Fred Trump started his own building business at age 15 and would go on to be known as the “Henry Ford of the home-building industry” in his 30s before fathering the man who would become the 45th President of the United States. This is the life story of the father of Donald Trump. 

1905 – Frederick Christ Trump is born to German immigrants in Bronx, New York, USA. His father had come to America to dodge being drafted into compulsory military service and ended up as a barber, restauranteur, casino and brothel owner, and finally real estate investor. His mother is from his father’s hometown. He has an older sister. He would grow up speaking only English and no German. Shortly after, his family moves to Queens. 

Age 2 – Fred’s younger brother is born. 

Age 13 – He attends Richmond Hill High School while working as a caddy, curb whitewasher and delivery boy. At night he studies carpentry, plumbing, masonry and electrical wiring. Fred’s father dies during the flu pandemic.

Age 15 – He starts a construction business with his mother under the moniker, Elizabeth Trump & Son, with his mother financing him partially.

Age 18 – He graduates from Richmond Hill High School and gets a job as a labourer and carpenter. He also begins constructing his first house. 

Further education – He attends Pratt Institute. 

Age 21 – He has built 20 homes in Queens by this time.

Age 22 – He is arrested for refusing to disperse from a Klu Klux Klan parade. He incorporates the company he started with his mum. 

Age 25 onwards – He builds a supermarket and sells it to a supermarket chain within 6 months.

Age 31 – Fred meets a domestic worker at a party and decides to marry her. He is sharing a home with his mum at this point.

Age 32 – His first daughter, Maryanne is born.

Age 33 – His first son, Fred Trump Jr. is born. He is called the “Henry Ford of the home-building industry” in the local paper. 

Age 37 – His mother becomes an American citizen. His third child, Elizabeth is born. 

During World War II – He builds barracks and garden apartments for U.S. Navy personnel.

Age 40 – Worried that his German ancestry will hurt his businesses because he has many Jewish tenants, he and his family start pretending to be of Swedish ancestry. 

Age 41 – His fourth child, Donald is born. 

Age 43 – His fifth child, Robert is born. 

Age 44 – He starts building middle-income housing for families of returning war veterans, starting with Shore Haven in Bensonhurst. 

Age 45 – He builds Beach Haven in Coney Island. 

Age 46 – He moves into a middle-class apartment in Queens and would live there for most of his life.

Age 49 – He is investigated from profiteering from government contracts. 

Age 59 – He builds Trump Village on Coney Island, and low-income apartments and row houses in the New York area.

Age 61 – He is again investigated for profiteering but gets off with no indictments.

Age 63 – His son, Donald joins the company.

Age 66 – His son, Donald becomes president of his company. 

Age 67 – His company is accused of refusing to rent apartments to African Americans and sued.

Age 70 – The civil rights lawsuit from 3 years before ends with Fred’s company agreeing to put out ads to target minority families while admitting no wrongdoing. He begins loaning Donald millions of dollars to enter the real-estate business in Manhattan. 

Age 71 – He is arrested for code violations for a building in Maryland and arrested. He is then released on a $1000 bail. He sets up trust funds of $1m for all of his children and grandchildren. 

Age 76 – His eldest son dies from alcoholism. 

Age 77 – He appears on Forbes 400 as one of the richest Americans.

Age 88 – He develops Alzheimer’s disease.

Age 93 – He dies of pneumonia, with an estate of $250-$300m. 

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Photographs: Public Domain. Compiler: Sy
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