Question 1

True or false: Despite his wealth, Morgan Jr. personally sailed a lifeboat during the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.

Accepted Answer

False. He was not on the Titanic; he canceled his passage at the last minute due to business reasons, surviving the disaster.

Question 2

True or false: Morgan Jr. secretly funded the construction of the original Yankee Stadium in 1923 as a favor to his friend Babe Ruth.

Accepted Answer

False. Yankee Stadium was built by the Yankees' owners, the Ruppert family; no evidence links Morgan Jr. to its financing.

Question 3

True or false: He inherited his father's fortune but gave away nearly all of it to charity before his death.

Accepted Answer

False. Morgan Jr. kept most of his inheritance and grew the family wealth; he donated modestly but not nearly all of it.

Question 4

True or false: Morgan Jr. was a major donor to the American Museum of Natural History and helped fund its iconic dinosaur exhibits.

Accepted Answer

True. He financed the museum's Hall of the Age of Man and supported paleontological expeditions, including the famous 1920s dinosaur digs.

Question 5

True or false: J.P. Morgan Jr. personally financed the Allied war effort during World War I with over $1.5 billion in loans.

Accepted Answer

True. As lead partner of J.P. Morgan & Co., he organized massive loans for Britain and France, making him a key financier of WWI.

Question 6

True or false: Morgan Jr. successfully testified before Congress that he had not paid any federal income tax in 1913, citing legal loopholes.

Accepted Answer

True. During the 1913 Pujo Committee hearings, he revealed he paid no income tax, sparking public outrage over wealthy tax avoidance.

Question 7

True or false: He was the first American banker to be granted a private audience with the Pope in Vatican City.

Accepted Answer

False. No record exists of Morgan Jr. meeting the Pope; his father, J.P. Morgan Sr., had notable Vatican connections, but not the son.

Question 8

True or false: He was awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor for his philanthropic work after the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Accepted Answer

False. Morgan Jr. received no Medal of Honor; he was awarded the U.S. Distinguished Service Medal for his wartime financial efforts.

John Pierpont Morgan Jr. Trivia Questions