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The Rockefeller saga commenced with Joseph Siljman, a 17-year-old Jewish immigrant from Bavaria who arrived in the United States in 1837 with just a few dollars to his name. By 1846, he and his seven brothers launched a small dry goods store in New York City, laying the foundation for what would become the Joseph W. Siljman & Co., a burgeoning enterprise in retail and finance. As the business grew, the Siljman brothers expanded their reach across the United States, with some venturing to California during the Gold Rush, sending gold back east, and gradually transitioning into gold reserve banking.