Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-05-11
ASTOR'S FIRST
WIFE'S LIFE
in LONDON
WAS A LEADER IN SOCIETY
Found Lite Among English
Very Pleasant

New York, May 1O-Ava Willing
Aston, the first wife of the late Johl
Jacob Aston, is the daughter of Ed
ward S. Willing of Philadelphia. A
the time of her marriage, Feb. II
1891, she was considered one of the
most beautiful and accomplished
young women in this country.
In 1909, after eighteen years II
married life, rumors of domestic in
felicity became current, and little sur
prise was manifested when Mrs. AS
tor sued for divorce. Every efforJ
was made to keep the facts secret I'M
til the decree was signed, and to this
day the name of the correspondent
has never been made public. Mrs.
Astor was freed in March, 1910, while
Co. AstOr was cruising in the West
Indies and Mrs Astor visiting friends
in the West
Two children had been born of the
marriage Vincent and Alice Murie!.
By the terms of the decree the custody
of the former was awarded to the
father, and that of the latter to the
mother 1t was stipulated that the
children might visit their parents
from time to time. The financial set
Element was made public, but it was
acknowledged that Col. Astor made a
liberal allowance for his wife In well
Informed quarters it was said that a
lump sum, running into the millions,
had been paid, and that in addition
Mrs. Aston was to receive yearly
allowance Some months after the
divorce it was learned that Mrs. Astor
received the rental from the property
at the northeast corner of Broadway
and Forty-second- street, amounting to
100000 year.
Imediately after the divorce Mrs
Astor sailed for London, where she es~
tablished herself in a modest house on
Hill street and began entertaing in a
small way. She was entertained By
Lord and Lady Charles Beresford, the
Marquis and Marchioness of Sails
bury, Lord and Lady Iveagh, the
Countess Kilmorey and wealthy and
influential Americans living or visiting
in London.
For a time she called herself By
her full married name, but later her
visiting cards bore simply Mrs. Ava
Aston. She then moved into a more
pretentious house, No. 81 Portman
square, formerly occupied by Lady
Winifred Renshaw, a sister of the
tertainments that set all London talk
ing.
Mrs. Astor turned a deaf ear to
scores of admirers. Rumor had her
engaged to several mobiles, but in every
instance she denied with smile that
she had so much as the slightest af-
fair of the heart Among those with
whom her name was linked was Lord
Curzon, once Viceroy of India.
TIE rumor concerning Lord Curzon
arose from the fact that Mrs. Astor
and her friend, the Duchess of Marl-
borough, were among the guests en-
tertained the former Viceroy on his
estate near Baskingstroke, and Lord
Curzon did not attempt to conceal his
admiration for the charming Ameri-
can woman.
Following her arrival in London
from America Mrs. Astor found her
position in society a little less agree
able than it had been in former days,
but her dignitied ways and gracious
ness gained her firm friends, and she
told those close to her that she was
exceedingly happy The circle OF &C
uuaintances gradually enlarged until
if came to be known as the "Astor
Set" admittance to which was much
sought and highly priced.
A short time ago Mrs. Aston took up
residence in Grosvenor SQUARE, where
she was entertaining lavishly when
the news came that her former hus-
band had gore down with the Titanis.
She then hurried to New York to be
with her son, whom she had seldom
seen since the divorce.