Wall Street's Gilded Age: Nicknames of Her Capitalists and Robber Barons

Abstract

The “Gilded Age,” loosely defined here as 1861 to 1901, saw the emergence of a small group of men who played a leading role in the Industrial Revolution. Aptly described as both capitalist and robber baron, they were responsible for much of the economic framework that exists today. Through the takeover battle for control of the Erie Railroad Company, at the beginning of the period, and the organization of United States Steel Corporation, at its end, this essay examines historical and contemporary biographical information to explain that the nicknames of seven men involved in these two entities predominantly reflected not only their activities in the stock market, but also their occupations and character traits.