New-York tribune., 1916-07-04

Harriet Rowland Robinson Green
was born in New Bedford, Mass, on
November q, 1885. Her father. Ed
ward Mott Robinson. is said TO have
been a keen and frugal Quaker, whose
inheritance from a long line OF hardy
and prosperous New England ances-
tors included habits OF close and
pinching economy and strong love
OF money. All Of mis- business vent
ures were marked with success. his
first one being the starting Of mill
for the manufacture Of satinets, which
he later forsook for the oil business.
In 1889 he married the daughter OF
Gideon Rowland, Of New Bedford, who
was extensively engaged in the whale
fisheries. The sOn-in-lsw Immediately
turned his money into the same pur-
suit. eventually becoming one OF the
largest whale and merchant ship own
ers in the country. Upon his father
;n-law's death, which was soon fol-
lowed by that OF his wife. Mr.. Robin
sons wealth was enormously increased
and he came 10 New York. where he
began TO speculate in Wall Street.
At the time Of his death he was esti-
mated TO be worth about S9,OOO,OOO.
MS Green. then Miss Harriet II. Rob
inson. spent her childhood in New
Bedford. Her training had been such
that when it became necessary for her
70 take charge Of her fathers and
mothers estates she was well equipped
TO do so. AS she approached maturity
her winters as q rule were passed IN
New York. where she stayed at
and
Street. II appears that she was very
popular in the social set IN which she
moved, and her wealth and good looks
soon made her reignlng belle IN
whose wake a train of sultors fol
lowed Always simple in her own at
tire, she had no use for the young men
who wasted their money on flowers
and costly raiment. 1t is said that IN
preference 20 paying cab fares at this
time sne would pull pair of heavy
stockings over her stout shoes and
gaily tramp through the snow.
Fathers Business Too Risky.
Mrs. Green's career as belle ended
with the outbreak Of the Civil War.
and il was then that her mode of life
became even more like that Of which
her parents had been Soon the love
of gain was her absorbing passion. and
all her thoughts and energy were dl-
rected along channels which she hoped
would increase her fortune. The ship
ping business handed down by her
father struck her as being too risky
and she sold out her interest, invest
ing the proceeds in bonds, mortgages
and other similar securities. All the
necessary details of the transfer were
attended to by her
At the age of thirty she married
Edward A. Green. who had once been
poor bov in Bellows Falls, VI, but
who had subsequently made fortune
in the Philippines as an exporter. The
story is told that Mr. Green, one Val
entine's Day. bought a valentine 10
send TO his sweetheart. but by mistake
addressed and sent her the wrong en-
yelope one that contained reccipted
bill for a cheap suit OF clothes This,
il was said. so strongly appealed to
Mrs. Green's love OF economy that
from that time ne was her accepted
suitor. Before marrying. however,
she insisted on Mr.. Green's signing
a contract by which he agreed that
his wife's fortune should not be liable
for his debts and that he should sup
port her Just the same As though she
were without wealth. ms contract
was ever strictly enforced.
For some time after their marriage
the Greens lived in London, and IT was
there that their two children, I'd
ward II r and Sylvia. we're born. In
1872 the couple returned 10 New York,
where for many years Mrs. Green was
a heavy and invariably successful
speculator in Wall Street. Among hel
earliest successes were the manipulat
ing Of several corners IN Reading.
Many other mysterious and powerful
movements in stocks we're at times
l traced 20 her, but always too late TO
Illustrate her designs. Her shrewd-
ness seemed TO increase with her age
and the fortune Of Sl3.000,000 which
she inherited grew enormously. When
ever the money market became strin-
gent Mrs. Green reaped especially
large harvests. The city, too, wheA
its money chest was empty could al
ways count on getting a fresh supply
from the Chemical Bank. Mrs. Green's
depository. Ordinary interest rates
were all she asked. however, from the
city. The frequency with which she
had been called upon TO aid in reliev-
ing the money market caused her to
be known, after the death of Russell
Sage, as the chief individual money
lender in the world.
Husband Died In 1902.
Mr.. Green died in 1902. He was OF
entirely different temperament from
his wife, and the last half OF their
married life was not especially happy
He desired a more luxurious mode of
living and was a prominent figure IN
the club life Of the city. The es-
arrangement did not prevent Mrs