Evening journal., 1892-04-27

years past. while he had been travelling n
Europc. He has managed 10 spend about
So 600 IN his lifetime. Much Of this, IL
is said he gave in charity. He was unos
tentatious in this work, and but little has
ever been said about il, and, in fact, few OF
his intimate friends knew Of il. William
Astor was very fond OF all athletic sportt
and yachting and racing He took a keen
interest in the breeding Of fine blooded race
horses He came but little before the pub
lie He has been much upset by recent fam
lily troubles he was man OF only sixty.
two years of age, and appeared 70 be hale
and hearty and good for many years.
The Astor Family History.
The founder Of the Astor fortunes was
John Jacob Astor, born at Waldorf, neai
Heidelberg, on July n, 1865. His father
was a butcher by trade OF the four sons
born to him, the eldest, Henry, had settled
in New York after the revolutionary war
The second was in piano manufactory in
London.
John Jacob Astor was the fourth son.
After he left home he first went to his
brother in London. he soon accumulated
enough money there 10 embark for the
United States, reaching Baltimore with AN
assortment Of violin strings in l7s3. The
fur trade of the northwest was then at it,
height, and John Jacob Astor soon joined
his brother in New York city and became
the employee OF Quaker furrier, who kept
a store Ia Pearl street IL was not long be
fore John Jacob Astor was able to open q
furrier store Of his own in Water street
He also became agent for the London mu
sical firm IN which his brother worked, and
was the first regular musical dealer in this
country.
John Jacob Astor soon went INTO the
I China trade, then very profitable, and a.
his money begun 90 accumulate he invested
the surplus in government securities and
/ New York real estate both Of which wert
then cheap. The value Of his property in
creased amazingly with the growth Of New
/ York city, and at his death in is4s he wa
reputed to be worth so, ,O0O,OO0.
The eldest son aud partner Of John Jacob
! AstOr was William Baclhouse Astor, born
in New York in 1872, when his father WA
I living AZ i89 Broadway.
At twenty-three he became his fathers
I partner in the China trade He built dwell
/ ing houses Of all kinds on his large property
between 1850 and 1873, and at the time Of
/ his death owned TO houses. After William
Backhouse AstOr had become an extensive
/ owner Of house property his business shrewd'
ness aud financial judgment were so much
I relied on BY other property owners in New
/ York that the Astor rents became sort OF
standard.
Never Sell hut Always Buy.
Until the generation OF Astors which has
Just passed away came into possession OF
/ the property, It was an observed maxim ol
the family never 90 sell land in New York
city, and always to buy IL when cheap The
late John Jacob Astor shortly before his
death sold several lots OF his down town
property, and this practice has been contin
| ued to a larger extent by his son, William
/ Waldorf Astor. He actually paid taxes on
$4,000 900 worth Of property in New 10rl
city and ut the time Of his death, in 1870
was reputed 90 be worth S45, ,O0O,O0O by
some authorities, though the late Mr.
| Cooper estimated his fortune at 500, 900, 90
Much of the first John Jacob AstOr's prop
erty was left in trust for his three grand
children, the late John Jacob AstOr, chs
late William AstOr, who has just died, ant
the late Henry Astor.
But William Backhouse AstOr had in
creased the money left 70 him by his fathe
enormously, aud when he died the bulk o
the estate was divided evenly between tn
late John Jncob Astor and the late William
Astor
. John Jacob Astor the second died on Fet
p, 1890, leaving the bulk Of his property Z
! William Waldorf Astor, ex-United State
minister 10 Italy His wife. who was n
nowned for her charities, died in 1881
The funeral service viii be held over tn
remains in the American church in Par
before they leave for New York Mr.
Astor viii accompany her husbands bod
to New York.