# Did John D. Rockefeller found the University of Chicago?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-john-d-rockefeller-found-the-university-of-chicago/466840>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 7, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-john-d-rockefeller-found-the-university-of-chicago/466840 "2008-10-07T14:26:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-john-d-rockefeller-found-the-university-of-chicago/466840/1 "2008-10-07T14:26:34Z")

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\>Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:31:40 -0700 (PDT)  
\>From: James Struck \<accelinflation@yahoo.com\>  
\>Reply-To: [accelinflation@yahoo.com](mailto:accelinflation@yahoo.com)  
\>Subject: Rockefeller’s supposed founding of the University of Chicago  
\>To: uchicago-magazine@uchicago.edu, [zmag@zmag.org](mailto:zmag@zmag.org)  
\>Cc: [letters@chicagoreader.com](mailto:letters@chicagoreader.com), inCommon@neiu.edu  
\>  
\>  
\>Many sources, like wikipedia and the web site of the Admissions Department  
\>of the University of Chicago, describe the University of Chicago as being  
\>founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1890. History is complicated, and I want  
\>to challenge the University of Chicago to provide some legal evidence that  
\>John D. Rockefeller founded the University of Chicago rather than simply  
\>gave it a substantial endowment. Some sources describe William Rainey  
\>Harper and Stephen Douglas as founding earlier versions of the University  
\>of Chicago.  
\>  
\>  
\>If a philanthropist and Oil Trust and Corporation executive gives money to  
\>a university or organization, that does not mean that he founded the  
\>organization. Instead, it means that he endowed or funded the organization  
\>or university. It is problematic to call funders or people who donate to a  
\>cause founders, because the people who developed the idea are not  
\>receiving adequate recognition. If the donation or endowment by  
\>Rockefeller came with the agreement that Rockefeller would be called  
\>Founder, then it is understandable that he is labelled founder. Still,  
\>making people who donate money into founders is problematic. I would  
\>prefer that University of Chicago’s founder be described as “People such  
\>as William Rainey Harper, Charles Hendersen, John Rockefeller providing  
\>significant endowment, Baptist Education Society, Stephen A. Douglas  
\>founding an earlier university that went bankrupt in the 1880’s and many  
\>others.” Many contributors to the development of an organization should be  
\>listed as Founders if the contribution is legitimate.  
\>  
\>James T. Struck BA, BS, AA, CNA, MLIS  
\>7333 N. Ridge Blvd APt. 108  
\>Chicago, IL 60645 cell (312) 316-2055