John D. Rockefeller Sr.

popular name: Gilbert F. Heublein

date_of_death: March 21, 1937

age: 87

cause_of_death: Arteriosclerosis

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: German-born Gilbert F. Heublein was a prominent hotelier, restaurateur, food and liquor distributor in Hartford, Connecticut. While most people remember Gilbert for securing the license and distribution rights of A-1 Steak Sauce to the United States, his real claim to fame should be his discovery and marketing of pre-made cocktails. As the legend goes, Gilbert and his brother Louis had prepared a quantity of premixed cocktails for a large annual picnic. It rained and the event was canceled. A few days later a employee of the Heubleins was told to dispose of the unused beverages. Deciding to taste them first, he found that the drinks had suffered no deterioration and announced the discovery to his bosses. The Heubleins took note and began selling the premixed libations in their saloon and restaurant. The cocktails proved very popular with customers and increasingly became the focus of the family’s attention. With Gilbert now running the business, the new firm concentrated on the premixed cocktails such as Martinis and Manhattans, advertising them widely as Club Cocktails. Upon the enactment of Prohibition in 1920, Heublein's "secondary sideline" of A.1. Sauce served as a fortunate savior, when the production, transportation and sale of all other Heublein products became illegal in the US for the next thirteen years. Upon Gilbert’s death, the company was taken over by John G. Martin, the son of Alice Heublein and Percy Martin, Gilbert Heublein’s grandson. Through Martin’s business savvy, G.F. Heublein & Bro. acquired the rights to sell Smirnoff vodka, Don Q rum, and Jose Cuervo tequila. In 1969, Heublein, Inc. began to package pre-mixed cocktails in 8-ounce cans, such as the ‘Brass Monkey’. The company also made acquisitions outside the liquor industry with the purchase of Grey Poupon mustard in 1936 and Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1971. In 1982, Heublein, Inc was sold to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for 1.4 billion dollars.

popular name: Bernard Kroger

date_of_death: July 21, 1938

age: 76

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Bernard Kroger was a successful American businessman who created the Kroger chain of supermarkets. Kroger was a pioneering grocery innovator who introduced self-service shopping to the public in 1916 which allowed customers to enter his stores, shop, and bring the merchandise home themselves instead of waiting for a delivery. Kroger also pioneered in-store bakery and meat counters and Kroger grocery stores were the first in the country to sell freshly baked goods, meat, and groceries under the same roof.

popular name: James Mayer de Rothschild

date_of_death: November 17, 1868

age: 76

cause_of_death: Natural causes

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Baron James Mayer de Rothschild (1792–1868) was a prominent 19th-century banker and a key figure in the Rothschild banking family. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, he was the second son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the patriarch who established the family's banking empire. James moved to Paris in the early 1800s, where he and his sons started as luxury item dealers and coin and commercial paper traders. James played a critical role in the development of the Rothschild banking network, particularly in France, and became one of the wealthiest men of his time. James was instrumental in financing the construction of major infrastructure projects, such as railways, and was also involved in international finance, including lending to European governments. Throughout his life, he was a key player in European politics, often working behind the scenes to support governments with financial backing, particularly during the revolutions of 1848 and the Crimean War. Baron James Rothschild’s success and wealth solidified the Rothschild family as one of the most influential banking dynasties in Europe during the 19th century. He passed away in 1868, and his legacy continued through his descendants, who continued to manage and expand the family's financial empire. It is estimated that the total collective wealth of all the Rothschild families combined exceed $1.0 trillion dollars. Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.