Railroad baron Mark Hopkins left behind an estate of $24 million when he died in 1878 but left no will to say who should get his vast fortune.  Fifty years later, most of his fortune was in the hands of the cousins of the (male) secretary to the second husband of Mark's widow but there were almost a thousand other people claiming to be his rightful heirs.

Railroad baron Mark Hopkins left behind an estate of $24 million when he died in 1878 but left no will to say who should get his vast fortune. Fifty years later, most of his fortune was in the hands of the cousins of the (male) secretary to the second husband of Mark's widow but there were almost a thousand other people claiming to be his rightful heirs.

Railroad baron Mark Hopkins left behind an estate of $24 million when he died in 1878 but left no will to say who should get his vast fortune.&nbsp; Fifty years later, most of his fortune was in the hands of the cousins of the (male) secretary to the second husband of Mark's widow but there were almost a thousand other people claiming to be his rightful heirs.

1. A Man Without A Plan

Why do people want to become very rich?  In this series, Eric Schoenberg, a psychologist who studies the behavior of the very wealthy, offers an answer by looking at the stories of nine Americans who became among the richest people of their time, with a particular focus on what happened to their great wealth after they died.

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Why do people want to become very rich? In this series, Eric Schoenberg, a psychologist who studies the behavior of the very wealthy, offers an answer by looking at the stories of nine Americans who became among the richest people of their time, with a particular focus on what happened to their great wealth after they died.

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1. A Man Without A Plan

1. A Man Without A Plan