The NYT has an interactive graphic with mini-bios of the world's richest Americans. My favorite is Russell Sage (1816-1906) who was worth $43 billion in today's dollars:
Made most of his money on Wall Street, where he is credited with creating puts and calls. Known as a shrewd pinchpenny, he was once caught stealing a fan out of the offices of Western Union, where he was a board member. Arrested for loan-sharking in 1869, he used his powerful connections to avoid a sentence.
Bill Gates is #5 on the list. Link (Via haha.nu)
