Harriet Sylvia Ann Howland Green Wilks

Henrietta Sylvia Ann Howland Green Wilks (January 7, 1871 – February 5, 1951) was one of the wealthiest women in the United States.

Biography
Green was born in Hoboken, New Jersey on January 7, 1871. Her parents were Henrietta Howland Robinson and Edward Henry Green. Her brother was Edward Howland Robinson Green (1868–1936). She married Matthew Astor Wilks (1844–1926), great grandson of America's first millionaire, John Jacob Astor.  They were married in Morristown, New Jersey February 23, 1909; she was 32 and he was 63. When her brother died in 1935, she inherited his estate, rather than the estate going to his widow.

She died on February 5, 1951 leaving an estate of $94,965,229 ($443 million in 2007 dollars). The list of assets included 36 pages of bonds, eight pages of blue chip stocks, and $31 million in a non-interest bearing checking account. Her will was found in a tin cabinet with four bars of soap. She gave just $5,000 to her closest genetic relative, a cousin, but the court awarded her $140,000 during probate. The rest was divided between 63 charities and educational institutions.

References

Category:1871 births
Category:1951 deaths
Category:People from Hoboken, New Jersey