The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-11-05
MRS. AST0R DEAD:
FAMOUS FOR 1900
WOMAN WHO HELD SWAY IN NEW
YORK FOR THIRTY YEARS
PASSES AWAY.
A STORY OF HER TRlUMPHS.
Bitter Feud with Mrs. William Waldorf
Ends in Discontinue of the Lat
ter Ten Years Ago.
WAS NOT A WEALTHY QUEEN.

NEW YORK, Oct 31.-Mrs. William
Aston, for thirty years the social leader
in New York, died last night just before
o'clock, in her home, S42 Fifth avenue,
at the age Of 81 There were present
ut her deathbcd, Col. and Mrs. John
Jacob Astor, Mr. and Mrs. II. Orme VIII
son and their sons, Orme " ilson, Jr., X.
Thornton Wilson and Thomas Hade,
who had been Mrs. Astor's faithful at
tcndant during her long illness, and who
had been in her household since 1876.
Drs. Austin Flint, Jr., Billings, Magic
and Smith were also present. DR. Flint
had been in attendance on Mrs. Astor
for years. Mrs. Astor's end was most
peaceful ana followed state of coma,
into which she lapsed some hours
previous.
Established the 400"
The society functions given and pre-
sided over by Mrs Astor have gone down
into history as the most brilliant on
record. II is said that the ballroom in
the mansion on Fifth avenue would ac'
commoddtc 1000 guests.
II was Mrs. Astor who established the
famous 400" her visiting list being
confined to that number of names. In
1909 however, Mrs. AstOr was said to
have let down the bars" when she IN
yitcl 200 persons to one Of the most
memorable socia! events ever given in
New York. Mrs. Aston received her
guests at these gatherings seated in a
high-backcd chair beneath a portrait Of
herself painted by Carolus Duran The
AstOr jewels were worn by Mrs. Astor
on these occasions. 1t is said that the
Aston cmeralds are the finest IN the
world.
Of Old Dutch Family.
Mrs. Aston was Miss Caroline Webster
SChcrmerhOrn when she married William
Aston, a grandson of the first John Jacob
Astor, in 1853. She was the daughter OF
Abraham Schormcrhorn, an old merchant
Of Dutch descent. Her mother was a
Miss White one Of her sisters was the
wife Of John Treat Irving, nephew of
Washington Irving. All Of Mrs. Astor's
brothers and sisters are dead. She was
the youngest of the family, and is de-
seconded from old families both through
her father and mother.
The Aston family has been conspicu-
Gus for its charities Mrs. AstOr intro
duccd the happy fashion of sending to
the hospitals the flowers used in dccorat
ing for her entertainments, and her
gifts TO various institutions have been
many Her residence, BceChwOod, at
Newport is n simple villa standing in
ample ground.
Mrs. Astor was generally regarded not
only as leader. but as the leader of
New York society. She first came for
ward prominently about 1913. The en-
tcrtAnments she gave Mt that time were
chiefly for the purpose of introducing
her daughters Her eldest daughter who
became Mrs. j, j. Van Alien, is dead.
Her other daughters are Mrs, j. X,
Roosevelt usually known rs Mrs. Rosa
Roosevelt. Mrs. Coleman Drayton and
Mrs Ormp Wilson. Col John Jacob As
tor. the only son Of Mr.. and Mrs VII
liam Astor, married in 1891 Miss Ava
Willing Of Philadelphia.
Becomes Social Leader.
About 1879 Mrs August Belmont re-
tired from leadership in New York So
city. and Mrs. William Aslpr, who had
been Identified with the patriarchs from
the starting Of that organization, en-
largcd the scope of her entertainments
and as fnr as possible took Mrs Bel
monts place. II WAS not possible for
anybody to replace Mrs Belmont entire
Is for the reason that when the Patri-
arch balls were started Il new set Of
social conditions was put into operation.
The Patriarch balls were given by
and MS they became the fashionable
events of the winter season they not
only divided attention with such great
entertainments as Mrs, Belmont or any
social leader could give, but to a great
extent brCam" more important than any
private entertainment could lac. With
Patriarch balls IN full swing New York
society was not SO dependent upon Mrs.
Belmont, or any other single leader, and
a great de0l Of the Belmont power dis
appeared, and with it disappeared the
possibility that Mr., and Mrs Belmont
would have any successors TO WELD the
power that they had welded.
The autocrHtIC feature in New York
was gone There was great deal of
power left. of course, for Mrs. Aston TO
secure, and She promptly secured il. The
fact that she figured prominently
in tn" management Of the PatT-
arch balls through association with
the late Ward McAllister naturally
strengthened her hnnds. During the
years that have elapsed since that time
TIA" conditions Of social life have changed
still further and the accumulation of
large private fortunes has made If pos
SihIr for other men and women To- give
great entertainments and take prominent
ploc" ln society. Bnr. allowing for the
influence Of H." rnlriarch balls, Mrs,
A~tor'- leadership during all this time
has been all but absolute.
Family Fcud Starts
Nineteen years ago Mrs William Waldorf
Astnl made "a determined effort To- wrcSt
the .rnI,r-Hlp from Mrs William Asior.
There Wl4 family lWd II long stuud-
ing involved no this matter. Young Mrs.
AstDr VAS socially ambitious ana the
frud suddenly hubbcd into light on the
occasIw of the Washington centennial