George Samuel Clason (November 7, 1874 - April 7, 1957), widely known as George S. Clason, was an American soldier, entrepreneur, and author. He was born in Louisiana, Missouri, and passed away in Napa, California, at the age of 82. Clason served in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War before turning to business ventures. He founded the Clason Map Company in Denver, Colorado, which produced the first road atlas of the United States and Canada. However, the company was unable to withstand the economic challenges of the Great Depression. He also established the Clason Publishing Company. Clason's lasting legacy comes from his writings on financial wisdom. Beginning in 1926, he authored a series of pamphlets on thrift and wealth-building, written as parables set in ancient Babylon. These simple yet profound lessons on money management were distributed by banks and insurance firms, and the most popular stories were later compiled into his renowned book The Richest Man in Babylon. An earlier work of his, Gold Ahead, was eventually retitled and became part of this classic volume. In his personal life, Clason married twice-first to Ida Ann Venable and later to Anna Burt.