Born in 1912: Three Titanic Year Babies Who Celebrated in Luxury During The Great Depression

For many years, it was always the point of marriage for an heiress - to marry a rich man and increase the family’s wealth. And Edna Woolworth did just that. Edna Woolworth was the daughter of Frank Winfield Woolworth - the founder of the F. W. Woolworth Company. His stores were simply called Woolworth and they were America’s first chain of 5 and dime stores - meaning that all of the items in his stores were priced at 5 cents of 10 cents...when he first started. His stores made him one of the richest men during The Gilded Age. He had amassed a fortune of over $75 million - enough to leave his descendents financially stable for generations. And he is the grandfather of today’s subject. The poor little rich girl. She inherited a big chunk of that fortune.

So, how did she, one of the richest women in the world, die with only $3,500 in her bank account? It seems almost impossible, considering that she started out with over $40 million - more than $730 million adjusted for inflation in today’s money in 2024. But when you factor in her own crazy spending with a string of husbands who didn’t care about anything except for her money, it all seems a little more possible - the thought of her dying broke.

The poor little rich girl is Barbara Hutton. She was born into wealth from both sides of her family. But it was the wealth from her mother’s side that she became more known for. Barbara was often called The Woolworth Heiress. You might be like me and old enough to remember that there was once a chain of discount retail stores called Woolworth. They were all over the United States, then eventually expanded to many other countries including Canada, Mexico, England, and Germany.

As a child, Barbara had access to more money than most people can imagine. But it was what she was lacking…that was likely the biggest contributor to some horrible decisions that she made that led to her ultimate demise. Barbara didn’t have love at home. Edna Woolworth, the daughter of Frank Winfield Woolworth, was Barbara’s mother.

That sets the stage for today’s subject. Barbara Hutton - The Poor Little Rich Girl. She became poorer with each marriage. There were 7 of them, by the way.

This is a story about a rich boy who grew up to be a rich, miserable man. And if it weren’t for his family’s money, he’d have had no identity at all. He survived the sinking of the Titanic…in a way. His mother was a few months pregnant, carrying him, when she and her husband were on the Titanic, returning to America from their honeymoon in Egypt and Europe. She was Madeleine Astor, the wife of John Jacob Astor IV, the richest passenger on the ship.

Their son was John Jacob Astor the 6th. Though he was also called the Titanic Baby, and later on in his life..The Rich Boy Nobody Wants. He was wealthy and frankly, not much else.

Doris Duke was the wealthiest heiress who came into her family fortune during The Great Depression. She was always remarked upon for her extreme wealth, and for never being the prettiest girl in the room.

Maybe it’s not fair to judge one for being ugly on the outside. But what about being ugly on the inside? Is that off limits? I don’t think so. And by the time that I get to the end of this story, you might feel the same as I do if you don’t already. You decide for yourself as we get into the life of Doris Duke.

When she was born, the press called her The Million Dollar Baby. Her father was one of the richest tobacco men in the world. She grew up with all of the trappings of extreme wealth, having luxuries that most people could only imagine. Many might have thought that because of her daddy’s fortune that her life was perfect. Well if it was, we wouldn’t be talking about it on THIS channel.

Doris had a full bank account, but a rather empty life because she couldn’t trust many of the people in it. Here she was…this woman who, because of her great fortune, was in full control of her life. So how did she EVER get to the point that a SERVANT took control of HER? Her butler.

This is the story of a woman who had money coming out the wazoo. Two gold-digging husbands. A violent sugar-baby boyfriend. And a homicide that she got away with….at least according to one detailed investigation. Fascinating, but a hot mess. Just the way we like it.

It's another Hot Mess History scandal from Ti. Your source for the hottest scandals from 1870 - 1940. Whether you are looking for scandals from The Gilded Age, The Titanic, or The Great Depression…you can find them on this channel.

Enjoy!