Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1884-02-02
THE ASTORS or TO-DAY.
The Representatives OF the Great
Family and Fortune Founded by the
Grandfather.

Family and Fortune Founded by the
Grandfather.
New York Cor. Pittsburg Dispatch.1
William b. Aston lived quiet, IN
eventfiu life. He was married to
daughter of Gen. Armstrong, President
Madison's secretary of war. There are
six children, three sons and three
daughters. He died in 1875, ana two
years later n marble memorial altar
costing 100000 was erected in his
honor in Trinity church. 1t Is esti-
mated that his estate was worth ut least
$40, 100000 He left 100000 to the
Astor library, and large sums to vari-
GUS public charities. To every member
of his family he left handsome legacy.
The bulk of his fortune he bequeathed
to his sons William and John Jacob,
and between them he divided equally
the fortune left him by his father. His
third son, Henry, had retired to hand
some country seat on the Hudson, car
ing little for the possession of great
wealth.
William and John Jacob are thus left
the present representatives of the great
family and fortune founded by their
grandfather. They are to-day worth
probably more than SIC, 1000, 900 each,
and their wealth is steadily increasing
They are interested in no business and
own not q share of stock in any cor
poration. All their wealth is i'll real
estate, in this city mostly. They own
block upon block in the richest bust
ness part of the city, and block upon
block of the finest brown stone palaces
on Murray hill. Their sole business is
to collect their rents and buy more
property. They never sell. They are
good landlords; that is, they keep all
their property in the best of repair,
and are attentive to all the wants of
their tenants. But on the other hand
they are very strict in the collection OF
rents. Like their father and grand
father, they are plain and unassuming.
They live in twin brick houses on Fifth
avenue, which are plain and unpretend.
ing in appearance, but spacious and
richly furnished There is no show or
parade about them. The two brothers
| are liberal benefactors of the church,
of various charities, of all public enter
prises of merit, and are liberal patrons
OF musical art.
The present John Jacob Aston has
only one child, William Waldorf Aston.
He has figured more prominently be-
fore the public than any other member
of the family. He was graduated with
honors at Columbia college. He served
two terms in the state legislature,
where he was conspicuous as consci-
entious reformer and painstaking,
intelligent lawmaker. He is now, by
President Arthur's appointment, United
States minister to Rome, and may be
reckoned among the rising young men
of the Republican party. He was
married several years ago to beauti-
full young lady in Philadelphia 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.
1t was she who broke down the barrier
between the Astors and the Vanderbilts
by persuading her mother to accept in
vitations to the famous Vanderbilt fancy
dress ball. She is much courted by the
aristocratic young men of this city and
by many scions of the old world nobil.
ity, but as yet her hand ard heart are
free. She has several times expressed
herself as determined to wed none but
an American, and it is understood that
she does not care much for fortune as
an appendage to husband.