Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-09-12
IOnN IACuR ASrnR-

rected to a single object. Ofhumble or
igin, without elucation, industry, ego
ahead industry"-has won him a for
tune far superior to that Of any ;ndivid
ual in our own country, and exceeded
by few in any other.
John Jacob Astor is a native Of one OF
the German provinces on the Rhine:
his age is nearly eighty. lie arrived IN
this country soou after the Revolutions.
ry war, In n Hamburg trader, command.
ed by Capt Clark, a we'll known ship
master of the time.
His hrst employment was in fur or
skin store, al low prices. Little could
the poor young German at that dav, have
Imagined he would become the lordly
PosSesSor ofthe whole blocks that he
daily Iraversed his slavish rounds, or
tina; for the single package of furs he
carried he should be the owner Of more
bales Of rich beaver than it contained
sKlns-!hat he should own more bank
stock than all the banks IN the country
'heh C nia'ned- and that ships from ev
cry quarter Of the globe, laden with the
richest produce, should all be his pro.
perry. IL was TO be so.
Mr. Astoa having acquired, by frugal.
ity and economy, some little capital, be-
came a Speculation in skins in u small
way, purchasing a liIle lot here and
there-mait9rs too trivial for the large
dea'ers-and when he hal accumu ated
something OF a lot, sold them for cash
10 the Wholesale purchaser invariable
realizing handsome profits.
Large streams irom lIule fountains n W"
the poet say 5, and Mr. Astor is a true il.
lustratIon Of the line. His small begin
ming soon amounted to a large sum, and
shortly took his proper rank among the
principal fur merchants in the city and
was looked upon as a shrewd, enterpri-
sing and wealthy. His payments were
prompt: short credit was his motto, and
he fulfilled and exacted it with all.
As time rolled on, his capital became
Increased To such an enormous extent
that he found il necessary TO make OH
or investments 10 prevent il from being
die A portion he invested in CITY pro
perry, then orliltle value, but now worth
millions, but the principal part he inves-
TED In a new enterprises; by establishing
he american Fur Company, Of which
lor many years he was the chief owner.
THIS company had us agents and hun
ters IN the far west, amongst the remote
INDIAN tribes. &C uterd over our then
scarcely settled erritorjes, who traded
with the aborigines for all the rurs AMI
skins they took in a season. These ar
lcles were shipped to New York, from
whence they were sent abroad. By this
trade the company realized immense
profits. Mr.. Astor also engaged extern
stVely in the China trade, making some.
times h would be cJnside red by most
people a fortune al a single voyage
just before the war he conceived the
Project Of making a settlement on the
northwest coast, or what is now called
the Oregon Territory, for the pu rpose
Of making a general depot for the furs
purchased IN that region, ana whence
MS ships alter completing their rgoes
could sail direct for CHINA. This settle
ment' called Astoria, proved unsuccesS
iuli the natives capturing his ship
which he had fitted out for the purpose
and numbering almost every soul on
board
MIR. Astor's name bad now become "a
miliar throughout the commercial world
II was known and recognized in Europe
India, in fact, every where that CON
merce existed. His credit was without
bounds.
1t would be mere recapitulation 10
mention the various enterprises Of Mr..
AsIor. They all relate To mmerce
and all resulted in filling his heaped up
Golfers. Some IS years ago he went TO
Europe, where one OF his daughters, a
woman Of great piety and worth. marri
ed a German Count She has since de
ceased. Mr.. Astor was absent two or
three years.
He sold out his interest in the fur
company some years ago, and has reti-
red entirely from commercial affairs
His son, VIM. b. Aston, haS now the
chief management in the investment Of
his vast property on bonds and mortga.
ges-a business which requires the con
slant employment Of numerous agents
and clerks. Fitz Green Halleck is the
confidential clerk olJohn jacob, and we
hope, as we believe, the latter will not
forget him ~ his will.
Mr.. Astor has always borne the name
Of being close or hard with those who
became unfortunate or IN his debt, show.
ing them 40 more ienity Than the law
allowed thtm IL IS said that If the in
terests is not always promptly paid, he
instantly f~oreclOscs a morV lge. and
generally buys the property in himself
.ottentimes' 10 this manner, doubling the
money advanced. Rich men are not