Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-14
NOW In HIS GRAVE
The Body Of William Astor
With His Fathers
DIVISION OF HIS MILLIONS
John Jacob Aston Gets the Lions Share.
Mrs. prayton Practically Cut Oh.
Liss Of Ills Legaeies.

fathers. Tho funeral service was ex-
tremely simple. At $50 O'Clock out
SIDE OF Trinity chapel, in Twenty
fourth street. there had gathered per-
haps 200 persons. They were nearly all
drawn by curiosity and expecting prob
ably to see some gorgeous display. The
church doors were not opened until a
few minutes before 10 O'Clock. Then
there was surge forward in the little
crowd. it WAS checked at the inner
doors and Sexton Mcurcr began filing
up the church At the rear, SO that early
Corners got the back seats.
At 10 O'Clock tha organ sounded and
from the mortuATy chapel came the
ten pallbearers two and Two. They
We're Henry Day. Richard NJ. Hunt,
Edward K. Wiling, Philip Kissam, Ed
ward ID. Bell. johnson Livingston,
James r. Kernochan, Richard I. Viii
son, Levi =. Morton and William G.
Schormerhorn. They marched slowly
down the aisle to the main doors,
where the pairs separated and the ten
lined both sides of the aisle. They
wore heavy white silk sashes, draped
from their right shoulders, where they
were fastened by black silk knots IN
the form of crosses down and across
the breast to tho left side, where they
were fastened by heavy black silk cord.
They wore black gloves.
The funeral party arrived at tho GEN.
etery at 1885 O'Clock and drove at once
to tho bluff st the top OF which the
tomb is. The service occupied only
few minutes. The colin was lifted
down into the vault. The party were
at toe vaplt possibly twenty minutes
and then returned TO the carriages and
were driven home.
Tho Dead Mans Will.
The will of William Aston, disposing
az his immense estate, was made public
by his lawyers. There are SIX codiclls.
Mr.. Astor died April % ut Paris. The
will itself is dated January IL last, the
day on which John Jacob Astor, Third.
returned from Europe with his wife,
who was shortly To become o mother.
The date of tho codicils is not given in
the abstract. These are notable things
about the will. Making John jacob
Aston, the only son, residuary legatee,
1T leaves to him absolutely all the prop.
erty held for life by his father under
the will of William Z. Aston, the grand
father, which was onc-half OF William
b. Astor's residuary estate. For life it
leaves to the executors as trustees for
John Jacob to dispose of the same by
Will, the residuary individual estate Of
the testatsr, which ia for the most part
the accumulated surplus income of
seventeen years of the estate derived
from William B. Aston. This should
be as much, or nearly as much, as the
principal estate was In 1875.
The provision for the daughters is
the income OF $3.50, 900 each for life in
addition to the provisions already made
under marriage settlements and other
trusts. In the case of Mrs. James Cole
man Drayton the SS50,0oO instead of
going to her for life, goes for life to her
four children, share and share alike,
with the remainder to their children;
and no provision Whatever appears to
There is nothing in the summary to
show whether or not this is on account
of previous settlements.
John Jacob y Lucky Man.
John Jacob Aster who was born July
%, 1866. and is, therefore, nearly 26
years old, comes at once into the in
como of his fathers individual residu-
airy estate and into the absolute owner
ship of one-half the estate derived
under h!s grandfather's will from his
father. On July Is, 1896. ne will be-
come absolute owner OF the other half
of this last mentioned estate. On that
date it appears John Jacob Aston will
be NJ rich q man, or nearly as rich a
man as his grandfather, William B.,
| was, for William sceived for life half
| OF William BIS estate and passes the
residue OF that on to his son, together
| with the accumulations of seventeen
years. William b. Astor's estate was
variously estimated at the time of his
death as from S45 100000 to S120, 00o,-
| 900.
The Will will probably be offered for
probate tomorrow. The principal
| provisions of the will and cod,ciis are
| these: The testator gives to his widow,
Caroline Webster Asior, in addition to
the annuity settled upon her by an
ante-nup tisI agreement, the house and
and stable No. $50 Fifth avenue and
the furniture therein to hold for life.
| A fund ls provided to pay the taxes
and assessments on the said property,
in winch Mrs. Aston holds life estate.
The testator also gives to his executors
| as trustees fund sufficient to prod uce
an income of $50, 900 annually, which
IS to be paid over to the use OF Mrs.
Aston during her natural life.
John Jacob to Have the Rest.
Mr.. Astor gives to his executors: as
trustees, all the residue of his indi-
| vidusl real and personal estate to hold
for his son, John Jacob Astor, during
his life, and TO apply the income to his
use, with power TO his son to dispose
| of the remainder by will among bis
issue. All the property, real and per-
sonal, held IN trust. for testator under
the will of his father being molety of
the residuary estate mentioned in the
| will of William Ii. Aston and all other
| property testator has the right TO dis
pose of under the provisions of any
| instrument, whatever testator gives 10
his executors a. trustees to apply the
| income TO the use OF his son, John
Jacob Attor, when said son arrives at
the age of II the trustees are 90 give
him the house, stable and lot No. $50
Fifth avenue, subject 10 the life estate
OF Mrs. Aston; also real aud personsl
property to the amount OF sJ00, COO.
When he arrives at ths age OF % years
the trustees are 20 convey TO him one
half OF the remainder ia tina article
named, aud when he arrives At TIE age
| OF 20 the trustees are TO transfer 10 him
the remainder "a his absolute estate.
Isss ef Lssssie.
The following Iesacses are given, To
the exempt liremen's fund. city OF New
York. 100000, n the Home for Re-
speesabse Aged and Indigens fsncles,
city Of New York. So. 900, 20 the Astor