The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
The Alleged Astor Pedigree.

Mr.. WILLIAM WALDORF AsToR contrib
uted TO the June number OF his magazine,
the Pail Mall Magazine Of London, bio
graphical sketch OF his Great-grandfather,
JOHN JACOB Aston, the founder OF the great
fortune OF that family. In it he included
an alleged pedigree OF the AsToRs, which
carried them back TO PEDRO DAsToRGA,
Spanish knight OF the eleventh century.
The father OF JOHN JACOB Aston was JOHANN
JACOB, and he Is described In this genoa
logical table as the grandson OF JEAN
JACQUES D'AsToRG, a Frenchman Of noble
birth who fled to Germany upon the revo-
cation OF the Edict OF Nantes In 1892"
Naturally. this genealogical table offered
a challenge to the genealogists Of Europe,
to whom 1t was made known so publicly,
and, accordingly, one OF the most expert OF
them, distinguished throughout Europe as
such, was prompted to make an exhaustive
research into frst-hand evidence to deter
mine It's title to validity. The elaborate
report OF this gentleman. Mr. LATHRoP
WITTINGToN Is printed elsewhere In this
number OF THE SUN, and 1t will DO seen
that It disposes finally OF the alleged pedi-
gree by showing 1t to be impossible and
WITTINGToNs report Is IL will command
the continuous interest Of every reader Of
1t. for besides collating the genealogical
evidence it Is enlvened throughout by
local descriptions, and is full Of the fruits
OF historical learning presented with an
engaging literary art.
JOHN JACOB AsToR was born at Waldorf
July H. 1863, and was the son OF the
village butcher, who bore the same name.
FELIX. the father Of the butcher, was the
son OF the Aston described in the Pail Mall
pedigree as JEAN JACQUES D'AsToRG,
Huguenot refugee descended through a
noble line from PEDRO D'AsToRGA OF the
eleventh century. Actually. the record Of
the marriage Of FELIX Aston in 1913 de-
scribes his father as JOHANN JAKoB Aston,
peasant and tiller of Nussoch" and Wall
dorf is full OF AsToRs to-day" In the
pedigree, as given in the Pail Mall Magazine,
however, the date Of the marriage of FELIX,
recorded as 1913, Ia put forward to 1899,
or, strangely enough fifteen years after
the birth OF his son. the Waldorf butcher
and the father OF the JOHN JACOB Aston
who first gave distinction to the name.
The results OF the further and exhaustive
explorations Of Mr.. WELLINGTON, carried
forward with the most patient and thorough
exactness, we shall not undertake to re-
count in detail but whoever follows their
steps will be well repaid in the interest az
fofded. In the pursuit OF this inquiry he
went to Germany and thence to France and
incidentally to it he was led to an historical
survey which Is both instructive and in
terestng. 1t puts life into the dead bones
Of long past era. The sum OF his con-
illusions is that the records prove the i'm
possibility Of the assumption Of the Pull
Mall pedigree that the AsToRs came from
the noble family Of D'AsToRG.
1t is possible that they descended from
AsToRGs Of humble origin who had taken
the name, for there were many Of them
for instance, ISAAC AsToRG, jew doctor Of
Carcassonne, who died in 1908. In the
alleged pedigree, moreover the Christian
name JEAN" OF the actual records is
always changed, very suspiciously, to JEAN
JACQUES, though, as every one familiar
with medieval history knows, such double
names did not then occur but arose much
later. The records also prove indisputably
that none of the descendants of the noble
D'AsToRGs fled to Germany on the revoca-
ton Of the Edict of Nantes, but all OF them
remained in France Positive forgery is
proved In the pedigree's description of the
marriage in France Of JACQUES D'AsToRG,
Comte D'AUBAREDE, as occurring in 1852
when the official records give its date as
1852, the Justification having been made
evidently with view to establishing a
spurious chain OF connection with tho
German AsToRs.
Mr.. WALDORF AsToR, undoubtedly, pub
lished in entire good faith the pedigree thus
overthrow by Mr.. WIrrINGTON's conclu-
sive researches, for it may be assumed that
he was victimized by some supposed genoa
logical authority on which he relied. He
has no reason, however to lament the ex-
posture OF the spuriousness OF his table His
great fortune is sound and genuine, and it
was founded by the genius Of an AsToR
who, coming from humble stock, made the
name renowned. He does not need the at
testation OF herald's college to mako that
achievement memorable.