Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-11-16
BECOMES MASTER
OF $@65,OOO,OOO
Young Ast0r Reached Ills
Majority and Has Control Of
Fathers Fortune
Is Considered q Great Catch
by Many Mothers Of Mar
rlageab|e Daughters

NEW YORK, Nov. William Vim
cent Astor, head OF the american
branch OF the Ast0r family since the
death of his father, jain Jacob Astor,
who went to his death on the steamer
Titanic on the morning OF April 10,
1912, reached his majority today and
by virtue of this fact came into full
control Of the Aston fortune which Is
c~onservat;veiy estimated at $4,000, 700
When the estate was appraised by en-
perts shortly after the death OF Col.
A.stor, to determine the amount OF in
heriance tax to be paid, the aggregate
value Of the estate was placed at be-
tween SIS, 900, 900 and $50, 000, 900. AS
these figures are official and probably
as nearly correct as possible under the
circumstances, the amount OF the for
tune into possession of which young
william Vincent AstOr came today,
may easily be estimated.
Under the terms Of Col. Astor's Will
William Astor was made residuary leg.
atee. The shares of all other heirs
were fixed in plain terms by the VIII
itself. Mrs. Madeline Talmage Force
Aston, the widow, received for life, or
until remarriage, the income from So
600, 900 and the use of the Fifth Ave.
nue. home of her late husband as we'll
as 100000 outright. Muriel Astor, a
daughter, by Col. Astor's first marriage
received a trust fund Of $5,O0O,O 600. A
similar fund of 5 $4,000, 900 was provid-
ed for John Jacob Astor ILL.,, the pos
thumous child of Col. Aston. Other
requests aggregated nearly $4,000.
Deducting these trusts and requests
from the estimated total value of the
estate would place William Vincent
Astor's share at about $4,000 900.
No Aston has ever come into the
family fortune at 81 young an age as
William Vincent Astor. His father
was twenty-eight before he succeeded,
and his grandfather was sixty. His
great grandfather, John Jacob, was If
ty-three and his father, William Back
house l., was tirty-six.
William Vincent Astor was born In
the old Astor homestead on Fifth Av'
eune. and Thirty-fourth street on No
vemJber Is, 1891, five months before
his grandfather died and his father
became head of the house. He was SC
frail a baby that only unremitting care
kept him alive. He lived the lOnliest
childhood because Of this and, when
other children romped in the open air,
he sat over a toy piano in a nursery,
TO which no playmates ever came. Ser
wants saved him every eXertton, nurses
were always with him; physicians
awaited calls to him that had prece'
dence over all others:
Six years or this unceasing atteH'
ton brought Vincent Astor to a de-
gree of health it had been thought ne
never could attain. Newport was as
tonished to see him come there five
years ago and take an active part IN
the sports of the summer colony. II
was still more astonishad at his great
interest in automobiling He drove
his own car with daring skill, although
he was then only sixteen years Of age
His father, Wishing to strengthen the
boys health by keeping him out OF
doors as much as possible, encouraged
his fondness for automobiling ant
yachting, but although Vincent Aston
continued to retain a certain fondness
for the sailing sport, he devoted the
greater share of his interest to auto
MODELLING. ...y g..
As a boy of twelve or thirteen Viii
liam Vincent Aston passed through Sc
we're %sicknesses and had to undergo
several surgical operations. Ever!
year he was taken to st. HoritZ or the
Rivera on account of bronchial troub
lie. The constant care required by his
delicate health retarded his education
to some extent. He was sent to Elton
but soon returned because the Eng
lish boys at that famous schol made
life a burden to the rich young Amer
lean. He went through a course at St
Georges, at Newport, and then enter
cd Harvard University for a three
years course. He intended to take his
bachelors degree and then study law
but all these plans were changed
through the death OF his father and
the change in conditions caused there
by.
During his college days William
Aston made an attempt to go In fol-
athletics and was assigned a place in
The freshman crew, but soon withdrew
and confined himself to a life OF luxury
and daring automobiling. He became
noted for his speeding and repeatedly
came in conflict with! the speed laws.
1t is not surprising that William AS
tor is considered the greatest catch
by the mothers of manageable daugh
tiers. There have been a number Of
rumors Of engagements of the young
mar to various society girls and 9th
ers, but SO far there seems to be nc
evidence that the young man has form
ed any attachment likely to lead to his
marriage in The nea future.