Today, the life of Henrietta “Hetty” Green seems like a legend: despite possessing billions, she was extremely frugal with food, clothing, and even her child’s medical treatment. A financier who intimidated Wall Street elites, she simultaneously lived in cheap hotels and wore the same clothes for years. It was no coincidence she was called the “Witch of Wall Street.”
Hetty Green’s life is not merely a story of greed, but a reflection of an era when money was considered power and thrift a virtue. She mastered the art of making money but never learned how to spend it.
Henrietta Howland was born in 1834 in New Bedford, a whaling center. Her family was wealthy, and she was raised by a strict grandfather. Modesty and self-restraint became her life rules from childhood. By the age of seven, she read financial news and understood the difference between stocks and bonds.
After her father’s death in 1865, Hetty inherited approximately $7.5 million. However, wealth did not make her generous; instead, her miserliness intensified. She ate only homemade food, believed in cheap medical remedies, and avoided spending money. At the same time, she invested in railroads, land, and real estate, becoming one of the harshest moneylenders of her time.
At 32, she married Edward Green, but the marriage was based more on calculation than love. The marriage contract clearly stated that her husband had no claim to her wealth. When Edward went bankrupt, Hetty did not help him and instead expelled him from the house.
Her children, Ned and Sylvia, suffered the most from her stinginess. When Ned injured his leg, Hetty refused to pay for treatment and searched for free hospitals. As a result, due to lack of timely medical care, his leg had to be amputated.
Her appearance became legendary: black clothing, a cold stare, and a stern demeanor. She carried a weapon for self-defense, bargained over every cent, and even sent her son to resell newspapers after reading them.
In 1916, at the age of 81, Hetty Green died of a heart attack. Her fortune at that time was estimated at $200 million, equivalent to about $4 billion today.
The wealth passed to her son Ned, who quickly spent it. Her daughter Sylvia directed the remaining inheritance to charity — schools, hospitals, and libraries.
Hetty Green entered history as a financial genius and a symbol of extreme miserliness. Her life proved one truth: money can grant power, but it cannot buy humanity.
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