The tale of America's wealthiest woman reads like fiction, yet Hetty Green's extraordinary life defied all expectations of Gilded Age wealth. Born in 1834 to a prosperous Quaker family, young Hetty wasn't groomed for society balls—she was trained in finance, reading financial newspapers to her grandfather by age six and managing the family ledgers by thirteen.

While robber barons of her era flaunted their fortunes with mansions and diamonds, Hetty took a radically different approach. The "Witch of Wall Street" amassed a fortune that would make today's billionaires blush while living in cheap apartments, wearing the same black dress until it fell apart, and eating oatmeal warmed on radiators. Her financial philosophy was deceptively simple: buy low when nobody wants something, sell high when everybody does. During the Civil War, she purchased devalued "greenbacks" that others considered worthless, holding them until their value skyrocketed when backed by gold in 1875.

What drove this extraordinary contradiction? For Hetty, money represented something beyond material comfort—it was freedom in a world where women had precious little. By the time she died in 1916 following an argument about milk, her fortune had grown to $100-200 million (approximately $2.5-5 billion today), surpassing the wealth of J.P. Morgan, the Vanderbilts, and the Astors. Her children ultimately rejected her extreme frugality, with her son Ned embracing luxury while her daughter Sylvia became a philanthropist. Beyond the caricature of miserliness lies the story of a financial genius who understood that true wealth isn't what you spend—it's what you keep. Subscribe now to hear more remarkable stories of history's most fascinating and overlooked figures.

Striving for Unity in Your Walk by David Mora

https://www.faithlafayette.org/resources/sermons/striving-for-unity-in-your-walk?location=north#:~:text=The%20family%20was%20deprived%20of,The%20New%20York%20Social%20Diary

Hetty Green – Her Stingiest Stories That Would Make Her a Billionaire Today By Kanza Panhwar

https://openskynews.com/hetty-green-her-stingiest-stories-that-would-make-her-a-billionaire-today/046916/#google_vignette

The Peculiar Story of the Witch of Wall Street By Kat Eschner

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/peculiar-story-hetty-green-aka-witch-wall-street-180967258/#:~:text=,enemy%20of%20Hetty%2C%20called%20her

Another Look at Hetty Green, The Witch of Wall Street By Leslie Landrigan

https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/another-look-hetty-green-witch-wall-street/#:~:text=When%20she%20turned%20

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Ever wonder how laughing gas went from Victorian party entertainment to dental offices? Our journey through the life of Humphrey Davy reveals the surprisingly wild origin story behind one of medicine's most unusual discoveries.

Born in 1778 in Cornwall, England, Davy was an unremarkable student from a simple town where wrestling and cockfighting were preferred to intellectual pursuits. After being apprenticed to a local surgeon following his father's death, Davy began conducting chemistry experiments that drove his family crazy – his sister complained about ruined dresses while friends joked he might "blow us all into the air."

The turning point came in 1798 when Davy joined the Pneumatic Institution, a medical research facility studying how gases affected the human body. While other scientists were cautious, Davy took the bold step of regularly inhaling nitrous oxide himself. What followed were what could only be described as the world's first "whippet parties," where Davy invited fellow scientists and poets to experience this mysterious gas. Their reports ranged from feeling "the most pleasurable thing I've ever experienced" to the delightfully bizarre "I feel like the sound of a harp" and "I see God and also I have no toes."

Davy's meticulous documentation of these experiences in a 580-page book included the prophetic observation that nitrous oxide "may probably be used with advantage during surgical operations" – though it would take another 40+ years before American dentist Horace Wells would make the connection between the recreational gas and painless dental procedures. Even then, a botched public demonstration (where the patient woke mid-procedure) temporarily derailed nitrous oxide's medical future.

The story of laughing gas reminds us that the line between recreational substances and medical breakthroughs is often surprisingly thin, and that some of our most valuable medical tools came from scientists willing to experiment on themselves first. Join us as we explore how a young scientist's parties changed the future of pain management forever.

Curious about more bizarre medical discoveries or have a strange historical tale you'd like us to investigate? Email us at historybuffoonspodcast@gmail.com or find us on social media as History Buffoons Podcast.

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What drives a soldier to charge toward enemy lines one minute before a ceasefire? Henry Gunther's tragic story serves as a haunting reminder of war's senseless waste.

Born to German-American parents and growing up in a predominantly German neighborhood in Baltimore, Gunther was drafted into WWI in mid-1918 after initially avoiding enlistment due to his heritage. As a supply sergeant in France, his fate took a devastating turn after writing a letter home describing the brutal conditions and discouraging his friend from enlisting. Military censors intercepted it, considering it a violation of the Espionage Act. Though not court-martialed, Gunther was demoted to private, casting a shadow of suspicion over him due to his German background.

The humiliation transformed him. Fellow soldiers noticed how he volunteered for dangerous missions and became obsessed with proving his loyalty. Even after being shot in the wrist, he bound the wound and reported for duty without complaint. His opportunity for redemption came on November 11, 1918 – the day the Armistice was signed.

Though the peace agreement had been formalized at 5 AM, Allied commanders insisted fighting continue until 11 AM. At 10:44, Gunther's unit received orders to hold position. When they encountered a German machine gun nest, the enemy soldiers had already stopped firing, waiting for the official ceasefire. Despite warnings from both sides, Gunther suddenly charged forward alone. At 10:59 AM, one minute before peace, he was cut down by machine gun fire.

The military posthumously restored his rank and awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross. His gravestone in Baltimore reads: "highly decorated for exceptional bravery and heroic action that resulted in his death one minute before the armistice."

Gunther wasn't alone in his unnecessary death – nearly 2,738 Allied soldiers died in the hours after peace was signed but before it took effect. His story forces us to confront war's absurdity and the tragic cost of military pride. Join us as we explore this heartbreaking chapter of history that forever changed how we memorialize November 11th.

The Last Official Death of WWI Was a Man Who Sought Redemption by Christopher Klein

herocards.ushistory.com

Armistice left some New York Guard Soldiers with mixed feelings

By Eric Durr New York National Guard

history.comnationalguard.mil

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The forgotten criminal dynasty that ruled Illinois before Capone even knew their names. Meet the Shelton brothers – Carl, Earl, and Bernie – three farm boys who transformed themselves into the most powerful bootleggers in southern Illinois during Prohibition and later controlled Peoria's entire vice scene.

When Prohibition turned alcohol illegal, the Sheltons built an empire of roadhouses, stills, and speakeasies across "Little Egypt" in southern Illinois. Their rivalry with former gang member Charlie Birger escalated into what can only be described as private warfare, complete with armored cars, machine guns, and even aerial bombings that left dozens dead. All while law enforcement conveniently looked the other way in exchange for what one sheriff called "a really nice Christmas bonus."

By the 1940s, the Shelton brothers had relocated to Peoria, transforming Illinois' second-largest city into what became known as a "Wide Open City." They established the Peoria Amusement Company, running hundreds of slot machines, gambling dens, and brothels while maintaining what they called "gangland peacekeeping." During World War II, with two military bases nearby, soldiers with paychecks made the Sheltons wealthier than ever.

The brothers survived assassination attempts from Chicago mobsters, maintained political connections that kept them untouchable, and brought a strange form of order to the criminal underworld. As one historian noted, "As long as the Sheltons were running things, you weren't getting robbed at random." But their empire couldn't last forever. Between 1947 and 1950, a mysterious assassination campaign eliminated all three brothers, with the killers never identified.

Discover the remarkable story of how three brothers built and lost an empire that rivaled Al Capone's, leaving behind a legacy that's been largely forgotten by history. If you enjoy untold stories of Prohibition gangsters, territorial wars, and mysterious unsolved assassinations, you won't want to miss this episode.

Tara McClellan McAndrew, NPR Illinois – "Booze, Blood And Bombs: Prohibition In Southern Illinois" (2020)nprillinois.orgnprillinois.org

Joel J. Hutchcroft, Shooting Times – "A Bloody Band of Bootleggers: The Shelton Brothers Gang" (2021)shootingtimes.comshootingtimes.com

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Ever wondered what would happen if you tied 45 giant weather balloons to a lawn chair? In 1982, truck driver Larry Walters answered this question with an adventure that transformed him from an ordinary man with a dream into an aviation legend.

After being denied his childhood ambition of becoming an Air Force pilot due to poor eyesight, Larry took matters into his own hands. Armed with a Sears aluminum lawn chair (which he named "Inspiration One"), weather balloons acquired through forged military requisition forms, a BB gun, and a six-pack of beer, Larry cut the anchor cord expecting a gentle ascent to 30 feet. What followed was anything but gentle.

Instead of floating lazily above his neighborhood, Larry rocketed to 16,000 feet, drifting into controlled airspace near Los Angeles International Airport. Commercial pilots radioed the control tower about "a man in a lawn chair floating at 16,000 feet holding a pistol." When he accidentally dropped his BB gun – his only means of popping balloons to descend – Larry found himself truly at the mercy of the winds.

The journey ended with Larry tangled in power lines, causing a neighborhood blackout before he climbed down unharmed into the waiting arms of bewildered police officers. When reporters asked why he'd attempted such a dangerous stunt, his deadpan reply became iconic: "A man can't just sit around."

Though the FAA fined him $1,500, Larry's lawn chair eventually found its way into the Smithsonian, and his flight inspired an extreme sport called "cluster ballooning." His story reminds us that sometimes the most extraordinary adventures come not from elaborate planning but from simple, determined dreams and the courage to look ridiculous in pursuit of them.

What wild dream have you been putting off? Maybe Larry's story is the sign you've been waiting for to take that leap of faith – though perhaps with better safety precautions than a BB gun and a six-pack.

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The mystery of Dyatlov Pass has haunted us for over 60 years, presenting one of history's most perplexing unsolved cases. Nine experienced hikers from the Ural Polytechnic Institute ventured into Russia's Ural Mountains in 1959, only to be found dead under circumstances so bizarre they've spawned 72 different theories.

We're diving deep into the most compelling explanations for this tragedy in our third episode of this series. What could have driven these skilled outdoors people to cut their way out of their tent and rush into subzero temperatures with minimal clothing? Why did some victims show catastrophic internal injuries with no external trauma, while others simply froze to death? And what explains the trace radiation found on some of their clothing?

From the plausible to the paranormal, we explore it all. Could it have been a rare slab avalanche that left minimal trace? Did infrasound waves create an overwhelming sense of terror? Was there a Soviet weapons test gone wrong that officials desperately covered up? Or do the answers lie in more outlandish theories involving cryptids or extraterrestrials?

The evidence presents contradictions at every turn - burned treetops but upright ski poles, a tent partially buried yet with items inside undisturbed, and injuries that forensic experts still struggle to explain decades later. Modern investigations using sophisticated simulation software have attempted to solve the case, but each explanation seems to leave crucial questions unanswered.

Join us as we sift through the facts, debate the theories, and try to understand what really happened on that cold February night. Whether you believe in natural phenomena, government conspiracies, or something more supernatural, the story of Dyatlov Pass forces us to confront how much remains unknown in our world.

• Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar
• https://amzn.to/4eXzKkX
• 
  
• Soviet investigators’ summary and modern analysis of Dyatlov Pass incidenten.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org
• Vox – Delayed avalanche and katabatic wind theories (2021)vox.comvox.com

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The mystery of Dyatlov Pass has haunted us for over six decades. What could drive nine experienced hikers to slice through their tent from the inside and walk barefoot into certain death on a freezing mountain slope?

When the search for the missing hikers finally began in February 1959, no one could have anticipated the bizarre scene awaiting them. A tent abandoned with all survival gear inside. Single-file footprints leading calmly downhill. And eventually, nine bodies with injuries that defied explanation.

We meticulously walk through the recovery timeline, examining each disturbing discovery as searchers first found five victims scattered between a makeshift fire and the path back to camp. Then, the most shocking revelation—four more bodies discovered months later in a ravine, bearing catastrophic internal injuries without external trauma. Missing tongues and eyes. Hyoid bones broken as if strangled. Clothing testing positive for radioactivity. And a mysterious notebook seen by only one witness before vanishing from evidence.

The official Soviet investigation concluded only that deaths resulted from "a compelling unknown natural force," a vague explanation that sparked decades of theories ranging from avalanches to military experiments to the paranormal. We analyze the forensic evidence—or alarming lack thereof—documenting inconsistencies in the official record that continue to fuel speculation.

What really happened on that remote mountain slope? Join us as we delve into one of history's most enduring mysteries, carefully separating known facts from fiction before we explore the wildest theories in our next episode. Subscribe now and share your own thoughts on what force could drive nine experienced winter travelers to abandon their only shelter and walk straight into death's arms.

Dyatlov Pass Incident: The Only Mystery Guide You'll Ever Need by VULDAR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck9HOxnsmic

Dyatlov Pass

https://dyatlovpass.com/

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Have you ever wondered what happens when charisma, opportunity, and audacity collide? The result might look something like Gregor MacGregor's breathtaking 19th-century fraud that cost hundreds of lives yet went largely unpunished.

Step into the 1820s where a young Scottish adventurer transforms himself from military man to royalty through sheer imagination and chutzpah. After participating in Latin American revolutionary conflicts, MacGregor returned to London bearing an impressive title: "His Serene Highness Gregor I, Sovereign Prince of Poyais and Cacique of the Poyer Nation." The catch? Poyais didn't exist.

MacGregor's genius lay in his comprehensive approach to nation-building—on paper. He created currency, a constitution, a flag, detailed maps, guidebooks, and even a coat of arms for his fictional paradise. His descriptions of Poyais were masterfully crafted: rivers flowing with gold, hillsides scattered with gemstones, perfect weather, and a magnificent capital city complete with an opera house and cathedral. British citizens, entranced by the promise of new opportunities in the tropics, sold everything they owned to purchase land in this Eden.

The tragic reality revealed itself when approximately 270 settlers arrived at the uninhabited jungle of the Mosquito Coast in modern-day Nicaragua. Finding no development whatsoever, they faced deadly tropical diseases instead of prosperity. Before rescue arrived, about two-thirds perished from malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery—a devastating human cost of MacGregor's elaborate lie.

Perhaps the most astonishing part of this story isn't the fraud itself but its aftermath. Despite exposure in Parliament and newspapers, MacGregor was never successfully prosecuted in Britain. He simply moved to France, continued his scheme there, and eventually returned to London to sell even more Poyais bonds! He finally retired to Venezuela where, incredibly, he received military honors and a hero's funeral upon his death.

Subscribe now to hear more incredible tales of history's greatest frauds, misadventures, and bizarre twists that somehow never made it into your textbooks. Let us know what historical hoaxes fascinate you most, and we might feature them in our upcoming episodes!

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This website contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and purchase a product, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the running of this website and allows me to continue providing valuable content. Please note that I only recommend products and services that I believe in and have personally used or researched.