Hetty Green: The Infamous “Wicked Witch of Wall Street” and Her Legacy of Stinginess
New York City, 1916 — Hetty Green, often referred to as the “Wicked Witch of Wall Street,” passed away in New York City at the age of 81, leaving behind a fortune estimated at more than $2.3 billion. Born in 1835 in America, Hetty Green was the only daughter of a wealthy businessman. Her inheritance from her father, valued at $7.5 million, set the stage for a life of financial prowess and legendary frugality.
At the age of 21, Green moved to New York, where she began investing her inherited wealth in Wall Street. Known for her extreme thriftiness, Green’s behavior earned her a notorious reputation. Despite her immense wealth, she lived a life marked by severe penny-pinching. Stories of her miserliness include her habit of subsisting on leftover cakes and broken biscuits from grocery stores and her daily efforts to obtain a free bone for her dog.
Her frugality extended to every aspect of her life. At just 16, she began sewing her own underpants, refusing to replace them until her death. Green’s extreme stinginess was so pronounced that it was rumored she never used hot water and wore the same black dress until it was worn to tatters. She was known to live on a diet of pies that cost only two cents.
Green’s stinginess had dire consequences, including a tragic incident involving her son. When he broke his leg, Green delayed seeking medical treatment in her relentless pursuit of free healthcare. The delay led to complications, ultimately resulting in the amputation of his leg.
Her death in 1916 was a result of a stroke, which was triggered by a heated argument with her maid over a meager salary increase. Hetty Green’s life and death cemented her place in history as the most stingy person in the world, a title that earned her a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Despite her extreme frugality, Green’s legacy took an unexpected turn with her children. Unlike their mother, her descendants did not inherit her parsimonious nature. Her daughter, in particular, used her share of the inheritance to build a free hospital, demonstrating a sharp contrast to Hetty Green’s own approach to wealth.
Hetty Green’s life remains a compelling story of contrasts—a woman who accumulated vast riches but lived in stark poverty and who, despite her financial success, became emblematic of an extreme and ultimately destructive form of stinginess. Her story serves as both a cautionary tale and a reminder of the complex ways in which wealth and character intersect.
