The Shasta courier., 1862-12-13
VINE Astors.

But amongNIl American capitalists the
name of Astor .ooaak up in unapproachable
solitude, and !. ends as It has stood for near
ly forty years.
Among tho&migrants who landed in New
York about the close of the French Reyolu-
ton, was q RIDE German from Baden Ba-
den, whose life in the New World was com
menced as q laborer. He afterwards became
a peddler of fancy goods. and eventually a
dealer in pultries. In 179l there appeared,
at No. AZ, Little Dock street, the unpretend-
ing name of John Jacob Astor, and here the
foundation of his estate was laid. Astor soon
took fair rank among business men. He
was prompt and snug in his dealings. hon.
est and straight forward, and besides this,
carried great weight of character in his
countenance. No man could be much with
him without being struck with his depth of
character and the solidity of his views. At
that time the fur trade was brisk along the
Mohawk, and the peltries, after passing
through the eshands of frontier dealers, gen
orally foundstheir way to Astor's warehouse.
in Liberty Street Here they were sorted
by his own hands, and prepared for foreign
markets. An octogenarian merchant in
formed me that. calling once at Mr.. Astors
store, he fousi him in a loft, clad in ling,
coarse wrapper, and engaged among his
furs. g shall get for that, said he, hold
ing up splendid silver fox, forty dollars,
in ST. Petersburg" 1t probably cost him
less than FIVE dollars.
Mr.. Astor had brother of the same thrift
ty turn. though not so successful in acquir
ing wealth. lie was a butcher by trade.
and slang ghtered himself into pittance OF
one hundred thousand dollars, which as he
died early, he bequeathed to William B..
his nephew.
Mr. Astor commenced at an early day to
buy real estate, and the habit grew upon
him until it became passion. He was for
years leading character at sheriff and 9th
er land sales, and it was the commonest
thing at such places to hear the closing
wo:ds Of the auctoneer Last call-go-
ing, going, gone-to to John Jacob Astor. y
At that time many large estates were bro
ken up, and among others that of Aaron
Burr was put into market, and speedily he
came the property Of Mr.. Astor. 1t en-
braced an all suburban priicipality. whose
m ansi.sn, ~ sIsich,aend- Hi, Was Rurr's
country seat. The whole property is now
IN ii e heart of the city, and is worth mil
lions. where once it brought thousands
Mr.. Astor boldly bought these wild lands.
including swamps, rocky knolls, and barren
commons, which lay at waste from Canal
street errward to Bloomingdale. and while
others affected to laugh at his judgement the
correctness of that judgement is Row quite
apparent.
Mr.. Astor lived to old age, and his life
was one of few changes. From his humble
shop in Little Dock street (now Water street
near Coenties Slip.) he removed his place
Of business to Liberty street, (No. Il. and
subsequently to Broadway. His longest
place Of abode was No 223 Broadway. now
a part of tile site OF the Astor House, whence
after a residence in Hoboken. he removed up
town to a block in Broadway, near Prince
street. Here he remained until his death,
but he lived long enough to see the progress
of the city covering his lands with dwell
lings, and bequeathed to his son the iarg-
est estate in America. Mr.. Astor had q
literary taste, and was fond of bookmen.--
He gave Fitz-Green Halleck snug and
profitable clerkship, and on the death of the
capitalist, William b. Astor presented to
the poet thelsum Of ten thousand dollars
Mr.. Astor also sought the acquaintance of
Washington. Irving, on the return of that
distinguished gentleman from Europe, and
it was at his especial request that the Astoria
was written. The friendship between these
two distinguished men continued antil death,
when it was found Mr. Irving had been
appointed one Of the executors of the WILL
The fees connected with this Office could not
have been less than one hundred thou
sand dollars. and the executors (six in
number) at one time received ten thousand
dollars apiece Continental