with his role as the voice of the protest movement. Perhaps it was the media attention that made him feel pessimistic about this role. He began to declare that he could not change society with a song and did not see himself as a leader in that regards. His 4th album, Another Side of Bob Dylan and 5th album, Bringing it all back Home, made it all the more clear that he wanted to distance himself from protest songs. I think ultimately he never changed and still cared about protest issues, he just simply did not want that kind of celebrity attention.

Dylan's transition to Rock

Most folk extremists will say Dylan's demise came when he made his abrupt transition to electric guitar. This became public at the Newport Folk Festival in July of 1965 where Dylan introduced his new electric rock'n'roll band and was received with boos from the audience. His 6th studio album, Highway 61 Revisited, was a new kind of Bob Dylan no longer with acoustic tracks yet all electric tracks. His hit single, "Like a Rollin' Stone" brought him all the more success and critical acclaim. While he lost support from the folk community he gained popularity in the rock scene, and this album is often regarded as one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

By June of 1966 Dylan released his 7th album, and third consecutive rock album, Blonde on Blonde. This was perhaps the pinnacle of his career where he stood along side the rock giants of the 1960s such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. However by this point too it became clear that Dylan was getting exhausted with this lifestyle constantly in the public's eye. Following a motorcycle crash in 1966 he resorted to more of a recluse lifestyle. He continued to release albums to this day, however none were quite as groundbreaking as his first 7.

I ultimately have come to understand Dylan as a very complex character, perhaps more regarded for his poetry than his musical entertainment. There is no question that he was a skilled musician through his vocals, guitar, harmonica, and piano playing but I believe it was his lyrics that brought him heightened acclaim. He was a writer and a philosopher, not a performer, and this became all the more clear when he turned from the protest movement. It's not because he wanted to stop being a rebel, quite on the contrary. It is because he did not want the fame and public attention that came with it. Although I prefer his early protest music, Dylan for me will always represent the total embodiment of what it means to be free.