As proverbial measures of wealth in American society the Rockefeller family have cut a broad swath through American business, politics and philanthropy for more than a century. The family’s wealth emerged with John D. Rockefeller, Sr (1839–1937), stern founder of Standard Oil (1870) who came to monopolize oil refining and marketing, becoming the enemy of unions and antitrust legislation. Nonetheless, Rockefeller established a health research institute (1901) that grew into the graduate science Rockefeller University and the massive foundation that bears the family name (1913).

He donated over $500 million to education, medicine and religious projects. His son, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1874–1960), in addition to his business interests, distributed another $1 billion between 1917 and 1960, often to advance a Christian America. He also built Rockefeller Center (1930–9), an art-deco New York City, NY landmark, patronized historic preservation of colonial Williamsburg and provided the land for the UN headquarters in Manhattan.

The family’s third generation turned to politics and public service, including the liberal Republican leader Nelson (1912–73). Nelson Rockefeller was governor of New York from 1953 to 1973, but his hesitation as well as liberal politics (and an unprecendented divorce) cost him the presidential nomination repeatedly. He was appointed vicepresident in 1974 when Gerald Ford succeeded Richard Nixon. John D. Rockefeller III focused on philanthropy, Winthrop (1912–73) became Republican governor of Arkansas (1967–71) and David became president of Chase Manhattan Bank.

The fourth generation of Rockefellers includes the liberal Democrat John D. Rockefeller IV, who went to West Virginia as a VISTA volunteer but stayed to become governor (1976–84) and senator (1985–). Other Rockefeller cousins have become scientists, artists and philanthropists while dealing with the legacy of their name and position. Unlike the more flamboyant and newer Kennedy family, the Rockefellers have established an institutional structure in philanthropy, public service and education that belies the celebrity of the wealthy while underscoring the discreet continuity of American upper classes.