Standard Oil Trust Stock Certificate - Signed by Henry M. Flagler & Wesley H. Tilford

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Standard Oil Trust - Signed by Henry M. Flagler - 1897

Standard Oil Trust Stock Certificate - Signed by Henry M. Flagler & Wesley H. Tilford - 1897

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Vintage Stock Certificate

Product Code: SC1954-2

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This Standard Oil Trust Stock Certificate was issued in 1897 and is signed by Henry M. Flagler and Wesley H. Tilford. Standard Oil was founded by John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler in 1863 and would become the largest and most powerful company in the world. In response to state laws limiting the size of companies, they developed the Standard Oil Trust in 1882 in which they would combine all their companies under a single group of trustees which included Rockefeller, Flagler and several others. This Trust would also prevent them from incorporating in the states they do business and avoid taxes.

Henry M. Flagler, along with Rockefeller, was a founder of Standard Oil as well as the Florida East Coast Railway. He is also considered the founder of the cities of Miami and Palm Beach, Florida. Flagler and Rockefeller were both involved in the grain business in Cleveland. Rockefeller approached Flagler for investment funds wanting to start his own oil refinery. Flagler arranged an investment through his stepbrother under the condition he would be a partner. He was often considered the brains of the operation and remained involved until 1911. He passed in 1913 after falling down a flight of stairs. His estate was valued at over $100 million. Henry Flagler is considered one of the most influential people on the development of Florida.

Wesley H. Tilford was a Vice President of the Standard Oil Company. He was considered to be a man of few words and good judgement. Prior to his promotion to Vice President he served as Treasurer. He served Standard Oil for over thirty years.

Standard Oil made Rockefeller the wealthiest person in history and one of the most powerful. In 1911, Standard Oil was ruled a Monopoly by the Supreme Court and subsequently broken up into 43 smaller regional companies. Almost every major American oil company today can trace its history back to Standard Oil in some way. .