Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Rockefeller’s grandchildren by his daughters make poor decisions in their choices of marriage partners, at least from Rockefeller’s perspective. His beloved Margaret, Bessie’s daughter, receives special attention from her grandfather, as well as a large dispensation from what remains of his fortune.

Junior’s children, on the other hand, seem to fare better. Babs, the only daughter of Junior and Abby, exhibits a rebellious streak reminiscent of her Aunt Edith, but without the despondency and crippling anxiety. Junior and Abby’s elder son, John D. Rockefeller III, inherits his father’s nervous disposition, whereas their younger son, Nelson, exudes “the Aldrich charm and extroversion” of his mother (656). John III will become the next of the great Rockefeller philanthropists, while Nelson will follow his maternal grandfather, Senator Nelson Aldrich, into national politics, eventually serving as Gerald Ford’s vice-president. Laurence, the fourth child and third son, appears cautious and reserved like his grandfather Rockefeller in his youth. Fifth son Winthrop loses interest in his studies at Yale and instead enjoys doing manual labor in the Texas oil fields for summer—though he eventually takes an obligatory white-collar job at Chase National Bank and wins the Arkansas governorship in 1966. David, the youngest child, attends earns a PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago, ironically on the strength of a thesis that argues against business consolidation.

Rockefeller continues to play the stock market, raking in millions more during the Roaring Twenties. Edith dies of cancer in 1932. Junior’s net worth collapses after the 1929 crash; he is still unimaginably wealthy, but he loses $500 million at the onset of the Great Depression. Nonetheless, in the midst of the worst economic downturn in US history, Junior finances and secures tenants for a Manhattan office complex that will be known as Rockefeller Center. New York’s major radio stations move into the complex, transforming Rockefeller Center into “radio city” (669). The Rockefeller family offices relocate from 26 Broadway to Rockefeller Center as well.

In Florida, Rockefeller lives on into his 90s, though he weakens physically and is forced to give up golf. At times, he appears depressed, possibly because he is isolated and deprived of his family. For a while, his closest friend is his chauffeur’s young daughter, a little girl named Lucille.

Now entering his 60s, and faced with rising taxes, Junior begins transferring money to Abby and their children. He also continues to give away stupendous sums through the Rockefeller Foundation.

On May 22, 1937, in Ormond Beach, Florida, Rockefeller suffers a heart attack. He dies early the next morning at the age of 97. Newspaper obituaries emphasize his unprecedented and unparalleled philanthropy. The family returns the body to Cleveland. Four days after his death, he is buried between Eliza and Cettie.