Connecticut western news., 1889-11-13
MIR. ASTOR TO MARRY
JOHN JACOBS ENGAGEMENT TO A HANDSOME WIDOW.
Hrs. Bowler Will Become the Wife oi
 the Richest Man in America.

According to what appear to be trustworthy reports John Jacob Astor, the elder, is engaged to be married to Mrs. Bowler, of Cincinnati. This story comes from the other side of the Atlantic, where both Mir. Astor and Mrs. Bowler now are, and from the fact that MT. Astor is very domestic old gentleman and has paid Mrs. Bowler devoted attentions for year or more, society is inclined to credit the semi-official announcement which has been made. Mrs. Bowler has been in Europe for some months with her two children, and John Jacob Astor during the past Summer has taken two trips abroad, presumably in order to have the pleasure of being in her company.
 Mrs. Bowler has been a widow five or six years. Her late husband was nephew of George H. Pendleton, of Ohio, who at one time was the Vice. Presidential nominee of the Demo- cratic party. and was Minister to Ger many during the Cleveland Adminis- tration. MT. Bowler inherited hand some fortune and invested it judicious- ly in railroad properties. At his death he was large owner of the securities of the Kentucky Central Railroad, of which that excellent railroad man, M. E. Ingalls,, was one of the early presi- l dents. Some fifteen years ago he mar ried Miss Williamson, one of the bellies of Cincinnati society. She is very handsome woman now, very bright l and intellectual and charming conver- sationalist. She is we'll known in New York society, and it was here that Mir. Astor first met her. She has been 8 guest at the house of Henry F. Vail many times during the winter season l just past, and has also visited other l homes in New York.
 John Jacob Astor, who, according to announcements already made, set down ] by Thomas G. Shearman, the richest man in this country, having control of about S150, ,000, ,000, is now about sixty eight years of age. He is tall, hand some and vigorous and bears his years well. In society he is regarded as the I finest specimau of manhood the Astor family has ever put forward. He is an accomplished and well-educated gentleman, of cultivated tastes and ar- istocratic bearing. He is the oldest representative of the Astor family now living and the head and front of the house. His first wife was daughter of Thomas Gibbs, of South Carolina, 1 and the marriage occurred nearly forty 1 five years ago Miss Gibbs had no very great wealth to bring to the alli- ance, but she was woman of family indeed, her father used to declare that he could trace his lineage back to King John-and she was very beauti- 1 full. On her mothers side she came from an old Dutch family named Van denheuvel. The story in society at the time of John Jacob Astor's first marriage was that old MT. Gibbs was so delighted with the match his daugh- ter was making that it was necessary to put him into straightjacket.
 The only child of John Jacob As tors first marriage was William Wal dorf Astor, Minister to Italy during the Arthur Administration, the author of two Italian novels and young man generally with political and literary ambitions. It is not generally thought, however, that he inherited either his mothers good looks and vigorous con- stitution or his fathers strong mental nature. He is, however, an extremely l good fellow, albeit a little eccentric. He married seven years ago, selecting for his bride the beautiful Miss Paul, of Philadelphia. Before his marriage it was currently reported that he was engaged to Miss Helen Beckwith, some- times known as "Baby" Beckwith, a very lovely young society girl, who is now no longer very young, but who succeeded the other day, on the death of her father, to fortune of nearly $1 1,ooo,OOO.
 There is a good deal of difference of opinion over what John Jacob Astor's wealth is. The estimate of Mir. Shear man, just referred to, is regarded by well-known Wall street men as excess sive, and it is believed that his fortune does not reach the hundred-million mark. It is believed now that he has large holdings in Western Union and Union Pacific, and the shrinkage in the value of Missouri Pacific during the past year, if he really holds any considerable amount of stock, would have made very big hole in his wealth. But outside of that he is credited with having made other un- lucky ventures. However, man with $10o, ,000, ,00o can slip up two or three times without getting hurt very much.
 He made over his house at Newport some time ago to his son, William