9. Rockefeller entered into additional partnerships in the 1860s
Immediately following the Civil War Rockefeller joined with his brother William in a partnership which built a second refinery in Cleveland. In 1867 Henry Flagler joined the partnership and the refineries operated as the Rockefeller, Andrews, and Flagler Company. By 1868 the two Cleveland refineries and a subsidiary in New York made the partnership the world’s largest oil refining business. The company was noted for its profits per barrel, which consistently outpaced those of its competitors, despite its main consumer product – kerosene for lighting – being sold for less than average on the market. Rockefeller’s thrift ensured that the refineries operated at a substantial profit, with little waste product discarded as a result of the refining process.
