The Pulitzer family became one of America's richest by building a media empire. Joseph Pulitzer, originally a poor immigrant, bought and transformed struggling newspapers into highly successful businesses.
His focus on sensational stories drew massive readerships, which increased profits. Over generations, the family expanded their wealth through smart investments and the continued success of their media holdings. This led to the family's net worth growing to $1.6 billion.
R.R. Donnelley & Sons was founded in 1864. The company started as a small printing business and grew into the largest printing company in North America, producing everything from catalogs to phone books.
Their success in dominating the printing industry and smart business expansions over time built the family's fortune, eventually reaching a net worth of $2.1 billion. This is even after going private in a deal in 2021.
J.F. Shea Co. was founded in 1881as a one-man plumbing business by John Francis Shea. The company expanded into construction in the 1900s and played a key role in major projects like the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Over time, J.F. Shea Co. expanded again into real estate, homebuilding, and infrastructure, becoming one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S. This growth and diversification led to the family's $2.5 billion net worth.
The De Young family became one of America's richest through their ownership of the San Francisco Chronicle, which was founded by Michael H. de Young in 1865. The newspaper became highly successful, and the family’s wealth grew over generations.
Nan McEvoy, Michael’s granddaughter, played a key role in managing the family’s assets, particularly after she took over the newspaper in the 1990s. Her leadership helped grow the family fortune to a net worth of $2.5 billion.
Levi Strauss saw a need in the clothing industry for sturdy work pants and founded the famous denim brand Levi Strauss & Co. in 1853. The Haas family, descendants of Strauss, took over the company in the early 20th century.
Under their leadership, Levi's jeans became a global icon, driving massive sales and profits. The company's success and expansion over the years helped the Haas family build a net worth of $3.7 billion.
The Coors family, owning over 10% of Molson Coors, became one of America’s richest through their brewing empire founded by Adolph Coors nearly 150 years ago. Peter H. Coors, Adolph’s great-grandson, led the company and now chairs MillerCoors.
The family also owns CoorsTek, a $1.25 billion advanced materials company. This company, although lesser known, is just as successful, financially speaking. This diversification, along with their brewing success, has grown the Coors family's net worth to $4.0 billion.
Seth Milliken and a business partner founded Milliken & Co., originally Deering Milliken & Company, in 1865. Under Milliken’s grandson Roger, who became president in 1947, the company expanded into a major global textile manufacturer.
Milliken & Co. created products for everything from the art scene to the military. With diverse products and operations worldwide, the company grew significantly. Roger’s death in 2010 left a net worth of $4.4 billion, although he forbade his children to join the company.
The E.W. Scripps family became one of America's richest through their media empire, founded by Edward Willis Scripps. He started Penny Press in 1878 with a borrowed $10,00. This turned into a vast portfolio of newspapers, television stations, and digital media properties.
As print media continues to dwindle, the family made the smart decision to exit the newspaper business in 2015 with a strategic merger. The family's successful management and growth of their media assets have led to a net worth of $8.4 billion.
America’s first billionaire was oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller. He co-founded Standard Oil in 1870, and the company dominated the oil industry, generating immense wealth. Rockefeller's business acumen and investments in other industries, including banking and real estate, further increased the family's fortune.
Over generations, the Rockefeller family’s diversified investments and philanthropic efforts have solidified their wealth, reaching a net worth of $10.3 billion. As it stands, over 200 family members currently hold a portion of the Rockefeller wealth.
The Mellon family became one of America's richest through their banking and investment successes, starting with Thomas Mellon’s founding of Mellon Bank in 1869. Thomas had come from nothing, immigrating to America in 1818 from Ireland at age five.
His descendants, including Andrew Mellon, expanded their wealth by investing in industries such as steel, aluminum, and oil. Their financial expertise and strategic investments significantly grew the family's wealth over generations. Today, the Mellon family's net worth stands at $14.1 billion.
The Brown family became one of America's richest through Brown-Forman Corporation, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. The company gained prominence with the creation of Old Forester, the first bottled bourbon.
The company later expanded its portfolio to include iconic brands like Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve. Strategic acquisitions and global expansion solidified their position in the spirits industry, leading to a family net worth of $16.5 billion.
The Dorrance family became one of America's richest through their ownership of Campbell Soup Company, founded in 1869. The family’s wealth began with John Dorrance, who invented the process for making condensed soup.
His innovation transformed Campbell Soup into a major food company. The family's continued involvement in the company and smart investments over the years helped their wealth grow significantly, reaching a net worth of $17 billion.
The Du Pont family amassed their fortune through the DuPont Company, founded in 1802 by Éleuthère Irénée du Pont. Originally a gunpowder manufacturer, the company evolved into a chemical giant, pioneering innovations in materials like nylon, Teflon, and Kevlar.
Strategic investments and expansions into diverse industries, including automotive, agriculture, and electronics, solidified their wealth, making them one of America's richest families with a net worth of $18.1 billion.
The Busch family built their wealth through Anheuser-Busch, the brewery co-founded by Adolphus Busch in 1857. The company became a leader in the beer industry with iconic brands like Budweiser and Michelob.
Through innovative marketing, including sports sponsorships, and strategic acquisitions, Anheuser-Busch grew into a global powerhouse. The 2008 sale to InBev for $52 billion further boosted the family's fortune, making them one of America's wealthiest families with a net worth of $20 billion.
The Hearst family built their wealth through the media empire founded by William Randolph Hearst in the late 19th century. Starting with The San Francisco Examiner, Hearst expanded into more newspapers, magazines, television, and radio, creating one of the largest diversified media companies in the world.
William Randolph Hearst Jr. stayed in the family business, becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. The Hearst Corporation's vast holdings in publishing, entertainment, and real estate have grown over generations, securing the family's fortune and placing their net worth at $22.4 billion.
