Jay Gould was an American railroad developer who had an inflation-adjusted estimated net worth of $71 billion.

Gould landed his first job as a bookkeeper for a blacksmith. Then, in 1854, the blacksmith offered him half interest in the blacksmith shop, which he sold to his father. In the same year, he surveyed and created maps of the Ulster County, New York area.

In 1856 he published History of Delaware County, and Border Wars of New York. He also teamed up with Zadock Pratt in establishing a tanning business, Gouldsboro, and entered another partnership with Charles Mortimer Leupp. Their partnership was a successful one until the Panic of 1857.

Gould began investing in the railroad industry in 1869. He also partnered with James Fisk in an attempt to corner the market on gold, and thus increase the price.

In 1873, he tried to take control of the Erie Railroad by recruiting foreign investments from Lord Gordon-Gordon. He then bribed Gordon-Gordon with $1 million in stock, but it turned out that Gordon-Gordon was an imposter and had cashed the stock without being able to deliver.

He sued Gordon-Gordon. Then, Gordon-Gordon gave the names of the Europeans whom he claimed to represent, and was granted bail while the references were checked.

Gordon-Gordon fled to Canada, but Gould and his associates attempted to kidnap him. The kidnappers got Gordon-Gordon, but arrested by the North-West Mounted Police.

After the incident, Gould started to build up a system of railroads in the Midwest and West. He had control of four western railroads, including the Union Pacific.

Jason Gould was born on May 27, 1836 in Roxbury, New York, USA. He studied at a local school, Hobart Academy, in Hobart, New York, He married Helen Day Miller in 1863, and had six children. Then, he died of tuberculosis on December 2, 1892 in Manhattan, New York.