Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/157

ASTOR.ASTOR. instrumentality of his wife, were multifarious. In 1879 he gave to the Astor library three lots of land on Lafayette place, upon which he afterward erected the North library building, the construction of which cost $250,000. To this latter he added a very valuable gift of rare manuscripts and books, and bequests of $400,000 for the purchase of books, and $50,000 as a trust fund for the payment of the trustees. In conjunction with his brother William, he presented the reredos and altar to Trinity church, New York, in memory of his father. The New York cancer hospital owes its existence to his liberality, and the woman's hospital and children's aid society were largely benefited. In 1887 after the death of his wife, he gave her magnificent collection of laces to the Metropolitan museum of art. He was so quiet and simple in his tastes and habits, so unostentatious, so correct and careful in his expenditures, as to win a name for eccentricity, while his unassuming charity was brightening hundreds of lives. He bequeathed $100,000 to the New York cancer hospital, $100,000 to St. Luke's hospital, and $50,000 to the Metropolitan museum of art. He died Feb. 22, 1890. ASTOR, John Jacob, 4th, soldier, was born in Rhinebeck, N.Y., July 13, 1864; son of William and Caroline (Schermerhorn) Astor. He was educated at St. Paul’s school, Concord, N.H., and at Harvard college. He travelled extensively in the United States, Europe and Asia, much of the time on his commodious steam yacht. His farm at Rhinebeck-on-Hudson was conducted on model plans, and he became an intelligent breeder of stock. He gave to Trinity church, New York city, as a memorial to his father, the six bronze doors designed by Karl Bitter and placed in position in 1895, and to the Church of the Messiah at Rhinebeck, N.Y., in 1898, its elegant chancel window, also a memorial. He invented a labor-saving device for the improvement of roadways. In April, 1898, he offered to the government free transportation for troops and munitions of war over the railroads under his control in the middle western states, and he equipped a battery of artillery of 6 guns, 150 men, and 54 horses, at an expense of $75,000 for the Spanish-American war. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of U.S. volunteers. May 4, 1898, and served on the staff of Maj.-Gen. W. R. Shaffer as inspector, general during the war with Spain. He was married in 1891 to Ava, daughter of Edward S. Willing of Philadelphia. He is the author of "A Journey in Other Worlds" (1890). ASTOR, William, capitalist, was born in New York city, July 12, 1830, second son of William B. and Margaret Rebecca (Armstrong) Astor, and grandson of John Jacob Astor. In 1849, he was graduated at Columbia college, after which he travelled in the Orient, and returned to take charge of his father's estate in 1853. He gave largely in charity, but always in secret. He was a devout churchman, a vestryman of Trinity parish, and a generous supporter of struggling churches. He was fond of horses and kept a breeding farm for blooded stock at his place on the Hudson. For a time he was interested in the turf. His favorite recreation was yachting He bequeathed $50,000 to the Astor library, and $145,000 to other institutions. He married Caroline Schermerhorn of New York, and left a son, John Jacob Astor, 4th. He died in Paris. France, April 25. 1892. ASTOR, William Backhouse, capitalist, was born in New York. Sept. 19, 1792, son of John Jacob, 2d, and Sarah (Todd) Astor. He was educated in the public schools and in 1808 was sent to Heidelberg, where he studied until 1810, he then went to Göttingen, where he had as his tutor the Chevalier Bunsen. He returned to New York in 1815 when his father took him into partnership, and embarked in the china trade under the firm name of John Jacob Astor & Son. In 1827 the partnership was dissolved, the Astors retiring from the china trade, and the American fur company began business, with William B. Astor as its president. Mr. Astor married Margaret Rebecca, daughter of John and Alida (Livingston) Armstrong, her mother being a daughter of Robert R. Livingston and her father the secretary of war under President Madison. On the death of his father Mr. Astor retired from commerce and occupied himself with the affairs of his vast estate. He followed the policy of his father in regard to the buying of land and the building of first-class houses. He followed his father's example also, in regard to his benefactions. The Astor library building was finished by him in 1853, and he gave to it in gifts and bequests the sum of $550,000; he also gave $50,000 to St. Luke's hospital, and left many bequests to charitable objects. His estate at his death was valued at $45,000,000, which was divided between his two elder sons, John Jacob and William, his younger son Henry being disinherited on account of his marriage. Henry, however, was a beneficiary by the will of his grandmother, and with the Astor prudence he accumulated an independent fortune. William B. Astor died Nov. 24. 1875. ASTOR, William Waldorf, diplomatist, was born in New York. March 31, 1848, son of John Jacob, 3d. and Charlotte Augusta (Gibbs) Astor. and grandson of William B. Astor. He was educated by private tutors in the United States and Europe, and was graduated at the law school of Columbia college in 1875. He was elected a member of the state assembly in 1877 as a Republican, and of the state senate in 1879, serving on the committees on militia, cities, judiciary