New-York tribune., 1919-10-20

Lawrence, Of Boston. Her brother,
J. w. Paul, served in the Union army
during the Civil War and afterward
married daughter of A. J. Drexel
The wedding was marked by its SIM
pIicity. For young man who was ex-
pected to become the richest man in
America, it was exceedingly plain.
The couple lived for time at 8 East
Thirty-third Street They had four chill
dren, William Waldorf Astor. jr.. born in
1879, now major and Parliamentary
secretary of Great Britain's Ministry Of
Food; Pauline Astor, born in 1880;
John Jacob Astor, jr., born in 1886,
who Is now a captain in the lst Life
Guards. and Gwendolin Astor, born in
1889, who died in 1902.
Mr.. Astor sailed for Europe on Sep
tember 81, 1890, taking his family with
him. He returned to his native land
only few times. 1t had become
rumored in society when he left
America that he did not intend to re-
turn for any length of time, but it was
known to only a few that Mr.. Astor
had alreadv began preparations to
make England his home. For several
reasons Mr.. Astor forsook the land Of
his birth and became British subject.
His reason was set forth by him in
"The Pail Mall Magazine" AS follows:
I'm America my great -grandfather's
life and character have been distorted
and caricatured until only an odd trav-
esty survives. BY the press, in par
ticular, with the exception of few
serious journals, he has been continu-
ally derided and reviled with that spirit
of pure malignity which pursues the
successful man. 1t is not democratic
to climb so high.
"Such is the infirmity Of our nature
that it is difficult for an individual to
disregard the depressing influence of
an habitual atmosphere of personal
abuse. remember when a lad hearing
my father say of some of the most
virulent of these attacks: 1T is enough
to make one wish to abandon such
country! An opinion / subsequently
learned to share"
His Rise in England
Mr.. Astor was raised TO the peerage
January /, 1919, assuming the title Of
Baron Astor Of Hever Castle. In June.
1917, he was made viscount.
One of the finest country places in
England is Clivedsr, which Mr.. Astor
purchased from the Duke Of West
minister. It is one of the great show
places of England. Here Mrs. Astor
died after a long illness on December
20. 1894.
When he first went to England he
leased the Lansdowne House, which
contains one of the finest collections
Of pictures TO be found in any house
in England. Mr.. Astor paid the Duke
Of Westminster 81 $50, 900 for Cliveden.
Mr.. Astor never remarked, although IT
was reported at onr time that he was
engaged to Lady Randolph Churchill,
formerly Miss Jennie jerome, of New
York
Two Of Viscount Astor's children are
married Miss Pauline Astor was mar.
ried to Captain Hugh Spender Clay,
formerly of I'd Life. Guards, who wa.
compelled to resign from the regiment
in 1902.
They have one child, daughter. Mr.
Astor's elder son, William Waldorf
Astor jr., married Mrs. Mamie Lang
thorne Shaw, divorced wife of Robert
Gould Shaw, Of Boston. The other
son, John Jacob Astor, is an officer in
the list Life Guards.
Astor Fortune Collective
For many years no one has tried to
estimate the amount of William Wal
dorf Astor's fortune. This is due
principally because most Of his hold
ings are included in the Astor estate
and not reckoned individually. The
collective fortune Of the family was
recently placed at $450.C00,O 600 This
amount is directly due to the foresight
Of the original John Jacob Astor, who
came to this country from Germany a
poor boy. By shrewd work ne slowly
invested in New York real estate and
laid the foundations for the present
Astor millions.
Before Mr.. Astor sailed for London
after his last visit to America he paid
$450,000 to the Tax Department of this
city as the amount Of his taxes on
his New York real estate for the year
1904. The Astor taxes for that year
we're close to Sl.000,0O0, while the next
highest amount, $400 900, was paid by
the Vanderbilt family.
When MIR. Astor lived in this coun-
try he paid taxes in this city on an
assessment of S2000,000 on personal
property. At various times Mr.
Astor was member Of the official
boards of the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western Railroad Company, the Della
ware & Hudson Canal Company, the