New-York tribune., 1919-06-03
First Mrs. Astor
Loses a Big Income
As She Weds Peer
Sacrifices Revenue From
Million-Dollar Estate in
Same Way as Colonel's
Second Wife, Friends Say

The former Mrs. Ava Willing Astor,
first wife OF the late Colonel John ia
cob Astar. drowned on the Titanic,
sacrificed the income of million dol
lar estate when she was married to
Lord Ribblesdale last Saturday in
London, intimate friends of the Astor
family indicated yesterday. The sec
ond Mrs. Astor. formerly Miss Made
leine Talmage Force, forfeited $4,000
900 and the custody of the palatial
Astor home on Fifth Avenue when she
became Mrs. William Karl Dick upon
her second marriage in June, 1916.
The first Mrs. Assor lost. it is esti-
mated, only the income which friends
said had been settled on her by Colo
rel Astor at the time of their divorce
Ii. March, 1910. Representatives of the
Astor estate declined to state the
terms under which the first Mrs. Astor
vas to continue to receive the settle
ment, though il was generally reported
that the allowance would expire in the
event of second marriage
The will of Colonel Astor showed
that an ante nuptial agreement had
settled S7s7,S97 on Mrs Ava Willing
Astor, and prior to the marriage ST..
'oS,3o6 was set aside for her in trust
fund. The will also showed that this
1und became a part of the resduary
estate reverting to their son Vincent
Astor because Mrs. Astor severed
marital relations.
Indications that the first Mrs. Astor
had a relatively small fortune after
her divorce is shown In the report of
the Astor will, which contained no
record of property left to Mrs Ava
Astor under her divorce decree. On
her return to New York from London
IN August, 1910. Mrs. Astor declared
before customs officer: 81 don't own
a square inch of the United States"
She had with her jewciry valued at
$4,000. on which there vas no duty
required.
III 1915 portion of the Willing cs-
tate of Philadelphia came to Mrs. Astor.
The estate was that left by John Rhca
Barton Willing and was in excess of
$l,o00,000. Mrs. Astor received a share
Of onefourth Of this estate At that
time Mas. Astor was entertaining con-
SiNcl0OiN III LoHuOH dl ncr manson III
Grosvcror Square. In 1913 he son Vim
cent Astor inherited the bulk of the As
tor estate. then approximately $87 .00O,-
600 Vincent Astor's share, amounting
20 ST 100000, made him tie vealthies
young man in this country. The will
set aside also d fund Of $1,000 900 for
Ava Alice Murie Astor. who by the
terms Of the divorce was to live with
her mother, Mrs. Ava Astor
Under two ante-nuptial agreements
between Colonel Astol and Miss Force
she received from him S1,695,752 The
money received by her under these
agreements was supposed to be in lieu
OF all dover interest in the property
Of Colonel Astor. Other amounts which
were undistutbed by Mrs. Astor's sec
ond marriage was the S3,000,000 trust
fund FOR. Colonel Astor's posthumoua
son. Joh8 Jacob Astor. 1t has been
estimated mat by the time the present
John Jacob .sstor attains his majority
his fortune viii have reached at least
S6.5C0,0OO Those familiar with the
Astor holdings declare that this sum
will approach s100o0.000 when he is
tWenty-one years old.
When the appraisal of the second
Mrs. Astor's $1,000 900 trust fund was
made in 1915 il was found to have IN
creased to 5000 .0l9. exclusive of the
property nemed in the ante-nuptial
agreements