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, inherting the bulk of the Johnson & Johnson fortune upon her husband's death. The children contested the will, even though they already were given money in trusts. The legal battle ended with Barbara getting half a billion dollars, and each of the Johnson children getting an additional $US 30 million.

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 2006, Barbara Piasecka Johnson is the richest American who does not live in America [1].

Barbara Piasecka Johnson has been a major benefactor to a number of charitable projects, especially in her native Poland. [2]

[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.