The name John D. Rockefeller evokes mixed feelings. The man who called Cleveland home was both a robber baron of sorts and a philanthropist. In his book “John D. Rockefeller: The Heroic Age of American Enterprise,” author Allan Nevins says that while Rockefeller may have engaged in some unethical and illegal business practices, this should not overshadow his bringing order to the industrial chaos at the time.
Lake View Cemetery is his final resting place, as it is for 100,000 men, women and children. This month’s Uniquely Cleveland features the cemetery, still in operation, which opened in 1869 and was developed over the years into Cleveland’s outdoor museum. The cemetery features the tomb of President James Garfield as well as Rockefeller’s elegant tomb.
Religious upbringing
Biographers also contend that Rockefeller’s strict religious upbringing helped establish his philanthropic tendencies. As his wealth from Standard Oil and other ventures increased, so did his charitable giving, primarily to educational, public health, science and the arts causes.
Rockefeller’s charity, as well as business, began in Cleveland. In 1856 he donated $19.31 to local charities and by 1892 it was $1.35 million. Many institutions to which he belonged received donations, including the Western Reserve Historical Society, Early Settlers Association of The Western Reserve and the YMCA. He donated more than $865,000 worth of land to Cleveland for use as parks.
While both of Rockefeller’s sides have received their fair share of publicity, there’s one side that seems to straddle both of those: his poor health that nearly killed him — but which he overcame.
The combined stress of running Standard Oil and his involvement in charities put him on the edge of a nervous breakdown when he was 55. His physician, Dr. Hamilton Biggar, is quoted as saying, “A little more of that would have killed him. Mr. Rockefeller was close to the edge of a breakdown … when he finally let himself be persuaded that he could no longer do the work of several men with the strength of one.” He eventually developed digestive problems, perhaps stress-related ulcers. For a time, he ate only milk and crackers, although he could afford the finest food.
His doctors gave him these orders:
- Avoid worry. Never worry about anything, under any kind of circumstances.
- Relax and take plenty of mild exercise in the open air.
- Watch your diet. Always stop eating while you’re still a little hungry.
He obeyed those rules and took up golf — steps which probably saved his life.
“During days of torture and nights of insomnia, John D. had time for reflection,” wrote biographer John Winkler. He stepped up his efforts to see how much his money could buy in terms of human happiness and launched the Rockefeller Foundation. He continued his giving until he died at age 97.
Correction: In the September Uniquely Cleveland feature story on PlayhouseSquare, the name of the Palace Theatre was incorrect. It should have read the Connor Palace Theatre.
