St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-12-03
Death of VIM. B. Aston.

NEW bhh. NV nv
urmt of the death of William B. A>tur
81 his residence in this city this morning
created il profound sensation i'll mercan-
ME and business circles where he has
cong been 81 conspicuous Il figure ON
account ot his enormous wealth. His
death wis not entirely unexpected by
his family. aS his age he WAS in his
eighty fourth year had led to the he
lief that his taking OF might occur III
ANY time. although he appeared To he
robust in health. Mr.. A>tor was the
representative OF one OF the great money
Kings of the country. and his name has
tong been associated with abundant
acalth. His father. John Jacob Astor.
q. host, characteristics William inherited.
:.lo>r from p"oI peasant hoy To be the
most eminent of New York merchants.
and probably, in his time. the WcaltlicSt
man in America. At the age of ~
Years, possessing Il manly person and
address. he lett Germany and sailed for
Baltimore. taking with him Il few ml>i
cal instruments to dl>po>t. of on COM
mission. On the VOYAGE he made the
acquaintance oi IA ShrcNd old furricr,
in accordance with whose Suggestions
a.. exchanged his musical instruments
it New York for iurs. with which he
Immediately FASTENED back To London
where he disposed of them t" great ad-
Vantage. He prepared again to cross
the Atlantic and to devote himself SyS-
dramatically to the fur trade. In Lon
don he studied the continental fur mark
cts and made himself familiar with every
variety of the article. and on his Ic-
IA hin,--,.If
this city. where he built up an cnol-
nous trade. His business became cN-
tended until it embraced markets in
every quarter of the globe. Yet 81 rN-
act WIS his acquaintance with these
markets. and 50 wide WAS his grasp of
mild. that he WAS able tn guide the
actions of his SupcIrarg"c> and captains
!n the most minute instructions. At
TIL, time, when his commerce covered
the scas. he worked early and late. and
WIS accustomed To show his work mcu
that he could equal the best of them in
as.hrtin" and heating fuIS. At the b,-
"ilning of the century he was worth a
Large fortune. He soon began To make
Investments in real estate in this city .
and some portions ef his property cen
tupicl in value on his hands. His for
tame, the largest ever accumulated III
AMERICA at that time, has been cStinIa-
ted at not less than 80, 900. 900. VIM.
| t. AStor learned 10 assist his father in
his business, asserting furS aud helping
to beat them. lie went To the public
S,hrolS. and his father determined to
give him Il thorough education. He
accordingly sent him to Iicidelhri I.
University. After his university studies
he went into his fathers office and
learned his business 10y Il slow and hard
tuitiou, acquaiutimY himself with lis
every detail, until. in the last few wears
"f his fathers life he had supreme con-
troll. BN the death of his Uncle. Henry
| A>tnr. William came into possession of
| half Il million dollars. which he invest
c' Sagaciously. The Aston House.
huilt in 1888. was given him 10y his
father soon after its completion and IL
residence WAS also given him. In Isis
his father died. The bequcsts and an-
nuitieS provided for in the will absorbed
al,nul tw" million dollars. and the re-
maindcr of the immense sum fell Ia
! William. The will. among other he
quests, gave SlOO.0OO for founding the
AStor Library, and $jO.OOO for eStah-
! fishing II charitable house at Waldorf.
Germany. John jacob Astor's native
village. These and the other beuuests
we're faithfully executed by the son,
who in addition rave large sums +,
several persons whom he thouobt de.
serving of his fathers rccoruirinu ia
the 800. 900 left by his father for tL,
Aston Library he added liberal d,u,-
tons of his own. aggrcgatiny a sum
tIlN equal to the hruuest. The Iihror,
i, one nf the handson,est and most com