The New York herald., 1875-12-07
John Jacob AStOr and William AStOr Sons o.
The TeStatOr, to Have the Bulk.
CHARITABLE REQUESTS

The amount or the estate left by the late william B.
As,or, well the disposition Of il by his Will
cannot fail to be Of interest TO tie public
The fortune Of the Asor family Is intimately associ
ated with the growth prosperity and present wealth Of
this city tnat although has always been largely
family matter, II is another sense largely public
matter. The value Of the estate left by Mr. Astor has
been variousy and vaguely estimated all the way from
$50 600 5000 600 0O0 and considering pres
ent deprecated value Of real estate in this city, the for
mer amount is likely TO be nearly the esti-
mate But this point his heirs and executors
profess 70 be able, at present, TO make but a mere
guess This vast estate-vast at any Of the estimates
made-must necessarily involve many questions of
legal Importance all Of which have been placed in
charge OF the eminent legal hrm Messrs Evarts South
mayd Choate, OF whom Mr. Charles f. South
Inayd is made OF the executors under the will The
win, which is exceedingly voluminous dating back to
1885, has been already submitted to the Surrogate,
and citations issued by him to the heirs to attend
on its being offered for proof the 10th inst Di-
vested Of all the extended formaites necessary TO
legal documents, its provisions follows
ABSTRACT OF THE WILL
The will is dated June IT. 1885, and has nine codicils
dated April 25 1862; December % 1862; January 26
1865 January 80 1865; December 2S, 1896; February
J. 1863 December 10, 1868; May 2S, 1869 and June p
1871 BY the will and codicils taken together, the
estate Is disposed Of by the testator as follows
He gives to his daughter, Aida Carey, wife of John
Carey, Jr in addition the provisions made for her
by her marriage settlement and subsequent ad-
vancements and gifts to her, life
estate in the dwelling house and lot occupied by
her, situate on tia northwestery OF Madison
and Thirty fourth street, with the stable adion
ing and in the dwelling house in Lafayette place which
was formerly occupied by the testator and in improved
real to the value OF $3.50 000 be selected and
apart from the resduay real estate of the late John
Jacob Astor also the income, during her life, Of funds
the amount OF $531 000 bequeathed the executors
10 be held trust for her benefit the capital Of these
trust funds and the remainder in the real estate in
x.ht, Oh fFa Stata rfyo hart hap
DEATH her issue He also gives to Mrs Carey abso-
lutey, the furniture, paintings statuary &c, which
contained in his dwelling house, and also three
houses and lots the northeast OF Filth
and thrythrd street and improved real estate TO the
value OF $40 000 to be selected and set apart from the
resduary real estate the late John Jacob Astor and
one-third Of sum OF $50 000
To his daughter, Laura A. Delano wife of Franklin H.
Delano in addition TO her marriage settlement and the
subsequent advancements and gifts made TO her he
gives life in the dwelling house and lot occupied
by her on the west side OF Madison avenue between
Thirty-fourh and Thiryifth streets, with stable lot
Thirty yiourh street. and in improved real estate to
the value 5000 600 be selected and apart from
the residuary real estate OF the late John Jacob
Astor; also the income, during her liie OF funds
TO the amount Of $460 600, bequeathed to the
ecutors be held in trust for her benefit; the cap
al Of such trust funds and tho remainder in the real
estate IN which she has life interest TO SO TO her
issue upon her death There Is also given TO Mrs.
Delano absolutely four houses and lots situate on the
easterly side OF Fifth avenue, between ThIrty-third
Thirty fourth Streets and improved real estate to
the value OF $4,000 to be selected from the resduary
real estate Of the late John Jacob Asor and onethird
of a OF $50, 600
! To his grand daughter Margaret A. Chanler, wife OF
John W Chanler, the only surviving child OF his
deceased daughter, Emily Ward, In addition
to the property she has received in virtue Of her
mothers marriage settlement and the. advancements
and gifts which have been made 10 herself he gives
life estate in the dwelling house and lot occupied by
her. situate on the westerly side OF Madison avenue
between Thirty fourth and Thir.yffh streets, and in
the testators country seat called Rokeby situate at
/ Lower Red Hook in Duchess county, containing 3lS
acres and in improved real estate to the value OF
$lT5, 600, 10 be selected and set apart from the
residuary real the late John Jacob Astor also
the during her life OF funds to the amount OF
$375. 00O bequeathcd the executors be held in
trust for her benefit; the capital Of these trust funds
and the remainder in the real estate given 70 her for
her life 20 20 upon her death to her issue There is
also given to Mrs Chaner, absolutely. the furniture,
library farming stock &c, at the country seat also
farm in the town Of Rcd Hook Duchess county, con-
tanning SO acres three houses and lots the south
of Fifth avenue and Thrty-fourh street,
improved real estate TO the value OF $4,000 10 DC
selected and set apart from the residuary real estate Of
the late John Jacob Astor and the School and Asylum
for Poor Children, the village OF Red Hook, in
Dutchess county, and the Parsonage house and stable
built by the tesator in the same neighborhood; also
sum Of $4,000 and onethTd of another sum OF
$4,000
To his son. Henry Astor residing in Columbia county,
in addition TO the large estates derived by him under
deeds executed by his grandfather and from his great
uncle, Henry Astor there is given real estate 20 tho
value OF $50 000 TO be selected and set apart from the
rosiduary real OF John Jacob Asor and the
directed 70 pay and deliver over 70 him
tain funds and securities OF which account VIII be
found upon the testaors books arising from the in
come of certain city stock and the rents Of property
in the Bowery above the expense Of erecting
buildings upon that property and the net balance
OF payments by the testaor for taxes and assessments
\ upon Henry's share OF the property, known the
Eden farm up the time Of the conveyance Of that
property trustees, upon Henry's giving 70 the cxccu
tors release, in form satisfactory 70 them, OF all
| claims hts favor those accounts
10 Franklin H. Delano, son-n-law Of the tcstator IS
given piece Of land of ortythrce acres IN Red Hook,
Duchess county, nearly opposite to Mr. Deanos coun-
try seat
The viii rectcs that the had formed the
luton to add $3.50 600 10 the endowment Of the Astor
Library, founded by his father, which resolution he
contemplated to executen his lifetime; but be directs
his executors TO pay the trustees OF the library what
portion of the $25o,oo he may not have advanced
or paid in his lifetime
By the codci Of May %, 1862 he declares that the
then unpaid balance OF this $3.50 600 $40 000 and by
that codic he gives to the Trustees OF the Astor
Library an additional, sum or 5000 600 to be paid in
three successive equal annual nsalments the hrst az
the expiration or one year from the time OF ms death
This 500 600 he directs be kept invested and held as
permanent fund.- the income OF which shan De ap-
Piled from tmo to time, to the purchase o. books and
trustees Of the library expend not exceeding $50 600
| Of the capital In the purchase OF books
! BENEVOLENT PERSONAL REQUESTS
He bequeahs the following egacies, viz -
To the widow Of Benjamin Astor, an annuity during
Ngr To 'us the a American n Bible Society, $4,000
othe Society for Relief Of Respectable Aged INDECENT
Females, $50
To the New York Lying-in Asylum, 81, 900
To the Ladies' Repository, $4,000
To the Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Fund Of tho
! Volunteer Fire Department, $4,000.
To Philip Kissam Augustus +. satteree, William W.
Bruce and Thomas A. Beare, 81 500 to each Of them,
provided he shall in the employ Of the testator at
the time of his death
rRK MAIN FAMILY KsrArR
The residue OF the real Of the late John Jacob
Astor which William Is Astor had only life estate
with power OF appointment among his issue is given to
his two sons, John Jacob Astor and William Astor in
equal shares in fee simple absolute; and there is like
wise given TO them in equal shares and absolutely,
whatever may remain unexpended Of that half Of
the personal Of the late John wherein
William B. Astor had only life interest with power,
IN his direction, 70 expend the capital in Improvement
! or the real estate.
The resduary estate real and personal belonging to
William b. Astor individually Is given TO the executors
TO be held In trust one half for the benefit OF tho
testaors son, John Jacob Astor for his life with re-
mainder TO his issue and 70 tho other half for the
benefit OF his son, William Astor, for his Lie, with
mainder 10 hs issue, excluding each son from the
trusceshp OF the portion which Is TO be held trust
for himself