Weekly Trinity journal., 1862-11-15
The AstOrs.

But among all American capitalists the name
Of Astor looms up in unapproachable solitude.
and stands it has stood for nearly forty years.
Among the emgrants who landed in New York
about the close of the French Revolution, was
rude German from Baden Baden. whose life in
the New World commenced as a laborer.-
He afterwards became p ddler of fancy goods,
and eventually dealer in peltres In 1871
there appeared, at No. AZ, Littr Dock street, the
unpretending name of John Jacob Astor and
here The foundation Of the estate was laid. As
tor soCn took fair rank among business men. He
was p ompt and sung in his dealing honest and
straightforward, aud besides this, carried great
weight Of character in his countenaBce. No man
could be much with him without being struck
with his depth OF character and the soidity Of
bis views. At that time the fur trade was brisk
along the Mohawk, and the petres after passing
through the hands of frontier dealers, generally
found their way to Astor's warehouse. in Liberty
street. Here they were sorted by his own hands,
and prepared for foreign markets. An octoge-
marian merchant Informed me that calling once
at Mr.. Astor's store, h. found him in a lott, clad
in long, coarse wrapper, and engaged among
his furs - shall get for that" said he holding
up splendid silver fox, - forty dollars in ST.
Petersburg" 1t probably cost him less than five
dollars.
! Mr.. Astor had brother of the same thrifty
!
wealth. lie was butcher by trade, and slaugh-
tered himself into pttance of one bundI ed
! thousand dollars, which as he died early he be-
queathed to William b., his nephew.
Mr.. AslOr commenced at an early day to buy
real estate, and the habit grew upon him until it
became passion. Ee was for years pading
character al sheriff aud other land sales, aud it
was the cnmmoacst thing at such places to hear
the closing words of the auctioneer Last
/ tn Ipbn Acfp
At that time many large estates were broken up,
AID among others that Of Aaron Burr WAS put
/ into the market, aud speedily became the proper
ty Of Mr.. Aslor 1t embraced small suburban
principally, whose mansion, " Richmond IIill'
was Burr's country seat. The whole property is
now in the heart of the city, and is worth mil
lions, whore once it brought thousands Mr.. As
tor boldly bought these wild lands, including
swamps, rocky knobs, aud barren commons,
which lay at waste from Canal street onward to
! Bloomingdae, aud while Others affected to laugh
at his judgement the correctness Of that judgment
is now quite apparent.
Mr.. Astor lived to old age, and his life was
one of few changes From hi, humble shop in
Little Dock street (nOw Water street near Cen-
ties Shp,) he removed his place OF business TO
Liberty street (No.7l,) and subsequently, Broad
way. His longest place of abode was 223 Broad
way, now part Of the site Of the Astor House,
whence after "A residence in IlobOken be removed
up town to IA block in Broadway, near Prince
street. Here be remaiurd until his death, but he
lived long enough TO see the progress Of the city
covering his lands with dwellings, and boqueath-
ed his son Of the largest estates in America.
Mr.. Astor had literary taste. and fond Of
bookmrn lie gave FItz- Green Halleck "a snug
and profitable clerkshlp, and on the death Of the
capitalist, William b. Astor presented to the poet
the sum of ten thousand dollars. Mr.. Astor also
sought the acquaintance Of Washington lrving
on the return Of that distinguished gentleman
from Europe, and it at his especial request
that Astoria was written. The friendship be
tween these two distinguished men continued
until death, when it was found Mr.. Irving bad
been appointed one OF the executors of the will
The fees connected with this Office could not have
been less than hundred thousand dollars
and the executors (siX in number) at one Time
received ten thousand dollars piece C0Riae'1-
tat.