Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-08-24
NEW ASTOR BABY
John JACOB VI
VIII May Be Broken In Its Favor
Mother Survivor OF Titanic on
Which Father Went Down

Don't You wish you had been a Ss..
100000 baby? That Is the amount left
in trust for the rev Aston baby. TO
whom Mrs Madeleine Force Astor.
survivor of the Titanic disaster. in
which her husband, Colonel John Jacob
Astor, lost his life last April, gave
birth at s:15 O'Clock on the morning OF
Aug. H. The baby, who win be the
sixth TO bear the name OF the founder
of the Astor fortune, Is said to be
strong. well formed and TO bear strik-
ing resemblance TO his father. He
weighs seven and three-quarter pounds.
Mrs. Astor received many messages
OF congratnlation from her friends and
relatives. among them being a cable.
gram from Vincent Astor, at present
with his mother, MIRA Ava Willing AS
tor, on a motor trip on the European
continent. Shortly after the receipt of
the cablegram an immense box OF
| American Beauty roses came to Mrs
Aston from Fifth avenue florist. bear
ing the name of Vincent Astor.
The public interest that centered
around the posthumous child of Colonel
Astor had been responsible for new
institution. "the birth watcA' II Is
said that Mrs. Astor herself was In fa-
vor OF going to the country for the
event. but that she was persuaded to
go to New York by Vincent Astor. who
/ thought the proper place for an Astor
heir to be born was In the Astor home.
Baby Is Sixth John Jacob Astor.
The new arrival Is the sixth Of the
Aston name, this being the fifth genera
ton since the great-great-grandfather
came to America from Germany. The
fifth John jacob Astor has been chris
tened already in the youngest genera
tion-a son of William Waldorf Astor,
who has become citizen OF England
The first John Jacob Astor was born
in the village of Waldorf. Germany, In
July, 1T64. and died in New York in
March. 1913. His son, John Jacob As
tor H.. who was weak mentally, was
born in 1906 and died in 1884 without
issue. John Jacob Aston III, son Of
William p. Astor, died in December.
1887. John Jacob Astor w, his neph-
ew, was the Colonel Astor who died on
the Titanic, and he was the only son
of William b. Astor III. William Wal
dorf Astor, whose young son Is the
fifth to bear the name. is n cousin Of
the late Colonel Aston and son of John
Jacob Astor III.
Colonel Astor directed that in the
event that he should be survived by
any child or children other than his
son, William Vincent Astor, and his
daughter. Ava Alice Muriel Aston. each
child who should survive him should
be made the beneficiary Of $3000.000
trust fund until attaining majority.
This was the smallest provision made In
his will, which left $4,000. 900 until death
or remarriage to his widow, $1,000, 900
to Miss Muriel Aston, and the bulk Of
his estate TO william Vincent Aston
outright
HooSeVen Fanily inVoiVeu'
Although the new Astor baby Is to
receive a 100000 start in life from
the moment of birth, its real share in
the estate is practically much larger.
The will directed James Roosevelt
Roosevelt brother-in-law Of Colonel
Aston; Nicholas Biddle and Douglas
Robinson, brother-in-law of Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt, as trustees OF
Colonel Astor's last testament, to set
aside parts of his realty or personally
for the creation of the trust fund Of
100000
Even should the trustees elect to
make up the trust fund entirely Of
personality, instead of following the
Astor custom Of making real estate In
vestments, it was pointed out recent
ly that at compound interest at 8
per cent the child would have about
s1O,000000 on attaining majority. If
the trust fund is made up of realty In
New York city two or three times this
sum would not be too much to expect
In twenty-one years.
NeNeitHtitSS tieit - PNt7'e"t N'''"
that an attempt win be made to break
Colonel Astor's win so that his new
son may inherit larger share. 1t Is
one of the peculiarities of probate law
that an infant may wait until bis ma
jority to attack his fathers will as re-
CARDS personal property, but a distri-
button of real prosperity must be at
tackled Immediately. This provision
had Its origin in the desire Of the courts
to make sales Of real estate final and to
prevent the eiouding OF titles BY law
suits brought long afterward by heirs.
l,Any attack on the Astor will In behalf
OF the new Aston baby must be made
this year.