The paper trail of J. Paul Getty would lead him to become the richest man in the world.  Getty used his shrewd financial sense, autocratic demeanor, and masterful stock-market strategies to build one of the greatest business empires ever created by an individual.

Getty modeled his business from lessons learned from his father George Getty.  George Getty was a successful oil man who taught his son the value of economy and hard work.  The earliest business contract  signed by J. Paul Getty was handwritten when J. Paul Getty was fourteen years old.  The contract stipulates that J. Paul Getty agrees to wash his father's car for fifty cents a day, exclusive of allowance.

Gett's most ambitious undertaking was the takeover of Tide Water Associated Oil Company, one of the ten largest oil companies in America.  Getty's stock purchases of Tidewater "were financed by every dollar I possessed and every cent of credit I could obtain."  Getty's investment in Tidewater ultimately added millions to his wealth.  His check to Tidewater Associated Oil Company represents his masterful strategy.  The paper trail of J. Paul Getty is full of checks that reveal facets of hus buisiness and personal life.

Getty's forrays into the oil business extended to the sands of the Middle East.  Getty's investments resulted in spectacular oil strikes, enriching Getty to the tune of several hundred million dollars.  By 1957, Getty was acclaimed as the richest man in the world.

At the time of his death in 1976, with an estate worth over $700 million, Getty had $16.41 in his pocket.  Getty's casket was loaded on the back of a pickup truck for delivery to its final destination.

Astounding details of J. Paul Getty's astute business career, and previously unpublished biographical information is found in Money Secrets of the Rich and Famous.

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