The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-13
WHAT WIDOWS DO WITH MILLIONS
How Some of the Richest Women Of America Are Spend
ING Wealth Left TO Them.

fore her marriage 10 MI. rainier
she was Miss Bertha HOnore, and she
is a sister of Mrs. Frederick D. Grant.
She was much younger than her de-
ceased husband, who left her much
of his large fortune.
Several Of the Titanic widows nave
estates worth millions OF dollars. MRS.
John Jacob Astor. or Madeline L
Force that was, and Mrs. George ID.
Widener, of this city, are the most
Fortunate so far as this worlds goods
are concerned, though Mrs. Harry E.
Thayer was also left a large eS-
tate.
Mrs Widener is far weather. than
Mrs Astor, for it must be remember
ed that the bequestS received by the
latter had long strings tied to them.
On the other hand, Mrs Widener is
wealthy in her own right, exempt or
the millions left by her husband, as
she was a daughter Of the late Will
| liam Elkins and was one Of his heirs.
Mr. Widener left special instructions
! that his estate was not to be inven-
toried or appraised, but 1t was eSti-
mated to be worth $50, ,00O,0 Mrs.
| Widener, VINO was saved from the
! Titanic, was left one-third. She also
| received the entire estate of her son,
| Harry EIkins Widener who was lost
with his father. with the exception OF
his valuable collection of books, which
| he left to Harvard University. His
i mother later perpetuated his memory
1 by giving to the same institution $2,-
600 900 for the erection Of library
in his memory. Mrs Widener also re-
novated st. Paul's Church, Chelten-
ham, as memorial to her husband
| and SON.
Mrs. Wtdener will this year occupy
one of the handsOmest villas in New
mort 1t was erected at q cost of 81
900, ,000.
While Colonel Astor left his widow
a trust fund Of $5,0O0,0O0 and the use
Of the $5,00O,O00 mansion on Fifth
lAvenue, she will lose both if she re-
marries. She cannot even give them
to her own son. for in such case they
will revert to Vincent Astor. This
does not include her entire estate, for
Colonel Astor created an ante-nuptial
trust fund of $1.450, 200, and was said
to have given her several millions in
the bargain. John Jacob Astor, 3d.
who was born after his fathers DEATH
will receive $3,O0O,00O when he
, reaches his majority.
Mrs. AstOr has not been active So
{ cially since the Titanic catastrophe
but she recently opened her mansion
I for the first time to the public, wher
) a recital for the benefit Of foreign
missions was given in the ballroom
e The cards Of admission cost 50, anl
: it is said that $4,000 was made from
a the affair She has also been identi
a fed with the New York relief worl
: for the war victims.
: The first Mrs. John Jacob Astor, O.
g Mrs. Ava Willing Astor, lost a trus
e fund Of 1,738, 600 at her former hus
: bands death, for by the terms O
an ante-nuptial agreement this sun
reverted to her son, Vincent Astor. l
y was said, however that Mr. Astor set
,. tied $1o,o00,O00 upon his former wit
: at the time of the divorce.
g Mrc. Astor spends much Of her tim
g in England, though she comes to thi
;, country occasionally to see her son.
:. Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, whose hus
h band died while he was ambassado
- to Great Britain also has a forum
!. valued at many millions. Mr.. Rel
!, left his wife virtually his entire estat
a Of $780, 900, but she also has larg
- fortune independent of that amour
a which she received from the estate {
her father, D. Ogden Mills.
st New York has a number of mi
le lionaire widows, most prominent
er the number being Mrs. J. Pierpol
s. Morgan, Mrs. Cornelius VANDERBILT
70 ST., Mrs. George w. Vanderbilt, Mr.
re 20. II. p. Belmont and Mrs. Ogde
st Goelet.
us mrs Morgan received several mi
v lions from her husbands estate ar
e, considerable real estate. The great
h portions Of the immense fortune wei
ne to the son. ]. P. Morgan, Jr.
On Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt was give
n a large share of the 500, 900, OF
Id estate of her husband. She is Il
mother Of Cornelius Vanderbilt, j
'r- Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Regina
ed c. Vanderbilt and the Countess LASH
al SZechenyi, who before her marriaj
was Miss Gladys Vanderbilt
" The entire estate Of George W. Va
er derbilt, who died last year, was lie
IS, to his widow and daughter, t
o. former receiving about $4,000, ,0t
IN. Mrs. Vanderbilt spends most Of h
no time at the family estate at Biltmol
eS. n. G..
Mrs. Q. II. p. Belmont was also, b
is fore her divorce from her first hi
ter band, William K. Vanderbilt. a mel