John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937) entered the oil industry at the age of twenty-four and worked ruthlessly to unify it into the powerful Standard Oil Trust. Henry Flagler (1830–1913), a real estate and railroad entrepreneur, set out to make Florida the “Newport of the South” by providing extensive rail access and grand hotels to lure wealthy vacationers. DS, one page both sides, 16 x 7.75, June 13, 1884. Brown stock certificate, featuring an engraved vignette of the U.S. Capitol, for one hundred shares of the Standard Oil Trust, issued to C. B. Stockwell and signed by Rockefeller as President and Flagler as Treasurer; Flagler has signed a second time on the stub, which is affixed at the left edge of the certificate. In fine condition, with light embossed machine cancellations to signatures, slight trimming and glue remnant to left edge of certificate where it is joined to the stub, and mild wrinkling. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
