Rockefeller: From Snake Oil to Big Oil
From peddling dubious cures on dusty roads to shaping the backbone of America’s oil empire, the Rockefeller’s legacy is a masterclass in the art of deception and ambition.
William Avery Rockefeller was a quintessential 19th-century conman. His legacy is a tangled web of deceit and ambition, marked by his role as a traveling snake oil salesman. Yet, his most profound impact was not just in his own dubious dealings, but in how he imparted his cunning ways to his son, John D. Rockefeller, who would go on to dominate the American oil industry.
The Snake Oil Salesman
William Rockefeller, often referred to as “Big Bill,” traversed rural America peddling “miracle” cures. His most infamous product was “Rock Oil,” a concoction he claimed could cure everything from cancer to warts. In reality, it was a fraudulent remedy, a mix of laxatives and petroleum by-products. His charm and persuasive tactics made him a successful, albeit dishonest, salesman. The term “snake oil salesman” has since become synonymous with fraud and deceit, largely thanks to figures like William Rockefeller.
