<Dl> <Dd> For the contemporary list, see List of Americans by net worth . </Dd> </Dl> <Dd> For the contemporary list, see List of Americans by net worth . </Dd> <P> Virtually all sources agree on John D. Rockefeller being the richest American in history, although these sources appear to define riches as an individual's wealth as a share of contemporary GDP . </P> <P> This method of comparing individuals' wealth across time is disputed . Economic blogger Scott Sumner, for example, notes Rockefeller was worth $1.4 billion dollars when he died, which is about $24 billion in dollars nowadays . Meanwhile Bill Gates was worth nearly $150 billion in dollars nowadays in 1999 . </P>

Who is the richest american who ever lived
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