John Templeton

Date of Birth: November 29, 1912

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: July 8, 2008

Biography

Sir John Marks Templeton was a pioneering investor and philanthropist known for his global approach to investing and his significant contributions to various charitable causes. Born in Winchester, Tennessee, Templeton was a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, where he earned a degree in law. He began his career on Wall Street in 1937 and later founded the Templeton Growth Fund in 1954, which became one of the world’s largest and most successful international investment funds. Templeton was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987 for his contributions to philanthropy. He is also known for establishing the Templeton Prize, awarded annually for progress in religion. Templeton was a visionary who believed in the power of diversification and the potential of overlooked markets.

5 Interesting Facts about John Templeton

1. John Templeton was a pioneer of global investing, focusing on markets outside the United States long before it became common practice.

2. He renounced his U.S. citizenship in 1968 and became a naturalized British citizen to avoid paying U.S. taxes on his international investments.

3. Templeton was a devout Presbyterian and believed deeply in the integration of spirituality and finance, which influenced his philanthropic endeavors.

4. He sold his Templeton Growth Fund in 1992 for $440 million, which was a significant amount at the time.

5. The John Templeton Foundation, which he founded, has given away more than $1 billion in grants to support scientific research, religious studies, and education.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from John Templeton

1. “The four most expensive words in the English language are, ‘This time it’s different.’”

2. “Invest at the point of maximum pessimism.”

3. “If you want to have a better performance than the crowd, you must do things differently from the crowd.”

4. “Bull markets are born on pessimism, grow on skepticism, mature on optimism, and die on euphoria.”

5. “An attitude of gratitude creates blessings.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At his peak, John Templeton’s net worth was estimated to be around $1 billion.

Children

John Templeton had three children: John Templeton Jr., Anne Templeton Zimmerman, and Christopher Templeton. John Templeton Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps in both the fields of medicine and philanthropy, serving as President of the John Templeton Foundation until his death in 2015.