Washington telegraph., 1848-04-26
JOHN JACOB ASTOR,

John Jacob Aslor who died recently at
the age oi eighiy,fve years. il is said by
those who had the means OF knowing mas.
sessessed an estate worth AT least nuy
millions ol dollars, All this was the pto.
duct OF his own industry and good manage.
meni. lie has bequealhed the sum of
s3oO,OO0 Tor the establishment Of free
library, 10 be called the Astor Library, Of
which DIR. Cogswell, who has resided with
him Tor some years, is TO be librarian
The cos, OF The building Is limited to 500.
600. II Is rual0red tina, he has willed lafpe
sums 10 religious societies, hospitals and
benesolenl institutions, including the Ger.
man Emigranl Association. Various indi.
sidoals in his employment. besides his de.
serndanls' are also supposed TO have re.
eel'ed lesacles or pensions. Among 9th.
ers whose names have been mentioned In
US IN this connection, are Filz Greene
HalIeek, the poet, Washington Irving, the
historian, and Mr.. Bruce. the latter for
thirty years clerk IN the office oI deceased.
Mr., tsIor was born in the village of
Waldtop, near lieijelburg. in the Duehy
ot Baden, Germany, July Is. 1903. Ills
parenis. although poor, gave their chill.
dfen sufficient education 10 enable them to
read and write aud understand arithmetic.
Deceased wrote neat running hand, aud
was passionalely lond oi the study OF geopra
ply, IN which he educated himself Al the
aye oi eighteen he LEFT hume, and spent
three years with his oldest brother. a ,nu
sic seller, IN London. lie then came Ia
America, at the request OF his brolber
Henry who was in The employment OF a
butcher IN this city. lie soon Obtained
"o'k WIN iuri'er, and saving his earn
inss started out with the Indians on his own
account, exchanging irinkets for fnrs, and
by this means, with the aid of his broib.f
Henry, who had established himself n, n
butcher, he was enabled IN omen A ,,ore.
as per the following advertisement from
The n. l. Daily Advertiser, ol January .,
iisI:
JOHN JACOB ASTOR, at No, 81
tlnrrn street, next door hut one To .rbe
fnends' Meeting Huuse. has for sale an
assortment oi Piano fores Of the newest
construction, made by the brst maker, in
Lundnn, which he will sell On the mnsl
reasonable terms. lie gives cash ior all
KIND ul furs. and has Tor sale a lot oi Can.
ada Beaver and Beaver Coating. Raceoon
skins &c"
ihIs house, yet standing with a modern
front. is No. 328 Pearl ST. Ia 81, years hr
anassed s25h,OOO, principally by the fur
trade; aud ia lsU9 founded the American
Eur Company, entering largely into The
Canton trade, exchanging his iurs ior teas
Ia the sane year, he projected the great en-
teipflse u extending his traders beyond
the Rocky Mountains in, Oregon. and built
the Fort oi Astoria, al the month of Colum.
bia iiseE fohIs foresight in TIN, gigantic
ino'emeni. was our government indebted,
during the late negotiation On the boundary,
Tor one oi our strongest claims 10 that ter.
fitory. Mr.. astor's enterprise in Oregon,
owing to the ireachery Of some Of his
agents, was not successful. The post was
sold TO a Brush Company by Alacdougal,
hts agent; and The members Of the eipe
dlIlOn "ho remained faithful TO Mr.. Asiot
and the United States, returned overland.
suffering The greatest privalions in the
Rocky Mountains. Among those who thus
returned was Ramsy Crooks, Esq presi.
dent, and now tho prineival proprietor Of
the American Fur Company in Ann street.
In 1854, Mr. ,sor sold the Fur Compa.
ny 10 Mr. Crooks and others, the iormer
agents aud clerks Of the Company, and re-
Tired from commercial life; and 10 bis cred
II we record the TACT that he was libeml
Iu his employees and cheeriully aided them
IN establishing themselves in business
Much Oi his immense estate has been
amasseu by speculalions IN land in the new
States; he bought large tracts before m,
country was settled, aud sold them al high
prices 10 settlers, He leaves his executor,
80 5OOn each per annum, aud we under.
sand that TO prevent any breach Of his will,
he executed deeds few days ago Tor near.
y all his real property. His bsnevolence
did not extend far, and in proportion to his
means, We never had wealthy citizen who
did less, in his lifetime, 10 promote char.
table, religious or benevolent objects. H.
has nobly aloned for the omission by liberal
donations and brqnesls in his will. Mrs.
As'or died about eighteen years ago, eav.
ing two sons aud lour daughters. Two Of
The daughters have since died: the second
sou has been embecic from birth.
TuE DEraLcArIoS.-McNulty, the de.
I 4. a a. H.. Il . ~