These Are the Richest People in American History Before 1990

Leslie Herbert Wexner

Leslie Herbert Wexner is an American businessman. He is best known for being the founder and CEO of L Brands, a retail company that operates several well-known brands including Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Pink. Millions of women across America have no idea that all of their staples exist because of an old white man. Many people widely regard Wexner as one of the most successful retailers in the world, and credit him with revolutionizing the lingerie and beauty industries. Under his leadership, L Brands has become a multinational corporation with a strong global presence, and has become one of the largest employers in the retail sector. He is worth $6 billion.

Forrest Edward Mars Sr.

Forrest Edward Mars Sr. was an American businessman. The name Mars might sound familiar, because they are the creators of M&M’s. He was born in 1904 and passed away in 1999. People know Mars best as the co-founder of Mars Inc., which is one of the largest and most successful candy companies in the world. The company is known for producing a wide range of well-known brands, including M&M’s, Snickers, and Skittles. They also own pet food brands, including Pedigree and Whiskas. Mars was a highly successful businessman. He was a strong believer in the importance of quality and customer satisfaction, and these values are still central to the company today. Forrest’s children, Jackie and John, went on to becoming some of the wealthiest people in the United States after they inherited their share of Mars Inc. When he died, he was worth $4 billion.

How did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

List of the Richest Americans in History. Wikipedia.

From Rockefeller to Ford, See Forbes’ 1918 Ranking Of The Richest People In America. Forbes.

How the Waltons — America’s wealthiest family and heirs to the Walmart empire — live their lives. Business Insider. 2023.