Origins & Early Life

Henry Huttleston Rogers (January 29, 1840 – May 19, 1909) was an American industrialist and financier. He made his fortune in the oil refining business, becoming a leader at Standard Oil. He also played a major role in numerous corporations and business enterprises in the gas industry, copper, and railroads. He became a close friend of Mark Twain.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Rogers' success in the oil industry began with Charles Pratt in 1866, when he invented an improved process by which naphtha was separated from crude oil during oil refining. John D. Rockefeller bought his and Pratt's business in 1874, and Rogers rose rapidly in Standard Oil. He designed the idea of a very long pipeline for transporting oil, as opposed to using railway cars. In the 1880s, he broadened his interests beyond oil to include copper, steel, banking, and railroads, as well as the Consolidated Gas Company that provided coal gas to major cities.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

By the 1890s, as Rockefeller was withdrawing from the oil business, Rogers was a dominant figure at Standard Oil. In 1899, Rogers set up the Amalgamated Copper trust, based in Butte, Montana, that dominated an industry in high demand as the nation needed wire to build its electric networks...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Auguste Rodin — Contemporary (Born in 1840) (1840): Founder of modern sculpture, celebrated for naturalism and emotional depth.
• Caspar David Friedrich — Contemporary (Died in 1840) (1840): Pioneering German Romantic landscape painter known for sublime, spiritual depictions of nature.
• Claude Monet — Contemporary (Born in 1840) (1840): Founder of Impressionism, Monet captured the fleeting perception of light and nature.
• Albert R. Broccoli — Contemporary (Born in 1909) (1909): Pioneering American film producer, best known for developing the James Bond franchise.
• Barry Goldwater — Contemporary (Born in 1909) (1909): Conservative Senator and Presidential Nominee who championed modern American conservatism.
• Burl Ives — Contemporary (Born in 1909) (1909): Iconic American folk singer, actor, and voice artist known for Christmas music.
• Abdus Salam — Shared historical date (01-29 · Born) (1926): Pioneering Pakistani theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate.
• Alexander Pushkin — Shared historical date (01-29 · Died) (1837): Founder of modern Russian literature and a towering figure of the Romantic era.
• Abraham Pais — Shared historical date (05-19 · Born) (1918): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• Alcuin — Shared historical date (05-19 · Died) (804): Leading scholar of the Carolingian Renaissance, influential teacher and clergyman.
• 1840 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1840
• January 29 (01-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 29
• 1909 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1909
• May 19 (05-19) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 19