Edward Howland Robinson Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Howland Robinson Green
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| Born | August 22, 1868 London, England
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| Died | June 8, 1936 (aged 67) Lake Placid, New York
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| Education | Fordham College |
| Occupation | Businessman, politician |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mabel E. Harlow |
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| Relatives | Harriet Sylvia Ann Howland Green Wilks (sister) |
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Edward Howland Robinson "Ned" Green (born August 22, 1868 – died June 8, 1936) was an American businessman. He was also known as Colonel Green. Ned was the only son of Hetty Green, a very wealthy investor known as the "Witch of Wall Street." In the late 1800s, he became a political friend to William Madison McDonald. McDonald was an important African-American politician in the Republican Party.
After his mother passed away in 1916, Ned inherited a large part of her fortune. He then built a huge house in Round Hill, Massachusetts. Ned Green was also famous for his amazing collections of stamps and coins.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Edward Green was born in London, England, on August 22, 1868. He was the first of two children born to Hetty and Edward Henry Green. His sister, Harriet Sylvia Ann Howland Green Wilks, was born in 1871. Their mother, Hetty, became incredibly rich from her business deals.
When Ned was a child, he broke his leg. Sadly, his leg did not heal correctly and later had to be removed because of an infection called gangrene. Ned used a special cork prosthesis (an artificial leg). As an adult, he grew to be very tall and strong, standing 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters) and weighing 300 pounds (136 kilograms).
Ned went to private schools when he was young. He graduated from Fordham College in 1888. After college, he studied law, focusing on real estate.
Building a Business Empire
In 1893, Ned Green's mother asked him to manage the Texas Midland Railroad. She had taken over the railroad because of a debt. Ned moved to Terrell, Texas, and worked hard to improve the railroad. He turned it into a very successful business. It even had the first trains in Texas with electric lights! This was just one of many businesses where Ned Green showed he was a great leader.
Ned was also involved in state politics. In 1896, he started a long-lasting friendship and political partnership with William Madison McDonald. McDonald was an important African-American leader in the Republican Party from Fort Worth. Even though Ned was a Republican, he was made a "Colonel" by a Democratic Governor of Texas in 1910.
A Lively Social Life
Unlike his mother, Ned Green loved to spend money and enjoy life. He often hosted parties and lived very lavishly.
In 1911, a journalist named Marguerite Martyn interviewed Ned. She described him as a "fine, strong, and friendly millionaire." Ned told her that he received many letters from women who wanted to marry him. He even joked that they didn't want his money, but rather his alimony (money paid after a divorce).
A Huge Inheritance
Ned and his sister Sylvia each inherited half of their mother's huge fortune. It was estimated to be over $4.98 billion in today's money. After his mother's death, Ned built two grand mansions. One was in Round Hill, Massachusetts, and another was on Star Island, Florida. The Round Hill mansion was designed by architect Alfred C. Bossom. It was finished in 1921 and cost $1.5 million to build.
Amazing Collections and Interests
Ned Green was famous for his incredible collections.
Stamp and Coin Collections
Stamp collectors know Ned for having one of the greatest postage stamp collections of his time. Only King George V had a larger and more valuable collection. In 1918, Ned bought a sheet of rare "Inverted Jenny" stamps for $20,000. These stamps are famous because the airplane picture on them is printed upside down. He later broke the sheet into smaller blocks of stamps. He even put one stamp in a locket for his wife.
Coin collectors also know Ned for his huge coin collection. He owned five of the very rare 1913 Liberty Head nickels. These are some of the most valuable coins in the world.
Early Cars and Ships
Ned was one of the first people to own a car in Texas. It was a two-cylinder St. Louis Gas Car. He was even involved in what might have been the first car accident in Texas in 1899! He eventually owned many cars, some of which were changed to help him drive with his prosthetic leg.
In 1924, Ned saved the Charles W. Morgan. This was the last American wooden whaling ship from the 1800s. He displayed the ship at his Round Hill estate. Later, in 1941, the ship was moved to Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, where it is still a popular exhibit today.
In 1927, Ned opened an airfield on his property. He kept it in excellent condition. After his son was kidnapped, Charles Lindbergh even landed at Ned's airfield to follow a clue about his son's location.
Pioneering Radio Research
Colonel Green was fascinated by radio technology from the 1890s. In 1922, he started the Round Hills Radio Corporation. At first, it was a business to sell radio equipment. But later, it became a non-profit organization. Its new goal was to experiment with radio, improve wireless technology, and broadcast free concerts and weather reports.
A special building was built next to Ned's mansion for the radio operations. It had a broadcast studio and labs. The MIT was invited to use these facilities for their experiments. Ned Green even helped pay for MIT's new Communications Division.
In September 1922, the Round Hills Radio Corporation got licenses for a broadcasting station, WMAF. It also had a license for experimental work. WMAF broadcasted only during the summer months from 1923 to 1928. It was known as The Voice from Way Down East. In 1923, Ned arranged for AT&T to connect WMAF to a station in New York City. This was the first permanent radio network link!
Scientists at Round Hill studied how radio signals traveled. They even had an early radio telescope built on a water tower. This station helped track polar expeditions and the famous Graf Zeppelin airship. It was also the only way to communicate with areas hit by floods in Vermont in 1927.
The Van de Graaff Generator
In 1933, Ned Green's Round Hill estate became home to Robert J. Van de Graaff's electrical experiments. Van de Graaff, a scientist from MIT, was developing a machine to create very high voltages. He built a 40-foot (12-meter) tall Van de Graaff generator inside an old airship hangar at Round Hill.
The machine started working in December 1933. It could create 5,000,000 volts of electricity! Its purpose was to speed up tiny particles to hit atomic nuclei. This helped scientists learn more about atoms. The generator later became a major exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston, where it still works today.
Later Life and Legacy
Ned Green passed away from heart disease in Lake Placid, New York, in 1936. Before he died, he made a special request. He wanted his amputated leg to be buried with the rest of his body. His wife made sure this wish was carried out.
After his death, his wife and sister had a disagreement over his large estate, which was worth over $40 million. There was also a legal battle between four states—Texas, Massachusetts, Florida, and New York—over who would collect $6 million in inheritance taxes. The Supreme Court of the United States eventually decided that Massachusetts would receive the money.
Images for kids
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Colonel Green's mansion at Round Hill with Buzzards Bay in the foreground
