Big Money

The richest Americans in history

19. James G. Fair

richest americans
  • Adjusted wealth*: $52.9 billion
  • Lived: 1831-1894

Fair, along with three other partners, made his money on a Nevada silver and gold mine -- at that time the largest mining discovery in U.S. history.

Money did not appear to buy him happiness, though. His wife divorced him amid accusations of adultery and his son committed suicide. He was said to often be found drinking and wandering around seedy sections of San Francisco. He died at age 63.

First published June 2, 2014: 6:18 PM ET
Source: *Most nominal wealth estimates are from The Wealthy 100 by Michael Klepper and Robert Gunther, and include wealth at time of death, including bequests. Estimates were then calculated as a fraction of the overall economy at time of death by Sam Williamson of Measuring Worth, and then presented in 2013 dollars based on the size of the current U.S. economy. Estimates for Gates and Buffett provided by Wealth-X.

Biographical information from The Wealthy 100 by Michael Klepper and Robert Gunther, Encyclopedia Britannica, and The Prize by Daniel Yergin.

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