The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.

The story of a real Cinderella: how an immigrant maid became the heiress of Johnson & Johnson

'16.11.2019'

Source: Culturology

The story of this girl is similar to the tale of Cinderella, who met her prince at a ball. True, Basya Pyasetskaya was never at the ball by her 34 years. To watch the ladies, dressed in furs and jewelry, she could only through the ajar door of the front hall. However, the shy maid was only enough to say the right phrase in the right place, to later change the uniform of the servant to a business suit, and then become the owner of a huge fortune.

Фото: Depositphotos

Behind the American Dream

She was born in Stanovitsa, not far from the Polish city of Grodno at that time (today it is the territory of Belarus). After leaving school, Basya Pyasetsk entered the University of Wroclaw. Having defended her master's thesis in art history, she still did not see prospects for further work in Poland, says Culturology.

In the 1968 year, Basya Pyasetskaya went overseas in search of a better life. She hid her own diploma away, for she understood that at first in the USA she would definitely not need it. However, she was quite prepared for the fact that she was to serve far from an expert in the field of art. She was not afraid of work and was ready to do much to end her miserable existence. Basia did not know English, and her entire fortune was 100 dollars, which she managed to save.

Surely she was born under a lucky star, because soon after the move she was accepted into the house of John Seward Johnson, the son of Robert Wood Johnson I, one of the founders of Johnson & Johnson. The girl, who knew hardly a few phrases in English, hired Esther Underwood as the maid of Johnson's wife. But soon Basia Pyasetska was able to increase her personal rating in the eyes of the owner of the house.

From maids to wives

She hardly spoke at the employer's house and simply worked diligently. But once acquired at the university, knowledge simply did not allow her to remain silent.

John Seward Johnson acquired another painting for his collection and proudly showed it to everyone. But Basia, who by that time already spoke a little English, suddenly informed Mr. Johnson that he clearly overpaid for this work of art. When the owner demanded an explanation, the inconspicuous maid was able to surprise the millionaire indescribably. She used all her knowledge and was able, using only facts and dates, to prove that the acquired painting was not painted by the master himself, but only by his student.

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When it turned out that the inconspicuous maid had a master's degree in art history, John Seward Johnson appointed Basya as his art consultant and since then has never bought paintings without consulting his assistant.

Very soon, the business relationship of the employer and his charming assistant turned into a love affair. Basia Pyasetskaya appeared in the house only eight months ago, and Johnson already rented an apartment specially for her and began the divorce proceedings with his wife. In 1971, John Seward Johnson and Barbara (Basia) Pyasetskaya were married together. After the groom divorced his previous wife, only eight days passed.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Barczak128

Cinderella Princess

At the time of marriage, Basse was 34 years old, and her husband was already 76 years old. They deliberately did not invite any of Johnson's six children to the wedding.

Barbara's life after the marriage has changed dramatically. She stoically listened to her husband’s long tirades about extraterrestrial civilizations or about his desire to be buried on a yacht in the ocean, never burst out, only nodded her head in agreement. She was always restrained and calm, always friendly, invariably friendly. In gratitude for the gentle nature and care for her husband, Basya Pyasetskaya-Johnson got the opportunity to spend her husband’s money at her own discretion.

She did not limit herself in spending. Soon new cars began to appear in their garage, unexpectedly a private island appeared in possession, real estate in Italy and Florida and an incredibly expensive estate in New Jersey, which was called exotic for America: Yasnaya Polyana.

But the greatest passion was the objects of antiquity and art, in which Barbara Johnson was well versed. Over the 11 years spent with her husband, Barbara Johnson managed to acquire a chic collection that included paintings by masters of the past, antique furniture, including the secretary of Louis XVI himself and Raphael's charcoal drawing. Experts during the life of John Seward Johnson estimated the collection of his wife at one hundred million dollars.

Unfortunately, all the expensive antiques and paintings inside the Johnson's house looked completely inharmonious: antique statues were placed near the pool, and everything around was simply shimmering from gold and silver elements of decor.

On the territory of their estate Yasnaya Polyana, a shelter was built in case of the third world war, separate buildings were erected with a specially designed heating system: a house for dogs and a greenhouse for orchids. Later it turns out that Barbara spent more than the Queen of Great Britain for a year, but she cared very little for it.

Here is the house in which Piasecka lived in Poland:

The main thing is that the husband did not refuse her anything and enjoyed her flowering appearance and gentle disposition. She skillfully managed the house, hired her former compatriots as a servant, sometimes donated to charity, even managed to reconcile her husband with his offspring.

In recent years, the health of John Seward Johnson has been very shaky, he revealed many diseases, including cancer. It is not known where this data came from, but persistent rumors circulated that at the time when John Seward Johnson was already dying, and numerous doctors tried to reanimate him over and over again, his wife in the next room calmly looked through Sotheby's new catalog.

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However, these rumors could have arisen thanks to Johnson's children, who felt insulted in their best feelings after learning about their father’s decision to leave them without inheritance. John Seward Johnson bequeathed to Basse his entire fortune of almost half a billion dollars.

After the will was announced, long trials followed, as a result of which many unpleasant facts about the Johnson family were put on the public court. As a result, Basya Pyasetskaya was left with an amount of 350 million dollars, having paid a certain amount to her husband’s heirs, paying legal fees, the work of lawyers and inheritance tax.

Subsequently, Barbara increased her fortune several times and in the 2007 year entered the Forbes list, taking 149 place among the richest people on the planet. In recent years, she lived in Monaco, opening a country club in the once beloved estate of Yasnaya Polyana.

Barbara's funeral in Poland. Photo: video frame YouTube / Katolicka tvRodzina

Barbara Piasecka died on 1 on April 2013 in Poland, her native country, from where she had once left in search of happiness.

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