▁to ▁Andrew ▁Car neg ie , ▁the ▁rich est ▁man ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁Born ▁to ▁a ▁poor ▁Jewish ▁family , ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁of ▁seven ▁children ▁born ▁to ▁Hann ah ▁( née ▁K ran cz er ) ▁and ▁Isaac ▁Kan en ge iser . ▁When ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁young ▁girl , ▁her ▁family ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁sett ling ▁in ▁the ▁Lower ▁East ▁Side ▁of ▁Manh attan . ▁ ▁She ▁attended ▁public ▁school ▁until ▁her ▁father ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁help ▁support ▁her ▁family , ▁she ▁took ▁a ▁job ▁as ▁a ▁mess enger ▁at ▁M acy ' s ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 3 . ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 5 , ▁she ▁mode led ▁and ▁trim med ▁h ats ▁at ▁a ▁mill in ery ▁manufact urer . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁she ▁launched ▁a ▁hat - making ▁business ▁with ▁Rose ▁Roth . ▁Roth ▁was ▁a ▁dress maker ▁and ▁Car neg ie ▁designed ▁h ats . ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁Roth ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁business ▁and ▁Car neg ie ▁was ▁the ▁sole ▁propriet or ▁of ▁H att ie ▁Car neg ie , ▁Inc . ▁At ▁this ▁point , ▁Car neg ie ▁had ▁a ▁working ▁capital ▁of ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁She ▁began ▁trav elling ▁to ▁Paris ▁to ▁buy ▁original ▁dress es ▁to ▁both ▁sell ▁in ▁her ▁shop ▁and ▁use ▁as ▁insp