Sylvia Wilks

Harriet Sylvia Ann Howland Robinson Green Wilks was one of the wealthiest women in the United States.

Early life

Harriet Sylvia Ann Howland Robinson Green was born in London, England on January 7, 1871. Although named Harriet after her mother, she was known as Sylvia throughout her lifetime. She was the daughter of Hetty Howland (née Robinson) Green and Edward Henry Green. Her only sibling was a brother, businessman Edward Howland Robinson Green.

Personal life

On February 23, 1909, Sylvia, then 38 years old, was married to 63-year-old Matthew Astor Wilks in Morristown, New Jersey. Wilks was a great-grandson of America's first millionaire John Jacob Astor. Although Wilks was worth approximately $2,000,000 in his own right, her mother insisted that they have a prenuptial agreement waiving his right to inherit Sylvia's fortune. When her brother died in 1936, she inherited his estate, rather than the estate going to his widow.
Her husband died on July 9, 1926, at his home, 7 West 81st Street in New York City. He was buried at Immanuel Cemetery in Bellows Falls, Vermont.
Sylvia, who was then living at 998 Fifth Avenue, died at New York Hospital on February 5, 1951, and was buried alongside her husband at Immanuel Cemetery in Vermont. She left an estate valued at $94,965,229. 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.

Estate

Her will was found stuffed in a tin cabinet with four cakes of soap. She bestowed just $5,000 on her closest genetic relative, a cousin, but the court awarded her $140,000 during probate. The remainder was divided between 63 charities and educational institutions.
Wilks donated $3 million to the New [York City Fire Department|FDNY]'s Honor Emergency Fund. In 1958 the Fire Department commissioned a new $900,222 fireboat named in her honor.