re: List of wealthiest historical figues

I'm willing to bet King Solomon would top that list if they had him in there.

I recently read a Cornilius Vanderbilt biography. He came from nothing. By about 14, he had saved enough money from his various jobs to buy a small skiff that he used to ferry people from Staten Island to Manhattan and back, while still fulfilling his other work obligations.

The guy worked his balls off and was a ruthless competitor. He eventually dominated the steamboat routes, passenger and cargo, around NY Harbor and Long Island Sound, leading to his (initially sarcastic) nickname, "Commodore". Got into railroads and divested himself of steamboats before others saw the market change coming.

Was never completely accepted by the "old money" society crowd and was willing to fistfight over an insult, with success, into his 60s. He was a piece of work.

Was not particularly religious, but gave $500,000 (an enormous amount of money in the early 1870s) to a pastor to create Vanderbilt University, partially to heal post-Civil War animosities between the North and South.

Disinherited most of his children and left the bulk of his estate to his son, William (Billy), who he had initially dismissed as a younger man as not suited for business. William doubled his father's wealth, but his generation spent fortunes on extravagant homes (Biltmore, etc) and lived the lives of the rich and famous.

When Cornilius died, he was worth something like 1 of every 8 or 10 dollars of currency in circulation and market value in the U.S. stock market.

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What's crazy to think about it for any of these people who died in the early 20th century or before, the average middle class American today has a better quality of life than they did.

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Nah I don't know about that. Access to better healthcare and technology for sure, but I'd hazard to bet the Rockefellers, Morgans, and Vanderbuilts had better lifestyles than you or I.

Watched a series called "The Men Who Built America" and it featured rockefeller, jp morgan, carnegie, vanderbilt, ford, etc. Showed how they came up and made what they made. Some were born to it but most were not. It also helps that they were born in one of the most booming times in American history and before monopolies were illegal. Very good show to say the leasy. It was Four 1-1 1/2 hour shows. Highly recommend.

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Why's this even important? How about a list of the happiest historical figures?

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Liberals have entered the building.

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'll try George V in 1920.

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He wasn't an absolute monarch though. So despite his country controlling a quarter of the planet, he himself wasn't the owner - it wasn't his wealth.