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The richest Americans

Wealth is relative, and the value of the dollar is far from fixed. So this ranking of American plutocrats measures their total wealth as a fraction of U.S. GDP at their time of death (or for Gates, 2006).

Cornelius Vanderbilt
1794-1877
Cornelius Vanderbilt
American capitalist whose occupations ranged from railroad builder and executive to financier and promoter.

Industry: Shipping

Wealth at death: $105,000,000

Wealth/GDP: 1/87

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The Wealthy 100, by M. Klepper and R. Gunther (updated by the authors)
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