Laura Spelman Rockefeller
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laura Spelman Rockefeller, (1839-1915), (known as "Cettie"), was a philanthropist, the namesake of Spelman College and the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, and the wife of the richest man who has ever lived, John D. Rockefeller, the founder of both Standard Oil and the Rockefeller family dynasty.
Laura Spelman was born in Wadsworth, Ohio in 1839 to Harvey Buel Spelman and Lucy Henry Spelman, who had moved to Ohio from Massachusetts. Harvey was an abolitionist who was active in the Congregationalist Church, the Underground Railroad, and in politics. The Spelmans eventually moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where subsequently she met John D. Rockefeller at school, where they took accounting classes together. Cettie later attended boarding school in New England and wished to eventually be a school teacher.
After returning to Ohio to teach, she married Rockefeller in 1864 and remained active in her church (now Northern Baptist) and with her family. Once the family business of Standard Oil began to take off, she devoted her further time to philanthropy and her children.
Throughout their entire lives the Rockefeller family continued to donate ten percent of their income to charity, including substantial donations to Spelman College.
Laura Spelman Rockefeller died on March 12, 1915 of a heart attack.
[edit] Further reading
- Chernow, Ron. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. London: Warner Books, 1998.
- Stasz, Clarice. The Rockefeller Women: Dynasty of Piety, Privacy, and Service. New York: St. Martins Press. (1995).
[edit] See also
- Rockefeller family
- Rockefeller Foundation
- Rockefeller University
- Rockefeller Center
- Kykuit
- John D. Rockefeller
- John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
- John D. Rockefeller 3rd
- Jay Rockefeller
- David Rockefeller
- Nelson Rockefeller
- Laurance Rockefeller
- Philanthropy
[edit] External links
- Rockefeller Archives
- Chernow, Ron. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. Warner Books. (1998). ISBN 0-679-43808-4. online review
