John Davidson Rockefeller, Jr., 1874-1960

The University of Chicago was incorporated in 1890: the University was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from John D. Rockefeller. William Rainey Harper became the university's first president in 1891, and the first classes were held in 1892. The University of Chicago also became one of the 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities, an international organization of leading research universities, in 1900.

America’s Richest Families, 1900-1940