Barbara Piasecka Johnson
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Barbara Piasecka Johnson (born as Barbara Piasecka on February 25, 1937 in Poland) is a humanitarian, philanthropist, art connoisseur and collector and widow of J. Seward Johnson, Sr..
She was born in Poland and started as a cook and chambermaid to J. Seward Johnson, Sr., of the Johnson & Johnson fortune. She has a Bachelor of Arts / Science and Master of Arts degree from Wroclaw University. She became Seward Johnson's mistress, and then his third wife in 1971, inheriting the bulk of the Johnson & Johnson fortune upon her husband's death in 1983. The children contested the will, even though they already were given substantial money in trusts. The legal battle ended with Barbara getting half a billion dollars in assets, and each of the Johnson children getting an additional $US 30 million. [1] [2]
She is on the Forbes 400 World's Richest People list with an estimated wealth of $2.6 billion, making her the 74th richest person on Earth as of 2006. She converted the family estate in Princeton, New Jersey, named Jasna Polana, into a country club and moved to Monte Carlo, Monaco. As of 2007, Barbara Piasecka Johnson is the fourth richest American who does not live in America. [3]
Barbara Piasecka Johnson has been a major benefactor to a number of charitable projects, especially in her native Poland. [4]
[edit] References
- ^ Barbara Goldsmith (1987). Johnson v. Johnson. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-56043-4.
- ^ David Margolick (1994). Undue Influence: The Epic Battle for the Johnson & Johnson Fortune. Quill. ISBN 0-688-13787-3.
- ^ The Forbes 400: Richest Americans Abroad
- ^ The Scotsman
