Born in 1836 in
Roxbury NY, Jay Gould made millions in buying and selling railroads, sometimes with questionable ethics. He and his partners fought
Cornelius Vanderbilt for control of the Erie Railroad in 1867. In 1869, he and his partner James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market. The result of their operations was the Black Friday panic on September 24, 1869.
Forced out of the Erie in 1872, Gould concentrated on western railroads and invested in the Union Pacific and many others. His fortunate was once estimated at $72 million. He died in 1892.
