Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1848-04-06
JOHN JACOB ASTOR.

More than sixty years ago, a strong
minded young German, with slended inan-
ces and of humble birth and education,
crossed the Atlantic, to seek a home in
America. followed in few years by Il bold
We, cautious and shrewd Frenchman who,
though nursed in the lap of plenty, and his
brain filled with learned lore, had tasted Of
poverty, and was seeking an asylum from
persecution in the lanhaof the free.
The young German adventurer made
America his home; his talents and perse-
verence brought hi n immense wealth he
| is said TO have accumulated twenty-five
millions of dollars. The Frenchman res
turned to mis- own country; hereditary
riches awaited him at length throne.
The German lived just long enough 10
learn that the French advenlurer had cs>
capped from his own capital, unShaven and
in disguise, with FIVE franc piece in his
pocket, and that his immense treasures
were confsca,ed. The richest man in
America died on the week in which he res
ceved the intelligence that the richest man
in Europe was once more a fugitive and a
wanderer, having TO home.
sohn Jacob As.o,, WREN he landed in
Baltimore from England, in merchant
tship, on board Of which he had beena Steer
age passenger, in March 1884, was in his
2ls, year, poor, uneducs'e spoke English
very imperft city, and possessed but few
mus cal instruments, and small sum Of
money
Waldrop, near the ancient city Of nedel>
berg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Ger
many. IN July 1853, Of humble palen.ease.
One of his brothers settled 10 London in The
music line ; and, when IN his 18th year.
MIR AS.or is stated to have ,ined him, and
After spending three years in the British
nelropo is, TO haze acc pied an Invitation
from an'rhe: BROTHER RI, nry, who had set
! lied in New York towards The close OF the
|
as butcher in the Bowery, to emigrate to
America. lie sailed III November 1888;
and encountered many difficulties during
bClsterous winter voyage of three months
MIR. As,or's brother, the butcher, became
a man Of wealth, and lent John Jacob mo-
ney for his early speculations at his death
ne left about halt million Of dollars ~
VIM. B Astor.
John Jacob Aston seems 10 have fel,
most keenly the privations of early poverty.
| He sold a few flutes. bought furs. studied
! the fur>trade, engaged himself for time in
, , the fur store of Robert BOVINE: relative Of
Walter Bovine, sometime Mayor Of the city.
lie married early in life, 10 young Ger
man lady with dowry OF about $500, and
obtaining a small loan from his brother
Henry, entered into partnership with an &C
tive intelligent freshmen, Mr. Cornelius
tIeeny, one of the Representative to the Les
gislalure a. the close OF the war of 1872
We next hear of his c0nneXion in the fur
| tTuue Win WI lctci Vi Herrlt
Smith. They ira ficked with the Indians on
the western frontier. Some forty years
since, Mr.. A founded the American Fur
Company, Of which he eventually had the
chief control, and was President
In the fur trade with China he made vas,
sums of money. The question is often ask
ed. How rich is Mr. Aston? Eul probably
! he himself could II have have answered il,
Those best acquainted with his business
{ have stated his income to be more than d
r million of dollars per annum, beside large
property al present unrroductive The rem,
. of the Aston H"use is SS2OeO0 of the CITY
. Hotel $4,000; the Park Theatre, the in>
come of which is not less than $1,000 per
I moath. He lived in style becoming his
r station and means. For many wars his
: house, store and Office were situated q,
the ground now occupied by the As,or
House. He was intimate with yery
3many of the leading characters of The
: last age, with Gallatin, Armstrong M ON,
= roe, Ewing, Clay. Webster Ogden. EN-,
z met, Van Buren,, Dearborn, Tompkins
r Rush, Cass. Spencer, Barker, &c, and Il
D is said, nor do wa doubt it, ,ha, he exien.
I ded his patronage in several instances &c
i literary men who required pecuniary
i aid.
h | Dc-.v pvNERJcEkcE Tho k,n~ - IT ~