Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-11-22
WILLIAM Y. ASTOR
BECOMES MASTER
OF HIS FORTUNE
Young Man Reaches Majority
And Inherits S65.000.000.
HE NOW ENTERS THE
BUSINESS WORLD

Son Of Titanic Victim Is Twenty one
Years old Today, Ard Comes Into
Possession OF a crea, Fortune
Was Delicate Child And Careful
" Nureed For Years.
NEW YORK. Nov IS W1llam
Vincent Aator. head oi the American
branch OF ne Aator family since the
death Of his father, John Jacob Asior
who vent 20 his death on the steamer
Titanic on the morning 81 April Is
1914 reached his majority today. aud
By virlne of the FACT came into fulicon.
troll OF ihe Aston fortune which ie con.
acrvatiyely estimated 81 S65 ,a00, UQn
When The estate was appraised by ex.
ptrts shortly after ths death Of rol
jeha Jacob Aster. 20 determine the
amount of inheritance taX 20 DC paid
tie aeFregate value Of the eatate was
s,aced Il hetweeh $40 ma eco and $50,
an.iea "A these 'lp-ras ara Official
and probably nearly correct as pos.
slbie under the circumstances tho
amount Of The fortune into the posses-
sion Of which younT William vincent
Astor came today may easily be es-
tmateG
Under the terms Of Colonel Astof's
win William Vincent Astor was made
reaidGary Iegatee The shores 81 AL
Other heirs we're liked Ia plain terina
by the win itself Mrs Madeline Tai
mage Force Aston. the widow. received
for life or until marriage the income
from S. 600 900 aud the use of the
Firth Avenue home OF her late hua.
band. as well az s150,000 outright.
Muriel Astor. n daughter by Colonel
Astor'A first marriage received a trust
fund OF S5.oe0000. A similar FUND OF
81 100000 WIS provided Tor John ia
cob Aston. H. he posthumous child
OF Colonel Astor Other requests ag-
gregated nearly s500.0o0 Deducting
these trusts and requests from the ea-
timated total value OF the estate would
place William Vincent Astor's share at
about s65,00o.000
No ABtor has ever come into the
family fortune at 80 young an age
as William Vincent Aufor Hts faith
or was % before he succeeded, and
his grandfather was CO. Ills great.
grandfather, John Jacob H.. was ca.
aud his father, William Baekhouse T.,
was 56
William Vincent Astor was born In
the old Aston home on Fifth avenue
and Thlrtyfourth street on November
Is, 1891, Eve minutes before his grand.
father died and Isis father became head
OF the house File was so frail baby
that only unremitting care kept him
alive He lived IN the ioneliest child
hood because Of this and. when other
children romped in the open air. he
sat over a toy piano IN q nursery 90
which no playmate ever came. Ser.
wants saved him every exertion.
nurses were always with him. physi.
cians awaited calls 10 him that had
precedence over all others.
Six years Of this uneeasing atten-
ton brought Vincent Aston to degree
or health It had been thought he never
could attain Newport was aatonish.
cd TO see him come there FIVE years
ago and take an active part ia the
sports Of the summer colony II was
still more astonished at his great III
tereat IN automohlinR He drove bis
town ear with daring skill, although
he was only 16 years OF age His faith
er. wishing TO strengthen the boys
health by keeping him ont Of doors as
much as possible. encouraged his fond
ness for automobiiing aud yachting,
but although Vincent Aston continued
TO retain certain amount Of interest
In the sailing sport, be devoted The
greater share Of his interest to auto
AS boy of IL or 70 William Vim.
cent Astor passed through severe sick
nesses and had to undergo several op.
erations Every year he was taken
70 ST. Horitz or the Riveria on account
Of bronchial trouble The constant
care required by HIS delicate health
retarded his education to some extent.
He was sent to Elton. but soon return
ed because the English boys at that
famous school made life a burden to
the rich young American. He went
course at ST. Georges, at
Newport and then entered Harvard
for a threeyear course lie
to take his bachelor degree
and then study Law, but all these plans
were changed through the death OF
his father and the change IN condi-
tons caused thereby
During his college days William
Vincent Aston made an attempt 70 90
in for athletics and was assigned a
place IN the freshmen crew, bur soon
and confined himself to a
life Of luxury and daring automobile
Ing. He became noted for his speed (
ing and repeatedly came in conflict
with the speed laws.
It Is not surprising that William I
Vincent Aston Is considered he Great !
est catch BY the mothers Of marriage /