Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-29
THE AsJOR~ o. TODAY.

Wp. IL. Astor lived n quiet, anevent-
ful life. He WAS married to daughter
of Gen. Armstrong, President Madison 4
Secretary of War. There are SIX child
rem. three Sous aud three daughters.
He died III lS'5, and two years later "A
marble memorial altar costing 500 06l
WAS erected III his honor in Trinity
church. Ii IL estimated that hIs estate
was worth at least $40 100000. lie loft
SDO,OUO to the Astor library and large
| sums To various public charities. To
| every member Of his family he left n
handsome legacy. The bulk OF hiS for
| tune he bequeathcd to hts sons William
| and John jacob, and bctween them lie
divided equally the fortune left him hs
his father. His third son. Henry. had
| retired to a hnndsom- country seat on
the Hud 9ou. Ctrlng little t.r the posses
sion of great wealth.
William and John Jacob nrt thus left
the present representatives II the great
family and fortune founded by their
grandfather. Tsey are today prob ,biy
worth more than 10000 600 o.ch. and
their wealth is steadily increasing. lhey
are Interested IN 10 business and oYn
| not share Of stock in any corporation
All their wealth IL In real estate. in Now
York city mostly. They own block ON
block in the richest busiu es. part of the
city, and block upon block of tn, finest
brown stone palaces on Murray Hill.
Their sole business IL to collect their
rents and bay more property. They
never sell. They are good landlords:
that il, they keep all their property IN
in the best repair and are attentive to
all the wants Of their tenants. But, on
the ether hand. they are very strict IN
the collection of rents. Like their father
and grandfather, they are plain and un-
assuming. They live i'll twin brick
houses on Fifth avenue, which are PLAIN
aud unpreiending in appearance. hut
spacious and richly furnished. There
is no show or parade ahout them. The
two brothers are literal bencfactors Of
the church, of various charities, of all
public enterprises of merit, and liberal
patrons of music and art.
The present John Jacob Astor has
only one child, William Walderh Astor.
He has figured more prominently IN
public than any other meaber of the
family. lie graduated with honors at
Columbia College. lie served two terms
in the State Legislature. where he Was
conspicuous as n conscientious reformer
and "A painstaking, Intelligent lawmaker.
He is now. by President Arthur's ap
pointment, L. y. Minister Ia Rome, and
may bc reckoned among the rising young
men of the Republican party. lie WAS
married some yessss ago IA IA beautiful
young lady in ph,!adelphia, and has two
children.
William Astor has had four children.
The eldest, Mrs Van Allen, died two
years ago at Newport. The second is
now Mrs. Roosevelt. The third is Mrs.
| Drayton. and the fourth. Miss Carrie.
only came out IN society last winter.
| II was she who broke down the barrier
between the Astors and the Nanderbi.ts
| by persuading her mother to accept
| invitations 10 the famous Vanderbilt
fancy dress ball. She is much courted
| by the aristocratic young men of New
York and by many sciops of the Old
World nobility, but rs yet her hand and
heart are free. She has several times
expressed herself IA determined tn we'd
nsne but An American. and it Is un-
| derstood that she does not care much
for u fortune as an appendage To a
husband.