Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler

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Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler was a business concern formed in 1867 in Cleveland, Ohio which was a predecessor of the Standard Oil organization. The principals and namesakes were John D. Rockefeller, Samuel Andrews, and Henry M. Flagler. Flagler’s wife’s uncle, Stephen V. Harkness made substantial investments, but was a silent partner and did not take an active role in running the business.

By 1868, Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler was the largest petroleum refiner in the world. The partners are credited with recognizing the importance of utilizing and marketing all of the by-products of the refining process, and gaining market and pricing control through shipping rates. Their failed South Improvement Company scheme in 1871 in secret collusion with the Pennsylvania Railroad led independent producers to revolt in western Pennsylvania in early 1872 and earned Rockefeller, the highest profile partner, much bad public opinion.

However, the partners deployed other more successfully calculated and forceful approaches, which included buying out the competition and the formation of the various Standard Oil companies. By 1879, the Standard Oil Company did about 90 percent of the oil refining in the United States.