The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-05
Yet She Lived Like An
lily Paid Shop
Girl.
WAsnASTER OF FINANCE.
Some Remarkable Stories
Are Told About Her
Peculiarities
fBy Associated Presg.)

NEW YORK, July 5-Hetty Green
who died here at the home of her son
Monday after long Illness during
which she sustained three strokes of
paralysis was the worlds most re.
markable mistress of finance. The
fortune she las left is close to
$100,000,0o0. The richest woman In
America, she lived almost es frugally
i. as a shop girl. Her home was where.
ever she chose for time to hang her
little white cap and bonnet, often in
the hall bedroom OF some cheap house
or In some remote and modest fiat
around New York.
Her eccentric extremes led to pop.
MAR misconception Of her as a self
made woman. As matter OF fact she
was born rich. In 1856 she inherited
some $10,000,000 which accumulated
upon itself until in fifty year, It had
multiplied nearly ten times. She also
Inherited family traditions which hau
been a pride for three centuries ano
which she was anxious to perpetuate in
her children.
She was born at New Bedford, Mass.
In November 1884. about the Goth ac-
cording to her testimony at one time
In court. She was a descendant on
her mothers side OF Henry Rowland,
brother Of Pilgrim John Rowland OF
the Mayflower.
In succeeding generations the How
land family became famous in the
whaling business and Shipping trode
with China. and had an irreproachable
social standing. Edward Mott Robin.
son, who had also amassed a fortune
ina similar way In New Bedford, mar.
ried Abby Rowland, Of whom Hetty
Robinson, the future mistress OF f.
nance was born. She was sent to
Quaker school on Cape Cod, and to
Seminary In Boston and got her first
lessons In finance when her ageing
father died suddenly leaving her with
some OF his books.
She was Just thirty years old when
her father died suddenly leaving her
his nine millions, one million outright
and the income from the other eight,
the principal to be held in trust for
her children. 1t is forgotten that Hot.
tyi Green, then Robinson, was a belle
in New York society. According to
her own stories she lived In board.
Ing house and was so saving that
rather than pay cabfare, she would
pull a pair OF heavy wooden stockings
over her shoes and walk through the
snow to parties.
Almost at the same time that her
father died, her aunt, Sylvia Ann How.
land, passed away. leaving several mil.
lion dollars. It is said Hetty Robin.
son had been brough up from child.
hood to count this money as hers, and
that the aunt expressed the hope that
Hetty would some day become, as
she did, the richest woman In the
country.
The division Of the aunt's estate,
however. was not as expected. Three
years after her aunt's death, Hetty
Green appeared in the United States
Circuit Court in Massachusetts, with
will which she wanted substituted for
Sthefone already probated. This will
was In Mrs. Green's own handwriting
and some of the most famous experts
ofsthe day declared under oath their
belief that the two signatures con.
tanned therein were not made by the
aunt, but were traced by Hetty Green
over an original signature of Sylvia
Ann Rowland,
The litigation Is one Of the most ia.
nous In the history Of court annals.
After an expense of $4,000, the case
was dismissed on a technicality. An
nppealwas made to the Supreme Court
ofthe United States, but while this was