Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-02-21
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.191ole9H YES H
sxrrcH OF yoss JACOB Asroz.
Aston vas born Ia Waldorf. 10 the Grand
Dochy Of Baden. Germany. OF the l7th Of July,
la. He uss the yosngess Of the four sons Of
J1eoo Aston. butcher, whose conviyial and
spendthrit habits kept bis family poor. 10 spite Of
the industry of bis thrifty wife. From their un-
stfrsctive hons the older boys early took their
fight. GEORGE. the eldest. went to London !,
where be became partner Of the flute and piano
msoufscsuring firm Of Astor a Broad wood .
which still nourishes under the name Of Broad
wood 4 Co. Henry went to New York. where
he fsilosed bic fathers trade; became rich. and
died. without children, several years before his
younger and famous brother, John Melchior As
tor. the third son. became steward TO a noble
mans estate 10 Germany.
Mrs. Astos. having died. the senior Astor
married. sgain- The stepmother treated John
Jacob harshly, and be resolved 10 leave for a
more pleasant locality. He had been veil edu-
Gated by Valentine Jenne. the village school
master, . French Protestant, but had only 4
crown OF tvo in HE pocket. and bundle of
clothes IN . Handkerchief, when in the year l1eO
be leit home, America being his ultimate dest-
nation. though be intended first TO visit his
brother George IN London. de worked his way
down the Rhine on raft, and arrived alta Dutch
seaport With larger sum OF money, raised at
the oar than he had ever before possessed. On
reaching London, his brother found him employ
ment probably in his own mandatory. He
there learned 70 speak English. auenty. though to
the end Of bis days bis accent was Enthusiastically
German. His wages we're small. but be was
very saving. and his industry in obtaining in
fnrwation about America interchangeable. In Sep
seuoer. 1883. he bad good suit Of Sunday
clothes and fifteen guineas. the result Of two
ysArb Of unremitiing toll. As soon as peace had
been concluded with the United States by the
recognition Of their independence by England,
Aston made preparations TO sail for the land Of
prociss.
:. In November he paid Eve of his guineas for q
ssesrsge passage. He invested Eve more guineas
In the purchase Of seven flutes, and. with the
third eve a. bis money capital, set sail. For
. svo months the vessel was iee-bound in CLesa
psake bay. and the passengers were fed on very
short rations. This delay, however, proved very
fortunate for Astor. A German fellow passen-
ger Who had made good bargains with the In
dams In the purchase Of furs, which he had taken
70 England and sold at heavy profit. was
turning to get stock for q second venture of the
kind. He gave Astor much information about
his business and advised him to follow his eI-
ample. This he resolved to do. In March,
l764. the ice broke up, and the vessel reached
Baltimore. The long detention, and the journey
70 New York, nearly exhausted Astor's money.
and his wits and his seven flutes were his chief
capital. On arriving at New York he found that
his brother Henry was lAboring under embarrsss-
msnts. which. however. proved temporary. He
could do bat little for the new conner. The lat
ter Was not . man to give way to despair. He
nc once entered the employ OF Robert Boune. a
Quaker. who bought. dealt in, and exported pei
tries.
The wages paid we're 81 week and board
By bis industry and intelligence the young be-
ginner soon thoroughly learned his employer g
business and gained his good will He was soon
intrusted with more important business than
beating furs. and made, in his stead. journey 20
Montreal, then the chief fur mart in North
America. Returning with his iurs. he employed
the Indians in transporting them To the Hudson.
down which he brought them in soop. lie
speedily learned the art of trading with the abor-
ignes, and never could raise superior to the
habits Of hard bargaining, which he acquired in
hrs dealings with them
Astor did not long remain in Mr. Boune's EN-
ploy. 10 1856, in a little shop in Water street
with back room. yard and shed. the shop
furnished with only few toys and trinkets, he
began business for himself He had then the
most unbounded confidence in his abilities. he
vas sure Of getting rich. though as he remarked
In bin old age, The first hundred thousand dol
Iars-that was hard to get: but Afterwards il va:
easy TO make more" At first be did all hi.
work himself He bought, cured, beat, packed
and sold his skins. At the proper seasons OF III,
year, With his pack on his back. he made stout
excursions into the country, collecting skin:
from house to house. gradually extending the
area Of his travels. Till he knew the state OF New
York As no man OF his day knew it he early
noted the spots which be thought would one day
become business centres. and Rochester and Buff
fsIo afterwards established the keenness of his
diocefpnsnt. His first voyage to London with
fugo <ofaolished bis business on = solid founda-
sjoo. One Of the results Of this was TO make ar
ansneemens With Aston 4 Brentwood, of Lon
don. By which he became their New York agent
for the sale of pianos. violins and flutes be
vas the hrst man in New York who CONSTANT,
kept for sale supply of musical instruments
On his return from England he moved to little
dingv store in Gold street. where he swung oui
the sign . Furs and Pianos"
In 1870 he married Sarah Todd. whose con
nection with the Brevoort family. and little
fortune of $500 gave him a better social status
and small additional capital. She proved q
very industrious and faithful hepmate About
1894 be became able 20 purchase a ship, in
which his furs were carried to London. aud in
which be occasionally made voyages himself
In London he became connected with the opera
tions Of the East India Company and the Chi
nese trade. China was then the best market fol
furs In 1860 be sent his first venture to Can.
ton. and continued 70 carry on commerce with
ohina for twenty seven years.
In $500. when he had been in business abou
fifteen years, he Was worth a quarter of 4 mil
lioo, an astonishing amount when the disadvan
sssges under which he commenced operations arr
considered. he bad. however, wonderful genius
and nov, as through his whole life. singu
isrly frugal. His Injuries we're a pipe, glss,
fbeer. game OF dranghts. ride on horseback
and the theatre. He held in utter contempt Oh.
dashing mode OF life OF many New York MGR
chants, and abhorred note shaving and stock
jobos1g. Nevertheless he was 40 plodder wher
Flooding had ceased 70 be necessary.
He was very mean He once lost the ser
vices one OF the best captains and $40 ,000 into
the bargain. by refusing 10 pay for chron
ometsr which the captain said his ship needed
The captain left his service and went into that o
another house. he ran cargo OF teas into
New York just seven DAYS after one belonging
90 Mr.. Aston arrived. Astor not expecting an
other ship TO arrive for months, had made nc
hurry to sell his cargo. and before he had go
ready TO dispose OF il. a second ship load coming
In giuttsd the market and Astor lost all the pro
fits of the voyage, which he had estimated Al
aeU.00O. Meeting the captain shortly after il
Broadway, he said: {" had better have paic
you for that chronomcter OF yours
De was afterwards glad TO ret the Captain
back into the service. The same captain ar