Pioneers Turned Millionaires

From horseradish salesman to multi-millionaire: Henry John Heinz, the son of German immigrants, forever changed the way food is packaged, sold and eaten. With simple ingredients, closely guarded family recipes, plus revolutionary branding methods, Heinz made a fortune on everyday products like gherkins, sauerkraut and, of course, his famous ketchup. Travel back in time to the Steel Capital of the World, circa the 1800s, and see how the King of Condiments began his empire, one vegetable at a time.

His name is synonymous with quality and excellence, but Henry Steinway's life was full of tragedy and loss. By the time he was 15, he was forced to make it on his own...which he did in style. Follow the high and low notes of Steinway's life, from his brave actions in the Battle of Waterloo to his arduous trek to America, where he built a musical instrument empire, one piano at a time. His business made him wealthy, but family made him rich, and though tragedy would again strike, Steinway and Sons kept making music.

Step into a world of adventure and danger as we explore the life of America's first multi-millionaire, John Jacob Astor. From his early years, hiding from his abusive father, to his perilous journey across the Atlantic, to a series of personal and professional tragedies, his life was anything but opulent. Yet, John Jacob Astor routinely turned his life of uncertainties into opportunities, amassing an unprecedented fortune along the way. Witness it all, via dramatic re-enactments and interviews with biographers, historians and descendants of the Astor family.

Denim is literally the fabric of America, and all because of the vision and perseverance of Levi Strauss. After immigrating from Buttenheim, Germany, Strauss headed west during the Gold Rush to sell his dry goods. His San Francisco fortune came not from gold, but from a small copper rivet and a patent that would soon bring him fortunes he had only dreamed of before. See how his dedication and vision transformed his simple work pants into the most popular clothing product in the world.

His path was a continual journey into the unknown, but William Boeing's life story is one of amazing ascent, from a trouble-making child shipped off to a Swiss boarding school to a starry-eyed adult who reached for the skies when few others dared. Boeing's journey was marked by turbulence and triumphs on his long path to creating a global enterprise. Take your seat as we follow the seminal moments of a life driven by passion, not profits, and a career that influenced the events of World War I, the Prohibition-era, and the Great Depression.