The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-11-25
MRS. Aston, RULER
OF SOCIETY, IS DEAD
Long a Leader of the Fashionable
Life of New York.
HEART TROUBLE KILLED Her
Swayed Her Set by Dignity, Not
Northumberland in Reign
Smile or Frown Recognized or
Denied Social Ambitions.

oS .
New York City.-Mrs. William
Aston, for almost half a century the
undisputed head of American society
and the arbiter Of the social fortunes
Of Americans in London, Paris, Ber-
lin, Madrid, Vienna, st. Petersburg
and other European capitals, died
from heart trouble in her home, at
No. 842 Fifth avenue. DR.. Austin
Flint, Jr., the family physician, had
spent three days and three nights at
her bedside. With him most Of the
time was DR.. Billings. They ex-
hausted every known resource Of
medical science to save the life of
Mrs. Aston.
The news was flashed Immediately
the length and breadth OF the social
world. Wherever 1t went It was re-
ceiVed with sorrow and regret, so
great was the affection in which Mrs.
Astor a held by those who so many
years had availed themselves gladly
~ hC1 ooSlol lCouCl ohlPt - ~ r.. ~. -
No untitled woman in the world,
perhaps, rel exercised such great
and far-reaching social power. Her
mere. word fixed the social status of
thousands Of aspiring families, not
only here but also abroad. There
were few men. or women, however
energetic in their social enterprises,
who succeeded in climbing over or
under the bars Mrs. Aston reared.
Her ban, which closed the doors of
the most exclusive set to such aspir-
ants here, operated just as effectively
In the social centres in Europe. On
the other hand, those who went to
Europe bearing the seal Of approval
Of Mrs. Astor were welcomed every
where.
On this side Of the water Mrs. As
tor was as supreme socially In New
port, Bar Harbor and the other social
centres as she was IN Fifth avenue.
It was admitted on all sides that q
woman who could Withstand the pleas
Of many Of the richest families In the
world for recognition, who could defy
the thunderfngs Of industrial kings
upon the portals of society, and who
could command Ward MacAllister to
cut down her own set from approx
mately 1000 to 400 without being de-
throned from her queenship by a
| revolution, could do anything she es-
sayed to do.
Mrs. Astor's maiden name was Car
oline Webster Schermerhorn, and she
was born on September %, 1880.
Her parents were Abraham Scher-
merhorn, a well known New York
lawyer, and Helen (White) Scher-
merhorn. The family is descended
from Jacob Janse Schermerhorn, one
| Of the first settlers of New Neither
land, who came to New York on the
ship Van Rensselaerwyck in 1885. .
! Five children were born to Mr. and
| Mrs. Astor, of whom three survive.
The surviving ones are Colonel John
Jacob Astor, who in February, 1891,
welded Miss Ava LowleN Willing, In
Philadelphia; Mrs. George Ogilvie
! Haig, formerly Mrs. j. Coleman
| Drayton, and Mrs. M. Orme Wilson
who was formerly Miss Caroline AS
tor, and whose marriage to Mr.. vii.
son, was celebrated at the Astor man
sion on November IS, 1884. The ED
est daughter, Emily, who married
Mr.. James J. Van Allen, Of Newport
! died many years ago, and Helen AS
tor, who married Mr., ]. Roosevelt
Roosevelt, died in Ascot, England
when her husband was secretary Of
the American Legation in London in
der Thomas F. Bayard.