The sun., 1890-02-23
doalsr Nho flrod hls imnglnntIon hy telling Linn

iness. and this made him determining to go to
New York and learn tho business, He ente ed M
in business for himself iQ Water street: iio
accepted the New York agency 0t the Iondon
S"o Sna dRsnca E for Ss which he mnsc hns wosSSS
IN, America, no married Sarah Todd.
who although her dowly amounted to 9nly
sisted I'M materially in his rise 10 fortune, Az
the end OF fifteen years Of work. Astor mad nc
! amount in those days. He shipped furs 10 Eu.
rope in his own vessels apd made iref9u,tfnt ,f
indaTs Hbo"t i.SS he Ask asEcd tho aid Of Con
dependent OF tho Hudson Bay Trading Com.
tic business, ,bY establishing series Of trading
posts across tho continent. Two eTpedliiops
settlement OF Astoria al tAe mouth ot the Col
umbia liver was founded. but the war Win
hHgnIb bnS ts ,ath n he Inability OF
the Amer can Government and in its power
TO come or, Of the war all right to invest a
war at handeome profit. After the war lie
began trade with u number oil foreign coun-
gains in real estate in this city thus LAYING tho
to!ndation OF The plane tnat have since been zen
was remarkable for his business sagGcity. in
9, stions and methiodi'a! habits. He lett
to which his son William b. added s5O@Uoo
more. $4,000
tate was valued at s2u,oJO,QV0. He left one
son who bore his own name, but WAS dement,
ed. and received only an income OF $4,000
year until his death. There were two dnuGh-
den. and Liza who married V Rumpft.
ness ior a long time Totore the latter felt that
hc could AFFORD to give lin an education. He
a irh z
and to G1ttnGen He became proficient
rs musician and q sworIsman With;
from. his father. When he died in 1878
he left fortune estimated at over sl50O0nOn0.
the money 10 have doubled since. He VIA, re-
considerabie suns IN charity and LETT more In
john jacob Astor. the eldest son, followed in
his fathers footsteIs rs careful investor IN
sIeculatton-, William B. left Two other sons
Msm and Hen aTsHdw w1rS Ts1rsd f. Trsn snf
Ii was rule Of III" Astors. laid down by tho
original JOHN Jacob not tolhuild brown-stone
dwellings. and all that now belong to the estate
were purchased. More than half in value OF
John Jacobs property is said to be south OF
$2.OO0.000, is included In this, and there are
many office aud business buildings on Broad
May and on Wal street St His real % estate h,s
taxes amounted to over half million OF dol
lars. He never insured his houses. because he
now and then rather than to pay the premiums
on so vast number Of policies. te was di-
psnS S Sevsf taEs He fePt
from 500 OuOO to SlO,uOO,O0O on deposit at the
trust COMPANIES. so as to be ready 10 purchase
market at a bargain. He IA ely sold any real
estate. AMI SO far as is known he invested
He had an Office in n little two-story marble
building at u West Twenty-sixt tn street, where
Ee GrSe H Geks Ws keb
Like his father. he was, methodical. :, lie
was vsS what mIy be called coed iEep
At one time he suffered severely rom The gout.
He collected many fine paintings and books
mansion, whore he lived, and had some nigh
priced wines In his collars. He had tirst-
him for 4saTs
ing order for all the fine Madeira wines to be
secured. lie smoked and was very particu-
lar about his cigars. In some respects never
theless. he was very economical. He would re-
write kilograms 10 save few words, and
economics Although, he had fine carriages.
he seldom used them and while TIE
d5%n to @. sTee, 6ps Of he
He frequently walked down, tIwr hut OF lae
years had rather abandoned this habit It ls
the pleasure he found in the exercise, AS be-
eau 50 he found it neces- airy e his health, He
name nan " is not ia associated with any great
SpXe4 esG sG ia ,S Ger t5 Ma
he married the daughter of Thomas Gibbs. II
South Carolina Gent!cman Of ancient lineage.
and traced her ancestry through her iqther
back TO King John; and on her mothers
aS to an 2 4 Wish %s teGao ttS@ esaer e
OF iashionable New York society. but aban-
donet d the supremacy in favor OF Mrs.
Mrs John JACOB Astor was noted for her char I
tiles. and spent not only large sums but per /
Thousands OF doare found their way from her |
full golfers to the Childrous Aid Society. and |
thousands more started young boys . and girls
they could start in life with less com
petition and better surroundinGs. When she
aces, tho finest in the rountry, to the Metro
poitan Museum. and her Will tequeathed con-
aySnue whe t las usy
decorated inside, and much ol its .
rare and costly furnishings we're gathered by
he wife.
There is also sumner, residence at New
port, and one at khinerlih: he Latter latter Was
vas surrounded by forty-three acres Of land.
Il cost Mr. Astor sl6U,OuD. Mr.. Fie Id called 1t
Ardsley. 1t is generally known as the Cottenet
Mr. Astor was in the habit Of dividing the
summer months among his houses at Newport
Ohm Jacob Astor appears 10 nave maze his
silc his almoner. although lie is said 70 have
o the Astor Library. making tho family con
ributions to this institution Sl.l1uUUO. His
yt'e's death, two years ago, broke him down
cry much.
William Waldorf Astor. the present head OF
he house. studied law in the onlce Of Erarts,
/ oate 4 IeHnIan. the family lawyers but
lever practi-cd his profession after a mission.
10 served in the Assembly III 1877. and n year
u or in the senate. IL WAS nominated tori Eon-
,resS in S. int was beaten by Roswell y. Flow
r. President Arthur appointed him Minister
o Italy. and wh.e there he found the materials
all and very handsome man. AZ years OF age
10 has literary aud Eocla! tastes. He married
liss Minnie Paul OF Philadelphia in 1875.
cp anO nnn psyn Eny TuE ROanS