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PEEFACE. e Southern t We all feel some curiosity respecting men who have been I eminent in any thing— even in crime ; and as this curiosity lis natural and universal, it seems proper that it should be * gratified. John Jacob Astor surpassed all the men of his generation in the accumulation of wealth. He began life a I poor, hungry German boy, and died worth twenty millions of I dollars. These facts are so remarkable, that there is no one who does not feel a desire to know by which means the resiflt was produced, and whether the game was played fairly. We all I wish, if not to be rich, yet to have more money than we now possess. I have known many kinds of men, but never one who '^ felt that he had quite money enough. The three richest men now living in the United States are known to be as much inter- I ested in the increase of their possessions, and try as hard to I increase them, as ever they did. I This universal desire ' to accumulate property is right, and I necessary to the progress of the race. Like every other proper [ and virtuous desire, it may become excessive, and then it is a I vice. So long as a man seeks property honestly, and values it as the means of independence, as the means of educating and comforting his family, as the means of securing a safe, dignified, and tranquil old age, as the means of private charity and public beneficence, let him bend himself heartily to his work, and enjoy the reward of his labors. It is a fine and pleasant thing ly PREFACE. to prosper in business, and to have a store to fall back upon in time of trouble. Let us beware, however, of regarding pro- perty as any thing but a means to important ends. ^ A considerable part of this little book appeared origi nally as , an article in Harper's Magazine. It was so frequently copied into the newspapers, as to lead to the conclusion that the public ,had a good deal of curiosity to know something of the famous millionaire. Hence the present publication, which was suggested by a worthy member of the American News Company, and to which I can see no reasonable objection. Some new matter has been added, and a copy of the Will of Mr. Astor has been His Pbi appended to the work. H The reader may learn from Astoh's career how money is accumulated. Whether he can^learn from it how money ought to be employed when it is obtained, he must judge for himself. In founding the Astor Library, John Jacob Astor did at least His Ch one magnificent deed, for which thousands unborn will honor his memory. That single act would atone for many errors. His Fa J. PARTON. New- York, May^ 1865. Hk Lsi His Ri His a His F m Hi Si His ] ick upon in yarding pro- )rigi nally as , antly copied t the public * the fLous CONTENTS. s suggested ^ my, and to matter has CHAPTER I. I has been His Personal Appkarancb 18 ■■If, . ' CHAPTER II. money is „ ,» flis Father and Brothers, 'o oney ought or himself. CHAPTER III. id at least His Childhood, 19 will honor CHAPTER IV. ny errors. He Leaves Home and Goes to London, 23 TON. «' CHAPTER V. His Residence in London, 27 f CHAPTER VL His Arrival in America, 80 I CHAPTER VII. I His First Employment in New-York, 33 .1 ■■ ■ 1 CHAPTER Vra. I He Sets Up for Himself, 88 m CHAPTER E. His Rapid Proorkss to Wealth, 48 w # VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. Anecdotes of His Closeness, 02 CHAPTER XI. How He Became so Enormously Rich, 67 CHAPTER XII. One or His Speculations, 62 CHAPTER XIII. His Greatest Enterprise, 67 CHAPTER XIV. He Retires from Business and Builds the Astor House, . 71 CHAPTER XV. His Visit to Europe, .76 CHAPTER XVI. His Last Years, 79 CHAPTER XVII. How He Disposed of His Property, 82 CHAPTER XVIIL The Astor Estate Now, 87 The Will of John Jacob Astor, 90 A Codicil to the Will of John Jacob Astor, . . . loi Second Codicil, IQg Third Codicil, hq Fourth Codicil, 113 A Further Codicil, . . . ," 114. Sixth Codicil, 118 Seventh Codicil, 12o Eighth Codicil, 121 ;* -:^i 62 67 It THE . 62 LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOE. -•■♦'♦- . 71 . 79 82 87 90 . 101 106 . no 113 . lU 118 . 120 121 1 :^f CHAPTER I. HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE. In the hall of the Astor Library, on the sides of two of the pillars supporting its lofty roof of glass, are two little shelves, each holding a single work, never taken down anu seldom perused, but nevertheless well worthy the attention of those who are curious in f;he subject of which they treat, namely, the human face divine. They are two marble busts, facing each other ; one of the founder of the Library, the other of its first presi- dent, "Washington Irving. A finer study in physiog- nomy than these two busts present can nowhere be found ; for never were two men more unlike than Astor and Irving, and never were character and per- sonal history more legibly recorded than in these por- traits in marble. The countenance of the author is round, full, and handsome, the hair inclining to curl, and the chin to double. It is the face of a happy and genial man, formed to shine at the fireside and to beam 14 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. from the head of a table. It is an open, candid, liberal, hospitable countenance, indicating far more power to please than fo compel, but displaying in the position and carriage of the head much of that dignity which we are accustomed to call Eoman. The face of the millionaire, on the contrary, is all strength; every line in it tells of concentration and power. The hair is straight and long ; the forehead neither lofty nor ample, but powerfully developed in the perceptive and executive organs ; the eyes deeper set in the head than those of Daniel Webster, and overhung with immense bushy eyebrows ; the nose large, long, and strongly arched, the veritable nose of a man-compelier ; the mouth, chin, and jaws all denoting firmness and force; the chest, that seat and throne of physical power, is broad and deep, and the back of the neck has some- thing of the muscular fullness which we observe in the prize-fighter and the bull ; the head behind the ears showing enough of propelling power, but almost totally wanting in the passional propensities which waste the force of the faculties, and divert the man from his principal object. As the spectator stands midway between the two busts, at some distance from both, Irving has the larger and the kinglier air, and the face of Astor seems small and set. It is only when you get close to the bust of Astor, observing the strength of each feature and its perfect proportion to the rest — force everywhere, superfluity nowhere — that yon recognize the monarch of the counting-room ; the brain which nothing could confuse or disconcert, the purpose that nothing could divert or defeat ; the man who could with ease and pleasure grasp and control t THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 15 libera], 3wer to )Osition which of the every he hair fty nor ve and d than imense rongly r; the force ; tver, is some- inthe e ears ilmost which I man ;tands from ", and when J the Dn to -that ; the t, the man ntrol ■■?4 the multitudinous concerns of a business that em- braced the habited and the unhabited globe — that employed ships in every sea, and men in every clime, and brought in to the coffers of the merchant the revenue of a king. That speechless bust tells us how it was that this man, from suffering in his father's poverty-stricken house the habitual pang of hunger, arrived at the greatest fortune, perhaps, ever accumu- lated in a single lifetime ; you perceive that whatever thing this strong and compact man set himself to do, lie would be certain to achieve unless stopped by something as powerful as a law of nature. The monument of these two gifted men is the airy and graceful interior of which their busts are the only ornament. Astor founded the Library, but it was probably his regard for Irving that induced him to appropriate part of his wealth for a purpose not in harmony with his own humor. Irving is known to us all, as only wits and poets are ever known. But of the singular being who possessed so remarkable a genius for accumulation, of which this Library is one of the results, little has been imparted to the public, and of that little the greater part is fabulous. HIS FATHER AND BROTHERS. A HUNDRED years ago, in the poor little village of Waldorf, in the duchy of Baden, lived a jovial, good- for-nothing butcher, named Jacob Astor, who felt him- self much more at home in the beer-house than at the fireside of his own house in the principal street of the village. At the best, the butcher of Waldorf must have been a poor man ; for, at that day, the inhabit- ants of a German village enjoyed the luxury of fresh meat only on great days, such as those of confirmation, baptkim, weddings, and Christmas. The village itself was remote and insignificant, and though situated in the valley of the Rhine, the native home of the vine, a region of proverbial fertility, the immediate vicinity of Waldorf was not a rich or very populous country. The home of Jacob Astor, therefore, seldom knew any medium between excessive abundance and extreme scarcity, and he was not the man to make the super- fluity of to-day provide for the need of to-morrow; which was the more unfortunate as the periods of abundance were few and far between, and the times of scarcity extended over the greater part of the year. It was the custom then in Germany for every farmer to provide a fatted pig, eulf, or bullock against the # CHAPTER II. m ■m THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 17 time of harvest ; and as that joyful season approached the village butcher went the round of the neighbor- hood, stopping a day or two at each house to kill the animals and convert their flesh into bacon, sausages, or salt beef. During this happy time Jacob Astor, a merry dog, always welcome where pleasure and hi- larity were going forward, had enough to drink, and his family had enough to eat. But the merry time lasted only six weeks. Then set in the season of scarcity, which was only relieved when there was a festival of the church, a wedding, a christening, or a birthday in some family of the village rich enough to provide an animal for Jacob's knife. The wife of this idle and improvident bufcher was such a wife as such men usually contrive to pick up — industrious, saving, and capable ; the main-stay of his house. Often she remonstrated with her wasteful and beer-loving hus- band; the domestic sky was often overcast, and the children were glad to fly from the noise and dust of the tempest. This roistering village butcher and his worthy, much-enduring wife were the parents of our million- aire. They had four sons : George Peter Astor, born in 1752; Henry Astor, born in 1754; John Melchior Astor, born in 1759 ; and John Jacob Astor, born July 17, 1763. Each of these sons made haste to fly from the privations and contentions of their home as soon as they were old enough ; and, what is more re- markable, each of them had a cast of character pre- cisely the opposite of their thriftless father. They were all saving, industrious, temperate, and enter- prising, and all of them became prosperous men al -'*^ 18 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. !' n : i an early period of their career. They were all duly instructed in their father's trade; each in turn carried about the streets of Waldorf the basket of meat, and accompanied the father in his harvest slaughtering tours. Jovial Jacob, we are told, gloried in being a butcher, but three of his sons, much to his disgust, manifested a repugnance to it, which was one of the causes of their flight from the parental nest. The eldest, who was the first to go, made his way to Lon- don, where an uncle was established in business as a maker of musical instruments. Astor and Broad- wood was the name of the firm, a house that still exists under the title of Broad wood and Co., one of the most noted makers of pianos in England. In his uncle's manufactory George Astor served an appren- ticeship, and became at length a partner in the firm, Henry Astor went next. He alone of his father's sons took to his father's trade. It used to be thrown in his teeth, when he was a thriving butcher in the city of New-York, that he had come over to America as a private in the Hessian army. This may only have been the groundless taunt of an envious rival. It is certain, however, that he was a butcher in New- York when it was a British post during the revolutionary war, and, remaining after the evacuation, made a very large fortune in his business. The third son, John Melchior Astor, found employment in Germany, and arrived, at length, at the profitable post of steward to a nobleman's estate. 'S* ■"'^1 all duly 1 carried leat, and ghtering being a disgust, le of the It The to Lon- less as a Broad- hat still one of In his appren- he firm, father's thrown ' in the America ily have 1. It is tv-York tionarj a very I, John ly, and vard to CHAPTER III. HIS CHILDHOOD. Abandoned thus by his three brothers, John Jacob Astor had to endure for some years a most cbeerless and miserable lot. He lost his mother, too, from whom lie had derived all that was good in his charac- ter and most of the happiness of his childhood. A step-mother replaced her, " who loved not Jacob," nor John Jacob. The father, still devoted to pleasure, quarreled so bitterly with his new wife, that his son was often glad to escape to the house of a school- fellow, (living in 1854,) where he would pass the night in a garret or outhouse, thankfully accepting for his supper a crust of dry bread, and returning the next morning to assist in the slaughter-house or carry out the meat. It was not often that he had enough to eat ; his clothes were of the poorest description ; and, as to money, he absolutely had none of it. The unhappi- ness of his home and the misconduct of his father ma'^'^ him ashamed to join in the sports of the village boys ; and he passed much of his leisure alone, brood- ing over the unhappiness of his lot. The family increased, but not its income. It is recorded of him that he tended his little sisters with care and fond- ness, and sought in all ways to lessen the dislike and ill-humor of his step-mother. 20 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ^r I It is not hardship, however, that enervates a lad. It is indulgence and luxury that do that. He grew a stout, healthy, tough, and patient boy, diligent and skillful in the discharge of his duty, often supplying the place of his father absent in merry-making. If, in later life, he overvalued money, it should not be for- gotten that few men have had a harder experience of the want of money at the age when character is forming. The bitterest lot has its allevir.tions. Sometimes a letter would reach him from over the sea, telling of the good fortune of a brother in a distant land. In his old age he u§ed to boast that in his boyhood he walked forty-five miles in one day ^or the sole pur- pose of getting a letter that had arrived from England or America. The Astors have always been noted for the strength of their family affection. Our millionaire forgot much that he ought to have remembered, but he was not remiss in fulfilling the obligations of kin- dred. It appears, too, that he was fortunate in having a better schoolmaster than could generally be found at that day in a village school of Germany. Valentine Jeune was his name, a French Protestant, whose parents had fled from their country during the reign of Louis XIV. He was an active and sympathetic teacher, and bestowed unusual pains upon the boy, partly because he pitied his unhappy situation, and partly because of his aptitude to learn. Nevertheless the school routine of those days was extremely limited. To read and write, to cipher as far as the Rule of Three, to learn the Catechism by heart, and to sing THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 21 es a lad. e grew a jent and -ipplying ;. If, in t be for- perience -racter is etimes a lling of .nd. In 30od he ole pur- Sngland oted for lionaire -ed, but of kin- iving a 3und at ilentine whose e reign >athetic le boy, n, and theless imited. ^ule of o sing the Church Hymns " so that the windows should rat- tle " — these were the sole accomplishments of even the best pupils of Valentine Jeune. Baden was then under the rule of a Catholic family. It was a saying in Wal- dorf that no man could be appointed a swine-herd who was not a Catholic, and that if a mayoralty were vacant the swine-herd ijaust have the place if there were no other Catholic in the town. Hence it was that the line which separated the Protestant minority from the Catholic majority was sharply defined, and the Protestant children were the more thoroughly in- doctrinated. Kev. John Philip Steiner, the Protest- ant pastor of Waldorf, a learned and faithful minis- ter, was as punctilious in requiring from the children the thorough learning of the Catechism as a German sergeant was in exacting all the niceties of the parade. Young Astor became, therefore, a very decided Pro- testant ; he lived and died a member of the Church in which he was born. The great day in the life of a German child is that of his confirmation, which usually occurs in his four- teenth year. The ceremony, which was performed at Waldorf every two years, was a festival at once solemn and joyous. The children, long prepared beforehand by the joint labors of minister, schoolmaster, and parents, walk in procession to the church, the girls in white, the boys in their best clothes, and there, after the requisite examinations, the rite is performed, and the Sacrament is administered, * The day concludes with festivity. Confirmation also is the point of division between childhood and youth — between absolute dependence and the beginning of responsi- 22 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. i sjiU bility. After confirmation, the boys of a German peasant take their place in life as apprentices or as servants; and the girls, unless their services are re- quired at home, are placed in situations. Childhood ends, maturity begins, when the child has tasted for the first time the bread and wine of the communion. "Whether a boy then becomes an apprentice or a serv- ant depends upon whether his parents have been pro- vident enough to save a sum of money sufiicient to pay the usual premium required by a master as com- pensation for his trouble in teaching his trade. This premium varied at that day from fifty dollars to two hundred, according to the difficulty and respectability of the vocation. A carpenter or a blacksmith might be satisfied vdth a premium of sixty or seventy dollars, while a cabinet-maker would demand a hundred, and a musical-instrument maker or a clock-maker two hun- dred. On Palm Sunday, 1777, when he was about four- teen years of age, John Jacob Astor was confirmed. He then consulted his father upon his future. Money to apprentice him there was none in the paternal cof- fers. The trade of butcher he knew and disliked. Nor was he inclined to accept as his destiny for life the condition of servant or laborer. The father, who thought the occupation of butcher one of the best in the world, and who needed the help of his son, par- ticularly in the approaching season of harvest, paid no heed to the entreaties of the lad, who saw himself con- demned without hope to a business which he loathed, and to labor at it without reward. ^«(!? I Gennan ces or as 3s are re- ^hildhood basted for nmunion. or a serv- )een pro- Sicient to as com- [e. This s to two JCtability h might J dollars, red, and ;wo hun- •ut four- nfirmed. Money nal cof- lisliked. for life er, who best in on, par- paid no elf con- oathed, CHAPTER IV. HE LEAVES HOME AND GOES TO LONDON. A DEEP discontent settled upon him. The tidings of the good fortune of his brothers inflamed his desire to seek his fortune in the world. The news of the Revolutionary War, which drew all eyes upon Ame- rica, and in which the people of all lands sympathiz- ed with the struggling colonies, had its effect upon him. He began to long tor the "New Land," as the Germans then styled America ; and it is believed in "Waldorf that soon after the capture of Burgoyne had spread abroad a confidence in the final success of the colonists, the youth formed the secret determination to emigrate to America. Nevertheless, he had to wait three miserable years longer, until the surrender of Cornwallis made it certain that America was to be free, before he was able to enter upon the gratification of his desire. In getting to America, he displayed the same saga- city in adapting means to ends that distinguished him during his business career in New- York. Money he had never had in his life, beyond a few silver coins of the smallest denomination. His father had none to give him, even if he had been inclined to do so. It was only when the lad was evidently resolved to go 24 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ! ' ! I 1 IN f ! that he gave a slow, reluctant consent to his departure. Waldorf is nearly three hundred miles from the sea- port in Holland most convenient for his purpose. De- spite the difficulties, this penniless youth formed the resolution of going down the Khine to Holland, there taking ship for London, where he would join his bro- ther, and, while earning money for his passage to America, learn the language of the country to which he was destineu. It appears that he dreaded more the difficulties of the English tongue than he did those of the long and expensive journey ; but he was re- solved not to sail for America until he had acquired the language, and saved a little money beyond the ex- penses of the voyage. It appears, also, that there pre- vailed in Baden the belief that Americans were exceed- ingly selfish and inhospitable, and regarded the poor emigrant only in the light of prey. John Jacob was determined not to land among such a people without the means of understanding their tricks and paying his way. In all ways, too, he endeavored to get a know- ledge of the country to which he was going. With a small bundle of clothes hung over his shoul- der upon a stick, with a crown or two in his pocket, he said the last farewell to his father and his friends, and set out on foot for the Rhine, a few miles distant. Valentine Jeune, his old schoolmaster, said, as the lad was lost to view : "I am not afraid of Jacob ; he'll get through the world. He has a clear head and every thing right behind the ears." He was then a stout, strong lad of nearly seventeen, exceedingly well made, though slightly undersized, and he had a clear, com- posed, intelligent look in the eyes, which seemed to R. is departure, om the sea- rpose. De- formed the Hand, there 3in his bro- passage to y to which saded more e did those he was re- id acquired )nd the ex- b there pre- ere exceed- l the poor Jacob was le without paying his 't a know- his shoul- is pocket, is friends, es distant. as the Jad ; he'll get nd every a stout, ell made, ear, com- Bemed to THE LIFE OF JUFIX JACOll ASTOR. iio ratify the prediction of the schoolmaster. He strode manfully out of town, with tears in his eyes and a sob in his throat — for he loved his father, his friends, and his native village, though his lot there had been for- lorn enough. While still in sight of Waldorf, he sat down under a tree and thought of the future before him and the friends he had left. lie there, as he used to relate in after-life, made three resolutions : to be honest, to be industiious, and not to gamble — excel- lent resolutions, as far as they go. Having sat awhile under the tree, he took up his bundle and resumed his journey with better heart. It was by no means the intention of this sagacious youth to walk all the way to the sea-coast. There was a much more convenient way at that time of ac- complishing the distance, even to a young man with only two dollars in his pocket. The Black Forest is partly in Astor's native Baden. The rafts of timber cut in the Black Forest, instead of floating down the Rhine in the manner practiced in America, used to be rowed by sixty or eighty men each, who were paid high wages, as the labor was severe. Large numbers of stalwart emigrants availed themselves of this mode of getting from the interior to the sea-coast, by which they earned their subsistence on the way and about ten dollars in money. The tradition in Waldorf is, that young Astor worked his passage down the Rhine, and earned his passage-money to England as an oars- man on one of these rafts. Hard as the labor, was, the oarsmen had a merry time of it, cheering their toil with jest and song by night and day. On the four- teenth day after leaving home, our youth found him- 26 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. i I III!' self at a Dutch seaport, with a larger sum of money than he had ever before possessed. He took passage for London, where he landed a few days after, in total ignorance of the place and the language. His brother welcomed him with German warmth, and assisted him to procure employment — probably in the flite and piano manufactory of Astor and Broadwood. As the foregoing brief account of the early life of John Jacob Astor differs essentially from any pre- viously published in the United States, it is proper that the reader should be informed of the sources whence we have derived information so novel and un- expected. The principal source is a small biography of Astor published in Germany about ten years ago, written by a native of Baden, a Lutheran clergyman, who gathered his material in Waldorf, where were then living a few aged persons who remembered Astor when he was a sad and solitary lad in his father's disorderly house. The statements of this little book are confirm- ed by what some of the surviving friends and descend- ants of Mr. Astor in New- York remember of his own conversation respecting his early days. He seldom spoke of his life in Germany, though he remembered his native place with fondness, revisited it in the time of his prosperity, pensioned his father, and forgot not Walford in his will ; but the little that he did say of his youthful years accords with the curious narrative in the work to which we have alluded. We believe the reader may rely on our story as being essentially true. CHAPTER V. HIS RESIDENCE IK LONDON. -AsTOR brought to London, according to our quaint Lutheran, " a pious, true, and godly spirit, a clear un- derstanding, a sound youthful elbow-grease, and the wish to put it to good use." During the two years of his residence iu the British metropolis, he strove most assiduously for three objects : 1, To save money ; 2, to acquire the English language; 3, to get informa- tion respecting America. Much to his relief and grati- fication, he found the acquisition of the language to be the least of his difficulties. Working in a shop with English mechanics, and having few German friends, he was generally dependent upon the language of the coun- try for the communication of his desires ; and he was as mucti surprised as delighted to find how many points of similarity there were between the two languages. In about six weeks, he used to say, he could make himself understood a little in English, and long before he left London he could speak it fluently. lie never learned to write English correctly in his life, nor could he ever speak it without a decided German accent ; but he could always express his meaning with simpli- city and force, both orally and in writing. Trustwor- thy information respecting America, in the absence of m 28 TUB LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ' I :i|| maps, gazetteers, and books of travel, was more diffi- cult to procure. The ordinary Englishm.an of that day regarded America with horror or contempt as perverse and rebellious colonies, making a great to-do about a paltry tax, and giving "the best of kings" a world of trouble for nothing. He probably heard little of the thundering eloquence with which Fox, Pitt, Burke, and Sheridan were nightly defending the American cause in the House of Commons, and assailing the in- fatuation of the Government in prosecuting a hopeless war. As often, however, as our youth met with any one who had been in America, he plied him with ques- tions, and occasionally he heard from his brother in New- York. Henry Astor was already established as a butcher on his own account, wheeling home in a wheel-barrow from Bull's Head his slender purchases of sheep and calves. But the great difficulty of John Jacob in London was the accumulation of money. Having no trade, his wages were necessarily small. Though he rose with the lark, and was at work as early as five in the morning — though he labored with all his might, und saved every farthing that he could spare — it was two years before he had saved enough for his purpose. In September, 1783, he possessed a good suit of Sunday clothes, in the English style, and about fifteen English guineas — the total result of two years of unremitting toil and most pinching economy; and here again charity requires the remark tliat if Astor the millionaire carried the virtue of economy to an extreme, it was Astor the struggling youth in a strange land who learned the value of money. In that month of September, 1783, the news reached 3 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 29 ore diffi- tliat day perverse about a ivorld of e of the Burke, mericau • the in- lopeless ith any th ques- )tber in shed as ne in a irchases )f John money. ■ small, /•ork as 3d with } could 3nough jssed a le, and of two nomy; :liat if onomy th in a London that Dr. Franklin and his associates in Paris after two years of negotiation, had signed the defini- tive treaty which completed the independence of tlie United States. Franklin had been in the habit of pre- dicting that as soon as America had become an inde- pendent nation, the best blood in Europe, and some of the finest fortunes, would hasten to seek a career or an asylum in the jSTew "World. Perhaps ho would have hardly recognized the emigration of this ]30or German youth as part of the fulfillment of his prophecy. Nev- ertheless the news of the conclusion of the treaty had no hooner reached England than young Astor, then twenty years old, began to prepare for his departure for the '' New Land,*' and in November he embarked for Baltimore. He paid five of his guineas for a pass- age in the steerage, which entitled him to sailors' fare of salt beef and biscuit. He invested part of his re- maining capital in seven flutes, and carried the rest, about five pounds sterling, in the form of money. lached If CHAPTER YI. HIS ARRIVAL IN AMERICA. 11 if M America gave a cold welcome to tlie young emi- grant. The winter of 1783-4 was one of the celebrated severe winters on both sides of the ocean. November gales and December storms wreaked all their fury upon the ship, retarding its progress so long that January arrived before she had reached Chesapeake Bay. Float- ing ice filled the bay as far as the eye could reach, and a January storm drove the ship among the masses with such force, that she was in danger of being broken to pieces. It was on one of those days of peril and consternation that young Astor appeared on deck in his best clothes, and on being asked the reason of this strange proceeding, said that if he escaped with life he should save his best clothes, and if he lost it his clothes would be of no further use to him. Tradition further rcporuS that he, a steerage passenger, ventured one day to come upon the quarter-deck, when the cap- tain roughly ordered him forward. Tradition adds that that very captain, twenty years after, commanded a ship owned by the steerage passenger. When the ship was within a day's sail of her port the wind died away, the cold increased, and the next morning beheld the vessel hard and fast in a sea of ice. For two wliolo THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 31 ng emi- lebrated 3vember try upon January Float- ach, and masses )f being days of eared on e reason 3ed with )st it his Vadition ventured the cap- on adds manded lien the ind died J bchcsld o whole months she remained immovable. Provisions gave out. The passengers were only relieved when the iee extended to the shore, and became strong enough to afford communication with other ships and with the coasts of the bay. Some of the passengers made their way to the shore, and traveled by land to their homes, but this resource was not within the means of our ■ young adventurer, and he was obliged to stick to the ship. Fortune is an obsequious jade tbat favors the strong and turns her back upon the weak. This exasperating delay of two months was the means of putting young Astor upon the shortest and easiest road to fortune that the continent of America then afforded to a poor man. Among his fellow-passengers there was one German, with whom he made acquaintance on the voyage, and with whom he continually associated dur- ing the detention of the winter. They told each other their past history, their present plans, their future hopes. The stranger informed young Astor that he too had emigrated to America, a few years before, without friends or money ; that he had soon managed to get into the business of buying furs of the Indians, and of the boatmen coming to New-York from the river settlements ; that at length he had embarked all bis capital in skins, and had taken them himself to England in a returning transport, where he had sold them to great advantage, and had invested the pro- ceeds in tovs and trinkets, with which to continue his trade in the wilderness. lie stron*-dv advised Astor to follow his example. He told, him the prices of the various skins in America, and the prices they com- 32 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ^'i- i =« i manded in London. With German friendliness he imparted to him the secrets of the craft: told him where to buy, how to pack, transport, and preserve the skins ; the names of the principal dealers in New- York, Montreal, and London ; and the season of the year when the skins were most abundant. All this was interesting to the young man ; but he asked his friend how it was possible to begin such a business without capital. The stranger told him that no great capital was required for a beginning. With a basket of toys, or even of cakes, he said, a man could buy valuable skins on the wharves and in the markets of New-York, which could be sold with some profit to New- York furriers. But the grand object was to establish a connection with a house in London, where furs brought four or five times their value in America. In short, John Jacob Astor determined to lose no time after reaching New- York, in trying his hand at this profitable traffic. The ice broke up in March. The ship made its way to Baltimore, and the two friends traveled to- gether to New- York. The detention in the ice and the journey to New- York almost exhausted Astor's purse. He arrived in this city, where now his estate is valued at forty milHons, with little more than his seven German flutes, and a long German head full of available knowledge and quiet determination. He went straight to the humble abode of his brother Henry, a kindly, generous, jovial soul, who gave him a truly fraternal welcome, and received with hospita- ble warmth the companion of his voyage. ess he Id him reserve a New- of the Ul this ked his lusir.ess great basket Id buy kets of rofit to was to , where merica. no time at this lade its led to- ce and Astor's s estate uin his full of He brother ve him lospita- 1. CHAPTER YIT. HIS FIRST EMPLOYMENT IN NEW-YORK. Henry Astor's prosperity had been temporarily checked by the evacuation of New-York, which had occurred five months before, and which had deprived the tradesmen of the city of their best customers. It was not only the British army that had left the city in November, 1783, but a host of British officials and old Tory families as well; while the new-comers were Whigs, whom seven years of war had impoverished, and young adventurers who had still their career to make. During the Revolution, Henry Astor had speculated occasionally in cattle captured from the farmers of Westchester, which were sold at auction at Bull's Head, and he had advanced from a wheel-bar- row to the ownership of a horse. An advertisement informs us that, about the time of his brother's arri- val, this horse was stolen, with saddle and bridle, and that the owner offered three guineas re'vard for the recovery of the property ; but that " for the thief, horse, saddle, and bridle, ten guineas would be paid." A month after, we find him becoming a citizen of the United States, and soon he began to share in the re- turning prosperity of the city. In the mean time, however, he could do little for 84 TUE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. !ii': Lis new-found brother. During the first evening of his brother's .stay at his house the question was (lis cussed, What should the young man do in his new countiy ? The charms of the fur business were duly portrayed by the friend of the youth, who also ex- pressed his preference for it. It was agreed, at length, that the best plan would be for the young man to seek employment with some one already in the business, in order to learn the modes of proceeding, as well as to acquire a knowledge of the country. The young stranger anxiously inquired how much premium would be demanded by a furrier for teaching the business to a novice, and he was at once astonished and relieved to learn that no such thing was known in America, and that he might expect his board and small wages even from the start. So, the next day, the brothers and their friend proceeded together to the store of Kobert Bowne, an aged and benevolent Quaker, long established in the business of buying, curing, and exporting peltries. It chanced that he needed a hand. Pleased with the appearance and de- meanor of the young man, he employed him (as tra- dition reports) at two dollars a week and his board. Astor took up his abode in his master's house, and was soon at work. We can tell the reader with certainty what was the nature of the youth's first day's work in his adopted country ; for, in his old age, he was often heard to say that the first thing he did for Mr. Bowne was to beat furs ; which, indeed, was his principal employment during the whole of the following sum- mer — furs requiring to be frequently beaten to keep the moths from destroying them. TUE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 35 ling of bs dis- \\s new re duly 11 so cx- length, ' to seek |ness, in )11 as to young remiuni ling the onished nown in ird and ext day, ether to nevolcnt buying, that he and de- (as tm- s board, and was ;ertaintv work in ras often . Bowne )rincipal ug sum to keep Perhaps among our young readers there are some who have formed the resolution to get on in the world and become rich. We advise such to observe how young Astor proceeded. We are far from desiring to hold up this able man as a model for the young ; yet it must be owned that in the art of prospering in busi- ness he has had no equal in America; and in that his example may be useful. Now, observe the secret. It ^ was not plodding merely, though no man ever labored ■ more steadily than he. Mr. Bowne, discovering what a prize he had, raised his wages at the end of the first month. Nor was it merely his strict observance of the rules of temperance and morality, though that is essen- tial to any worthy success. The great secret of Astor's early, rapid, and uniform success in business appears to have been, that he acted always upon the maxim that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER ! Tie labored unceasinrow himself into his business. Growing rapidly in the confidence of his employer, he was soon intrusted with more important duties than the beating of furs. He was employed in buying them from the Indians and hunters who brought them to the city. Soon, too, he took the place of his employer in the annual journey to Montreal, then the chief fur mart of the country. With a pack upon his back, lii struck into the wilderness above AlbaJiy, and walked to Lake George, w^hich he ascended in a canoe, ami having thus reached Champhiin he embarked again. and sailed to the head of tliat lake. Returning witli his furs, he employed the Indians in transporting them to the Hudson, and. brought them to the city in a sloop. He was formed by nature for a life like this. His frame was capable of great endurance, and he had the knack of getting the best of a bargain. The Indian is a great bargainer. The time was gone bv when a nail or a little red paint would induce him to part with valuable peltries. It required skill and ad- dress on the part of the trader, both in selecting the articles likely to tempt the vanity or the cupidity of the red man, and in conducting the tedious negotiation which usually preceded an exchange of commodities. It was in this kind of traffic, doubtless, that our youncf German acquired that unconquerable propensity for making hard bargains, which was so marked a feature in his character as a merchant. He could never rise superior to this early-acquired habit. He never knew i THE LIFK OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 87 not, lio^T it wouli; 3artily din employer, uties thai] ying them t them to employer cliief fur back, be »d walketi anoe, and ed again, iiing with ting thcin city in a like this. id he had in. The > gone bj ce him to I and ad- icting the pidity of igotiation moditics. ar younir isity for a feature ever rise er knew what it was to exchange places with the opposite party, and survey a transaction I'rom his point of view. He exulted not in compensating liberal service liberally. In all transactions he kept in view the simple object of giving the least and getting the most. Meanwhile his brother Ilenry was flourishing. He married the beautiful daughter of a brother butcher? and the young wife, according to the fashion of the time, disdained not to assist her husband even in the slaughter-house as well as in the market-place. Colonel Devoe, in his well-known Market Book, informs us that Ilenry AsLor was exceedingly proud of his pretty wife, often bringing her home presents of gay dresses and ribbons, and speaking of her as " de pink of de Bowery." The butchers of that day complained bit- terly of him, because he used to ride out of town fifteen or twenty miles, and buy up the droves of cat- tle coming to the city, wliich he would drive in and sell at an advanced price to the less enterprising butchers, lie gained a fortune by his business, which would have been thought immense if the colossal wealth of his brother had not reduced all other estates to comparative insignificance. It was he who bought, for eight hundred dollars, the acre of ground, on part of which the old Bowery Theatre now stands. :''4 CHAPTER VIII. HE SETS UP FOR HIMSELF. '!;li: ill!' I John Jacob Astor remained not long in the em- ployment of Eobert Bowne. It was a peculiarity of the business of a furrier at that day, that, while it ad- mitted of unlimited extension, it could be begun on the smallest scale, with a very insignificant capital. Every farmer's boy in the vicinity of New-York had occasionally a skin to sell, and bears abounded in the Catskill Mountains. Indeed the time had not long gone by when beaver ^kins formed part of the currency of the city. All Northern and Western New- York was still a fur-yielding country. Even Long Island furnished its quota. So that, while the fur business was one that rewarded the enterprise of great and wealthy companies, employing thousands of men and fleets of ships, it afforded an opening to young Astor, who, with the assistance of his brother, could command a capital of only a very few hundred (Jollars. In a little shop in Water street, with a back-room, a yard, and a shed, the shop furnished with only a few toys and trinkets, Astor began business about the year 1Y80. He had then, as always, the most unbounded confi- dence in his own abilities. He used to relate that, at this time, a new row of houses in Broadway was the i^ THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 30 in the em- luliarity of rbile it ad- begun on nt capital. -York had ided in the not long e currency N'ew-York •ng Island r business great and men and ing Astor, command irs. In a n, a yard, few toys 7ear 1780. Jed confi- ;e that, at y was the talk of the city from their magnitude and beauty. Parsing tliem one day, he said to himself: '* 111 build sometime or other a gi'eater house than any of these, and in this very street." lie used also to say, in his old age, "The first hundred thousand dollars — that was hard to get ; but afterward it was easy to make more. M Having set up for himself, he worked with the quiet, indomitable ardor of a German who sees clearly his way open bulbre him. At first he did every thing for him- self Lie bought, cured, beat, packed, and sold his skins. From dawn till dark, he assiduously labored. At tlie proper seasons of the year, with his pack on his back, he made short excursions into the country, col- lecting skins from house to house, gradually extending the area of his travels, till he knew the State of New- York as no man of his day knew it. He used to boast, late in life, when the Erie Canal had called into being a line of thriving towns through the center of the State, that he had himself, in his numberless tramps, designated the sites of those towns, and pre- dicted that one day they would be the centers of busi- ness and population. Particularly he noted the spots where Rochester and Bulfalo now stand, one having a harbor on Lake Erie, the other upon Lake Ontario. Those places, he predicted, would one day be large and prosperous cities, and that prediction he made when there was scarcely a settlement at Biifialo and only wigwnms on the site of Rochester. At this time he had a partner who usually remained in the city, while the agile and enduring Astor traversed the wilderness. It was his first voyage to London that established 40 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. I his business on a solicV foundation. As soon ns he had accunuilatod a few bales of the skins suited to the l^u- ropean market, he took passage in the steerage of a ship and eonveyed them to London. He sold them to great advantage, and establislied connections with houses to which he could in future consign his furs, and from which he could procure the articles best adapted to the taste of Indians and hunters. But his most important operation in London was to make an arrangement with the firm of Astor & Broadwood, by which he became the New- York agent for the sale of their pianos, flutes, and violins. lie is believed to liave been the first man in New- York who ke})t con- stantly for sale a supply of musical merchandise, of which the annual sale in New- York is now reckoned at five millions of dollars. On his return to New- York, he opened a little dingy store in Gold street be- tween Fulton and Ann, and swung out a sign to the breeze bearinfr the words : FURS AXD PIANOS. There were until recently aged men among us who remembered seeing this sign over the store of Mr. As- tor, and in some old houses are preserved ancient pianos bearing the name of J. J. Astor as the seller tiiercof. Violins and flutvs, also, are occasionally met with that have his name upon them. In 1790, seven vears after his arrival in this citv, he was of sufficient importance to appear in the Directory thus : ASTOR, J. J., Fur Trader, 40 Little Dock street (now part of Water street.) ^_^ THE LIFE OF JOHN" JACOB ASTOR. 41 ns he had o the Ell- srage of u ;ol(i them ;ions with his furs, icles best But his make an oadwood, r the sale ilieved to kept con- mdise, of reckoned to New- street he- rn to the GC US who Mr. As- ancient he seller lally met i^O, seven sufficient eet (now In this time of his dawning prosperity, while still inhabiting the small liouso of wliich his store was a part, he married. Sarah Todd was the maiden name of liis wife. As a connection of the family of Brevoort, she was then considered to be somewhat superior to her liusband in point of social rank, and she brought him a fortune, by no means despised by him at that tim.e, of three hundred dollars. She threw herself heartily into her husband's growing business, laboring with her own hands, buying, sorting, and beating tiie furs. He used to say that she was as good a .judge of the value of peltries as himself, and that her opinion in a matter of business was better than that of most mer- chants. Of a man like Astor, all kinds of stories will be told, some true, some false, some founded upon fact, but exaggerated or distorted. It is said, for ex- ample, that when he went into business for himself, he used to go around among the shops and markets with a basket of toys and cakes upon his arm, exchanging those articles for furs. There are, certainly, old peo- ple among us who remember hearing their parents say that they saw him doing this. The story is not im- probable, for he had no false pride, and was ready to turn his hand to any thing that was honest. Among other anecdotes which we find related of this part of his life, are the following: ''Astor loved to tell anecdotes connected with his early difiiculties. One was about a bargain he made with his brother Henry, when, the latter was much better off than his brother John ; for Henry was owner of butcher stall No. 57 in the Fly Market — valuable 42 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ' ! property in the commencement of this century. Henry lived at 37 Bowery Lane. "John, in his linancial difficulties, frequently went to Henry for a loan, or for an indorsement. This was a source of annoyance to Henry, who did not like to borrow or lend to any body. On one occasion, John wanted to borrow $200 very badly. He went to Hen- ry, and asked him to lend him that sum. " ' John, I will give you $100, if you will agree never to ask me to loan you any money, indorse a note, or sigi a b^nd for you, or be obligated for you in anv manner whatever.' ''John says he hesitated for a moment, rapidly pass* ed the proposition through his mind, saw its advan- tages, for $100 was $100 in those days. He accepted the proposition, and he never did ask a favor of that character of his brother in after years. *'A business acquaintance of Mr. Astor one day asked him what particular transaction or peculiar kind of business first gave him his great start. Mr. Astor never claimed any great sagacity or intelligence over his fellows. " He said, in reply, that at one period of his life, he had accumulated quite a quantity of unsalable furs in this market, such as beavers. The common furs that he or his agents picked up, np.mely, musk-rat, mink, rabbit, squirrel, etc., he could sell in this citv^ and at good prices. The other and costly he had to buy, but could not sell here, and they were packed away in whisky casks down in the cellar. lie had no corre- spondent in London to send them to, and no disposi- tion to send them if he had had. After talking over THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOB. 48 Henrj ly went his was like to John to Ilen- 1 1 agree lorse a for you y pass, advan- icepted |of that le day ir kind . Astor e over life, be ■urs in 's that mink, md at y, bat 'ay in corre- isposi- : over the matter with, his wife, thev concluded it would be best for himself to go out to Loudon with the choicest kind of furs. He did so. The prospect of the trip was uncertain, aud to economize as much as possible, he went out as a steerage passenger. " When he reached London, lie found a ready mar- ket for his choice furs, and sold them at a very high rate. He made a list out oi such goods as he though^ would make money by being taken to the New-York market, purchased and shipped them by a vessel bound hither. After he was all through with his business, he was detained a couple of weeks by the ship not being- ready to sail. The idle time he spent in looking about London, and picking up all the information possible, especially such as was likely to advantage his business in New-York, Among other extraordinary places he visited, was the gr^^at East '..dia House. He visited the warehouse and offices. On one occasion he asked one of the porters what the name «^f the Governor was. The man replied, giving a German name very familiar to Mr. Astor. He asked his informer if the Governor was an Englishman. He replied that he had come from Germany originallj^ when a boy. Mr. Astor de- termined to see him — watched an opportunity, and sent in his name. He was admitted When he en- tered, he said to the Governor : '* ' Is not yoL^r name Wilhelm ? Did not you go to school in such a town ?' " ' I did, and now I remember you very well. Your name is Astor !' "After this, they had a long chat, and talked over old school mattery. The Governor insisted tliat Mr. 44 THE LIFE OF JOHN" JACOB ASTOR. Astor sliould dine with liim. He declined for that day, but the next they met again. lie asked Mr. As- tor several times if there was nothing he could do for him. Mr. Astor said no ; he had bouglit all he want- ed ; he needed no cash, or credit. Almost every day they met. Tlie Governor kept urging Mr. Astor to name something that he could do for him. He asked what present would be acceptable. Astor declined an}'. Finall}^, they met two days before the vessel was to =ail, and again the Governor asked Astor if he would accept any present he made him. Mr. Astor, seeing the Governor so anxious, said : ' Yes.' " When he called to bid the Governor good-by, the latter was really quite affected at parting with his old German schoolmate. " 'Take these,' said he, ' you may find their value.' One of the documents was simply a Canton prices cur- rent. "The other was a carefully engrossed permit on parchment, authorizing the ship that bore it to trade freely and without any molestation, at any of the ports monopolized by the East-India Company. "Mr. Astor bade his friend good-by, and returned to this city, never giving the present a second thought. He had no ships, and never had any trade with the East-Indies, and never expected to have. He little dreamed that in the parchment would be the founda- tion of vast shijiping operations, and a trade amounting to millions, and embracing the Pacific Ocean. The permit was No. 6S. " When Mr. Astor got home, he showed these doca- f*^ ,1 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 45 for that Mr. As- Id do for he want- 'verj day Astor to le asked declined essel was le would '1', seeing i-by, the 1 his old r value.' ices cur- rmit on to trade he ports eturned bought, ■ith the 'e little ^ounda- >untinnr Th e ! docu- # ments to his wife, and advised with her, as he always did, what to do in the matter. " 'I have no ships — it's no use to us,' he said. At that time, there was a very celebrated merchant named James Liver more. He was largely engaged in the West- India trade, particularly to Jamaica. lie owned vessels — some of good size. '' Mrs. Astor recommended her husband to go and have a talk with the merchant. Mr. Astor went — showed the East-India Company ship-pass and the Canton prices current. "'Now,' said he, ' if you will make up a voyage for one of your largest ships, you can have the pass and have the prices current, on one condition. You are to furnish ship and cargo, but I am to have one half the profits for my pass and for suggesting the voyage.' *"Pah, pah!' said the great West-India merchant, lie laughed at it — would not listen to such a one-sided operation. Astor went home and reported progress. " For a time, the matter was dropped. Not many weeks after, the great West-India merchant thought cor the matter. He had made money in the West- a. t: V irade, and he saw an opening in the East-Indies. A- that time no vessels traded to Canton. It was just afior the Revolutionary war, and the East-India ports were as hermetically sealed to American com- merce as if it had not existed. "He called at ^'r. Astor's store. 'Were you in earnest the other day, when you showed me the pass of the East-India Company?' I was. Never more so.' Again they talked over (( . ..H 46 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. the matter. The merchant linally thought he saw his way clear, and an agreement was signed, agreeing to give Mr. Astor one half the result or profits ; he to have no outlay. " The ship was selected and loaded ; partly with specie — Spanish milled dollars, about $30,000, and the other half was ginseng, lead, and scrap-iron. '' She went to Canton. The pass enabled her to an- chor at Whampoa, a few miles below Canton, where she loaded and unloaded her cargo the same as if she had been a vessel belonging to the East-India Com- pany. " Her ginsen>5 >sting twenty cents per pound ia New-York, she sold at $3.50 per pound in Canton, lead ten cents, scrap-iron at an enormous price. Tea was purchased that sold here at one dollar per pound profit on the Canton cost. " When the return cargo was sold, the accounts were made out, and Mr. Astor's half share, which was §55,000, all in silver, was packed in barrels, and sent up to his store. When Mrs. Astor saw the barrels, she asked what was in them. " ' The fruits of our East-India pass,' replied her husband. He went to the ship-owner, and got back his pass. He then bought a ship, and loaded her witli an assorted cargo. On her way out, she touched at the Sandwich Islands to take in water and fresh provi- sions. They also laid in a large stock of firewood. " When this ship reached Canton a mandarin came on board, and noticing their firewood, asked the price of it at once. The Captain laughed at such a ques- tion, but signified that he was open to an offer. The THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOE. 47 he saw hi IS ^reeiug to Its; he to irtlj with 0, and the her to an- on, where as if she dia Com- pound in Canton, ice. Tea ir pound mandarin affered $500 a ton, and every part of it was cold at that price. That was sandal wood. " For seventeen years Mr. Astor enjoyed that lucra- tive sandal- wood trade without a rival. No other con- cern in the United States or England knew the secret. Nor was it discovered until a shrewd Boston ship- owner detailed a ship to follow one of Mr. Astor s, and observe the events of the voyage. Then, for some time, that house was a participant in this valuable trade. '• It was a curious fact that Mrs. Astor knew more of the value of fars than he did. She would select a cargo for the Canton market, and make no mistake."^ We give these curious stories as we find them, without vouching for their truth. We resume our own plain narrative of known facts. accounts hich was and sent Tels, she * Old Merchants of New- York. First series. lied her :ot back ler with ched at ti provi- ood. n came le price a ques- '. The CHAPTER IX. HIS RAPID PROGRESS TO WEALTH. Mr. Astor still traversed the wilderness. The fa- ther of the late lamented General Wadsworth used to relate that he met liim once in the woods of Western Ncv/-York in a sad plight. His wagon had broken down in the midst of a swamp. In the melee all his gold had rolled away through the bottom of the vehi- cle, and was irrecoverably lost ; and Astor was seen emerging from the swamp covered with mud and car- rying on his shoulder an axe — the sole relic of his property. When at length, in 1794, Jay's treaty caused the evacuation of the western forts held by the British, his business so rapidly extended that he was enabled to devolve these laborious journeys upon others, while he remained in New- York, controlling a business that now embraced the region of the great lakes, and ^avc employment to a host of trappers, col- lectors, and. agents. He was soon in a position to pur- chase a ship, in which his furs were carried to London, and in which he occasionally made a voyage himself. He was still observed to be most assiduous in the pur- suit of commercial knowledge. He was never weary of inquiring about the markets of Europe and Asia, the ruling prices and commodities of each, the stand- THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 49 Ills ing of commercial houses, and all other particulars that could be of use. Hence his directions to his cap- tains and agents were always explicit and minute, and if any enterprise failed to be profitable it could gen- erally be distinctly seen that it was because his orders had not been obeyed. In London he became most intimately conversant with the operations of the East- India Company and with the China trade. China be- ino: the best market in the world for furs, and furnish- ing commodities which in America had become neces- saries of life, he was quick to perceive what an advan- tage he would have over other merchants by sending his ships to Canton provided with furs as well as dol- lars. It was about the year 1800 that he sent his first ship to Canton, and he continued to carry on com- merce with China for twenty-seven years, sometimes with loss, generally with profit, and occasionally with splendid and bewildering success. It was not, however, until the year 1800, when he was worth a quarter of million dollars and had been in business fifteen years, that he indulged himself in the comfort of living in a house apart from his busi- ness. In 1794 he appears in the Directory as " Fur- rier, 149 Broadway." From 1796 to 1799 he figures as " Fur Merchant, 149 Broadway." In 1800 he had a storehouse at 141 Greenwich street, and lived at 223 Broadway, on the site of the present Astor House. In 1801, his store was at 71 Liberty street, and he had removed his residence back to 149 Broadway. The year following we find him again at 223 Broadway, where he continued to reside for a quarter of a century. His house was such as a fifth-rate merchant would now m "^ 50 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. consider much beneath his dignity. Mr. Astor, in- deed, had a singuhir dislike to Uving in a large house, lie had neither expensive tastes nor wasteful vices. His luxuries were a pipe, a glass of beer, a game of draughts, a ride on horseback, and the theatre. Of the theatre he was particularly fond. He seldom missed a good performance in the palmy days of the "Old Park." It was his instinctive abhorrence of ostentation and waste that enabled him, as it were, to glide into the millionaire without being observed by his neighbors. He used to relate, with a chuckle, that he was worth a million before any one suspected it. A dandy hank clerk, one day, having expressed a doubt as to the suf- ficiency of his name to a j^iece of mercantile paper, Astor asked him how much he thought he was worth. The clerk mentioned a sum ludicrously less than the real amount. Astor then asked him how much he supposed this and that leading merchant, whom he named, was worth. The young man endowed them with generous sum-totals proportioned to their style of living. " Well," said Astor, " I am worth more than any of them. I will not say how much I am worth, but I am worth more than any sum you have mentioned." " Then," said the clerk, "you are even a greater fool than I took you for, to work as hard as you do." The old man would tell this story with great glee, for he always liked a joke. In the course of his long life he had frequent oppor- tunities of observing what becomes of those gay mer- chants who live up to the incomes of prosperous years, regardless of the inevitable time of commercial col- THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 51 le lapse. It must be owned that he held in utter con- temi)t tlie dashing style of Hving and doing business which has too often prevailed in New- York ; and he was very slow to give credit to a house that carried sail out of proportion to its ballast. Nevertheless, he was himself no plodder when plodding had ceased to be necessary. At the time when his affliirs were on their greatest scale, he would leave his office at two in the afternoon, go home to an early dinner, then mount his horse and ride about the island till it was time to go to the theatre. lie had a strong aversion to ille- gitimate speculation, and particularly to gambling in stocks. The note-shaving and stock -jobbing opera- tions of the Rothschilds he despised. It was his pride and boast that he gained his own fortune by legitimate commerce, and by the legitimate investment of his pro- fits. Having an unbounded faith in the destiny of the United States, and in the future commercial su- premacy of New- York, it was his custom, from about the year 1800, to invest his gains in the purchase of lots and lands on Manhattan Island. CHAPTER X. ANECDOTES OF HIS CLOSENESS. It ill We have all heard much of the closeness, or rather the meanness, of this remarkable man. Truth com- pels us to admit, as we have before intimated, that he was not generous, except to his own kindred. His liberality began and ended in his own family. Very seldom during his lifetime did he willingly do a gener- ous act outside of the little circle of his relations and descendants. To get all that he could, and to keep nearly all that he got — those were the laws of his being. He had a vast genius for making money, and that was all that he had. It is a pleasure to know that sometimes his extreme closeness defeated its own object. He once lost seventy thousand dollars by committing a piece of petty in- justice toward his best captain. This gallant sailor, being notified by an insurance office of the necessity of having a chronometer on board his ship, spoke to Mr. Astor on the subject, who advised the captain to buy one. "But," said the captain, "I have no five hundred dollars to spare for such a purpose ; the chronometer should belong to the ship." THE 'JFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 63 " Well," said the merchant, " you need not pay for it now ; pay for it at your convenience." The .captain still objecting, Astor, after a prolonged higgling, authorized him to buy a chronometer, and charge it to the ship's account; which was done. Sailing day was at hand. The ship was hauled into the stream. The captain, as is the custom, handed in his account. Astor, subjecting it to his usual close scrutiny, observed the novel item of five hundred dol- lars for the chronometer. He objected, averring that it was understood between them that the captain was to pay for the instrument. The worthy sailor re- called the conversation, and firmly held to his recol- lection of it. Astor insisting on his own view of the matter, the captain was so profoundly disgusted that, important as the command of the ship was to him, he resigned his post. Another captain was soon found, and the ship sailed for China. Another house, which was then engaged in the China trade, knowing the worth of this " king of captains," as Astor himself used to style him, bought him a ship and dispatched him to Canton two months after the departure of Astor s vessel. Our captain, put upon his mettle, em- ployed all his skill to accelerate the speed of his ship, and had such success, that he reached New-York with a full cargo of tea just seven days after the arrival of Mr. Astor's ship. Astor, not expecting another ship for months, and therefore sure of monopolizing the market, had not yet broken bulk, nor even taken off the hatchways. Our captain arrived on a Saturday. Advertisements and hand-bills were immediately is- sued, and on the Wednesday morning following, as the 54 THE LIFE OB^ JOHN JACOB ASTOR. custom then was, the auction sale of the tea began on the wbarf — two barrels of punch contributing to the eclat and hilarity of the occasion. The cargo was sold to good advantage, and the market was glutted. Astor lost in consequence the entire profits of the voyage, not less than the sum named above. Meeting the captain some time after in Broadwa}', he said, "I had better have paid for that chronometer of yours." Without ever acknowledging that he had been in the wrong, he was glad enough to engage the captain's future services. This anecdote we received from the worthy captain's own lips. On one occasion the same oflicer had the opportu- nity of rendering the great merchant a most signal service. The agent of Mr. Astor in China sudden^ -^ died at a time when the property in his cha amounted to about seven hundred thousand dollars. Our captain, who was not then in Astor's employ, was perfectly aware that if this immense property fell into official hands, as the law required, not one dollar of it would ever again find its way to the coffers of its pro- prieter. By a scries of bold, prompt, and skillful measures, he rescued it from the official maw, and made it yield a profit to the owner. Mr. Astor ac- knowledged the service. He acknowledged it v;ith emphasis and a great show of gratitude. lie said many times : " If you had not done just as you did, I should never have seen one dollar of my money ; no, not one dollar of it." But he not only did not compensate him for his THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 65 began on g to the was sold I. Astor yagc^ not 'i captain neter of been in captain's from the opportii- it signal udden^'^ cba dollars, loy, was fell into lar of it its pro- skillful iw, and stor ac- it with le said should lot one for his X flervices, but he did not even reimburse the small sum of money which the captain had expended in perform- ing those services. Astor was then wdrth ten mil- lions, and the captain had his hundred dollars a month and a family of young children. Thus the great merchant recompensed great services. He was not more just in rewarding small ones. On one occasion a ship of his arrived from China, which he found necessary to dispatch at once to Amsterdam, the market in New- York being depressed by an over- supply of China merchandise. But on board this ship, under a mountain of tea chests, the owner had two pipes of precious Madeira wine, which had been sent on a voyage for the improvement of its constitu- tion. " Can you get out that wine," asked the owner, "without discharging the tea?" The captain thought he could. "Well, then," said Mr. Astor, "you get it out, and I'll give you a demijohn of it. You'll say it's the best wine you- ever tasted." It required the labor of the whole ship's crew for two days to get out those two pipes of wine. They were sent to the house of Mr. Astor. A year passed. The captain had been to Amsterdam and back, but he had received no tidings of his demijohn of Madeira. One day, when Mr. Astor was on board the ship, the captain ventured to remind the great man, in a jocular manner, that he had not received the wine. " Ah I" said Astor, " don't you know the reason ? It isn't fine yert. Wait till it is fine, and you'll say s m> F 66 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. you never tasted such Madeira." The captain never heard of that wine again. These traits show the moral weakness of the man. It is only when we regard his mercantile exploits that we can admire him. He was, unquestionably, one of the ablest, boldest, and most successful operators that every lived. He seldom made a mistake in the con- duct of business. Having formed his plan, he carried it out w ith a nerve and steadiness, with such a firm and easy grasp of all the details, that he seemed rather to be playing an interesting game thiin transacting busi- ness. " He could command an army of five hundred thousand men 1" exclaimed one of his admirers. That was an erroneous remark. He could have commanded an army of five hundred thousand tea-chests, with a heavy auxiliary force of otter skins and beaver skins. But a commander of men must be superior morally as well as intellectually. He must be able to win the love and excite the enthusiasm of his followers. Astor would have made a splendid commissary-general to the army of Xerxes, but he could no more have conquered Greece than Xerxes himself. CHAPTER XI. HOW HE BECAME SO ENORMOUSLY RICH. The reader may be curious to know by what means Mr. Astor became so preposterously rich. Few suc- cessful men gain a single million by legitimate com- merce. A million dollars is a most enormous sum of money. It requires a considerable effort of the mind to conceive it. But this indomitable little German managed, in the course of sixty years, to accumulate twenty millions ; of which, probablv, not more than two millions was the fruit of his business as a fur trader and China merchant. At that day the fur trade was exceedingly profitable, as well as of vast extent. It is estimated that about the year ISOO the number of peltries annually fur- nished to commerce was about six millions, varying in value from fifteen cents to five hundred dollars. When every respectable man in Europe and America wore a beaver skin upon his head, or a part of one, and when a good beaver skin could be bought in Western New- York for a dollar's worth of trash, and could be sold in London for twenty -five English shil- lings, and when those twenty-five English shillings could be invested in English cloth and cutlery, and sold in New York for forty shillings, it may be im- 68 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. agined that fur-trading was a very good business. Mr. Astor had his share of the cream of it, and that was the foundation of his colossal fortune. Hence, too, the tender love he felt for a fine fur. In the next place, his ventures to China were some- times exceedingly fortunate. A fair profit on a voy- age to China at that day was thirty thousand dollars. Mr. Astor has been known to gain seventy thousand, and to have his money in his pocket within the year. He was remarkably lucky in the war of 1812. All his ships escaped capture, and arriving at a time when foreign commerce was almost annihilated and tea had doubled in price, his gains were so immense, that the million or more lost in the Astorian enterprise gave him not even a momentary inconvenience. At that time, too, tea merchants of large capital had an advantage which they do not now enjoy. A wrjter explains the manner in which the business was done in those daj^s : " It was a great business. A house that could raise money enough thirty years ago to send $260,000 in specie, could soon have an uncommon capital, and this was the working of the old system. The Griswolds owned the ship Panama. They started her from here in the month of May, with a cargo of perhaps $30,000 worth of ginseng, spelter, lead, iron, etc., and $170,000 in Spanish dollars. The ship goes on the voyage, reaches Whampoa in safety, (a few miles below Can- ton.) Her supercargo in two months has her loaded with tea, some china ware, a great deal of cassia or false cinnamon and a few other articles. Suppose THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 69 the cargo, mainly tea, costing about thirty-seven centa (at that time) per pound on the average. 9 ''The duty was enormous in those days. It was twice the cost of the tea, at least : so that a tea cargo of $200,000, when it had paid duty of seventy-five ^.ents per pound, (which would be $400,000,) amount- ed to $600,000. The profit was at least fifty per cent on the original cost, or $100,000, and would make the cargo worth $700,000. "The cargo of teas would be sold almost on arrival (say eleven or twelve months after the ship left New- York in May) to wholesale grocers, for their notes at four and six months — say for $700,000. In those years there was credit given hy the United States of nine, twelve, and eighteen months ! So that the East-India or Canton merchant, after his ship had made one voy- age, had the use of Government capital to the extent of $400,000, on the ordinary cargo of a China ship as stated above. " No sooner had the ship Panam' irrived, (or any of the regular East-Indiamen,) than her porgo would be exchanged for grocers' notes for $700,000. '^''hese notes could be turned into specie very easily, and the owner had only to pay his bonds for $400,0u0 duty, at nine, twelve, and eighteen months, giving him time actually to send two more ships with $200,000 each to Canton, and have them back again in New-York before the bonds on the first cargo were due. "John Jacob Astor at one period of his life had sev- eral vessels operating in this way. They would go to the Pacific (Oregon) and carry from thence furs to Can- ton. These would be sold at large profits. Then the i. n Mi 60 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. cargoes of tea to New-York would pay enormous du- ties, which Astor did not have to pay to the United States for a year and a half His tea cargoes would be sold for good four and six months paper, or perhaps cash ; so that for eighteen or twenty years John Jacob Astor had what was actually a free-of-interest loan from Government o^ oyer five millions of dollars. As- tor was prudent and lucky in his operations, and such an enormous Government loan did not ruin him as it did many others. One house was Thomas H. Smith k Sons. This firm also went enormously into the Canton trade, and although possessing originally but a few thousand dollars. Smith imported teas to such an extent, that when he failed he ov^ed the United States three millions, and not a cent has ever been paid."* But it was neither his tea trade nor his fur trade that gave Astor twenty millions of dollars. It was his sa- gacity in investing his profits that made him the richest man in America. When he first trod the streets of New- York, in 1784, the city was a snug, leafy place of twenty-live thousand inhabitants, situated at the ex- tremity of the island, mostly below Cortlandt street. In 1800, when he began to have money to invest, the city had more than doubled in population, and had ad- vanced nearly a mile up the island. Now, Astor was a shrewd calculator of the future. No reason appeared why New- York should not repeat this doubling game and this mile of extension every fifteen years. lie acted upon the supposition, and fell into the habit of buying lands and lots just beyoi.d the verge * Old Mercbantg of New-York. First Series. i^-li THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 61 ous du- United would perhaps Jacob st loan s. As- id such n as it Smith nto the illy but ;o such United !r been de that his sa- richest eets of hice of ;he ex- street. *st, the I ad ad- or was peared game 1. lie habit verge .'*■ ji' w •:# of the city. One little anecdote will sbow the wis- dom of this proceeding. lie sold a lot in the vicin- ity of Wall street, about the year 1810, for eight thou- sand dollars, which was supposed to be somewhat un- der its value. The purchaser, after the papers were signed, seemed disposed to chuckle over his bargain. "Why, Mr. Astor," said he, "in a few years this lot will be worth twelve thousand dollars." " Very true," replied Astor ; " but now you shall see ■what I will do with this money. With eight thousand dollars I buy eighty lots above Canal street. By the time your lot is worth twelve thousand dollars, my eighty lots will be worth eighty thousand dollars;" which proved to be the fact. His purchase of the Kichmond Hill estate of Aaron Burr was a case in point. He bought the hundred and sixty acres at a thousand dollars an acre, and in twelve years the land was worth fifteen hundred dollars a lot. In the course of time the island was dotted all over with Astor lands — to such an extent that the whole income of his estate for fifty years could be invested in new houses without buying any more land. ^ CHAPTER XII. ONE OF HIS SPECULATIONS. His land speculations, however, were by no means confined to the little island of Manhattan. Aged read- ers can not have forgotten the most celebrated of all his operations of this kind, by which he acquired a legal title to one third of the county of Putnam in this State. This enormous tract was part of the estate of Roger Morris and Mary his wife, who, by adhering to the King of Great Britain in the Revolutionary war, forfeited their landed property in the State of New- York. Having been duly attainted as public enemies, they fled to England at the close of the war, and the State sold their lands, in small parcels, to honest Whig farmers. The estate comprised fifty-one thousand one hundred and two acres, upon which were living, in 1809, more than seven hundred families, all relying upon the titles which the State of New- York had given. Now Mr. Astor stepped forward to disturb the security of this community of farmers. It appeared, and was proved beyond doubt, that Roger and Mary Morris had only possessed a life-interest in this estate, and tliat, therefore, it was only that life-interest which the State could legally confiscate. The moment Roger and Mary Morris ceased to live, the property would THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 63 !\V- flxll to tbeir heirs, with all the houses, barns, and other improvements thereon. After a most thorough exami- nation of the papers by the leading counsel of that day, Mr. Astor bought the rights of the heirs, in 1809, for twenty thousand pounds sterling. At that time lioger Morris was no more ; and Mary his wife was nearly eighty, and extremely infirm. She lingered, how- ever, for some years ; and it was not till after the peace of 1815 that the claims of Mr. Astor were pressed. The consternation of the farmers and the astonishment of the people generally, when at length the great mil- lionaire stretched out his hand to pluck this large ripe pear, may be imagined. A great clamor arose against him. It can not be denied, however, that he acted in this business with moderation and dignity. Upon the first rumor of his claim, in 1814, commissioners were appointed by the Legislature to inquire into it. These gentlemen, finding the claim more formidable than had been suspected, asked Mr. Astor for what sum he would compromise. The lands were valued at six hundred and sixty-seven thousand dollars, but Astor replied that he would sell his claim for three hundred thousand. The offer was not accepted, and the affair lingered. In 1818, Mary Morris being supposed to be at the point of death, and the farmers being in constant dread of the writs of ejectment which her death would bring upon them, commissioners were again appointed by Legislature to look into the matter. Again Mr. Astor was asked upon what terms he would compro- mise. He replied January 19, 1819: " In 1813 or 1814 a similar proposition was made to me by the commissioners then appointed by the Hon- 64 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. orable the Legislature of this State, when I offered to compromise for the sum of three hundred thousand dollars, which, considering the value of the property in question, was thought very reasonable; and, at the present period, when the life of Mrs. Morris is, accord- ing to calculation, worth little or nothing, she being near eighty -six years of age, and the property more valuable than it was in 1813, I am still willing to re- ceive the amount which I then stated, with interest on the same, payable in money or stock, bearing an in- terest of — per cent, payable quarterly. The stock may be made payable at such periods as the Honor- able the Legislature may deem proper. This offer will, I trust, be considered as liberal, and as a proof of my willingness to compromise on terms which are reasonable, considering the value of the property, the price which it cost me, and the inconvenience of hav- ing so long laid out of my money, which, if employed in commercial operations, would most likely have pro- duced better profits." The Legislature were not yet prepared to compro- mise. It was not till 1827 that a test case w^as selected and brought to trial before a jury. The most eminent counsel were employed on the part of the State — Daniel Webster and Martin Van Buren among them. Astor's cause was intrusted to Emmet, Ogden, and others. We believe that Aaron Burr was consulted on the part of Mr. Astor, though he did not appear in the trial. The efforts of the array of counsel employed by the State were exerted in vain to find a flaw in the paper upon which Astor's claim mainly rested. Mr. Webster's speech on this occasion betrays, even to the THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 65 unprofessional reader, both that he had no case and that be knew he had not, for he indulged in a strain of remark that could only have been designed to pn;- judice, not convince, =the jury. "It is a claim for lands," said he, "not in their wild and forest state, but for lands the intrinsic value of which is mingled with the labor expended upon them. It is no every-day purchase, for it extends over towns and counties, and almost takes in a degree of latitude. It is a stupendous speculation. The individual who now claims it has not succeeded to it by inheritance ; he has not attained it, as he did that vast wealth which no one less envies him than I do, by fair and honest exertions in commercial enterprise, but by speculation, by purchasing the forlorn hope of the heirs of a fam- ily driven from their country by a bill of attainder. By the defendants, on the contrary, the lands in ques- tion are held as a patrimony. They have labored for years to improve them. The rugged hills had grown green under their cultivation before a question was raised as to the integrity of their titles." A line of remark like this would appeal powerfully to a jury of farmers. Its effect, however, was de- stroyed by the simple observation of one of the oppos- ing counsel : " Mr. Astor bought this property confiding in the justice of the State of New-York, firmly believing that in the litigation of his claim his rights would be maintained." It is creditable to the administration of justice in New-York, and creditable to the very institution of trial by jury, that Mr. Astor's most unpopular and if 66 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. even odious cause was triumphant. Warned by this verdict, the Legislature consented to compromise on Mr. Astor's own terms. The requisite amount of " Astor stock," as it was called, was created. Mr. As- tor received about half a million of dollars, and the titles of the lands were secured to their rightful own- ers. To render this conclusion of the affair palatable to the people, the trial and the documents were pub- lished in pamphlets. i^- CHAPTER XIII. HIS GREATEST ENTERPRISE. The crowning glory of Mr. Astor's mercantile ca- reer was that vast and brilliant enterprise which Wash- ington Irving has commemorated in " Astoria." No other single individual has ever set on foot a scheme so extensive, so difficult, and so costly as this ; nor has any such enterprise been carried out with such sus- tained energy and perseverance. To establish a line of trading-posts from St. Louis to the Pacific, a four months' journey in a land of wilderness, prairie, moun- tain, and desert, inhabited by treacherous or hostile savages — ^to found a permanent settlement on the Pa- cific coast as the grand d(5p6t of furs and supplies — to arrange a plan by which the furs collected should be regularly transported to China, and the ships return to New- York laden with tea and silks, and then pro- ceed once more to the Pacific coast to repeat the cir- cuit — to maintain all the parts of this scheme without the expectation of any but a remote profit, sending ship after ship before any certain intelligence of the first ventures had arrived — this was an enterprise which had been memorable if it had been undertaken by a wealthy corporation or a powerful government, instead of a private merchant, unaided by any re- 68 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. sources l)iit Lis own. At every moment in the con- duct of this magniliccnt attempt Mr. Astor appears the gi'cat man. His parting instructions to the captain of his lirst ship call to mind those of General Washing- ton to St. Chiir on a similar occasion. "All the acci- dents that have yet happened," said the merchant, "arose from too much confidence in the Indians." The ship was lost, a year after, by the disregard of this last warninjx. When the news reached New- York of the massacre of the crew and the blowing up of the ship, the man who flew into a passion at seeing a little boy drop a wine-glass, behaved with a compo- sure that was the theme of general admiration. lie attended the theater the same evening, and entered heartily into the play. Mr. Irving relates that a friend having expressed surprise at this, Mr. Astor replied : " What would you have me do ? Would you have me stay at home and weep for what I can not help ?" This was not indifference; for when, after nearly two years of weary waiting, he heard of the safety and success of the overland expedition, he was so overjoyed that he could scarcely contain himself. " I felt ready," said he, "to fall upon my knees in a transport of gratitude." A touch in one of his letters shows the absolute con- fidence he felt in his own judgment and abilities, a confidence invariably exhibited by men of the first executive talents. "Were I on the spot," he wrote to one of his agents when the affairs of the settlement appeared desperate, " and had the management of affairs, I would defy them all ; but, as it is, every thing depends upon you say, THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ARTOR. 69 Joi- nt, of >rlc of and the friends about you. Our enterprise is grand and deserves suceess, and I Lope in God it will meet it. If my object was merely gain of money I should say, think whether it is best to save what we can and abandon the place ; but the thought is like a dagger to my heart." He intimates here that his object was not merely "gain of money." What was it, then? Mr. Irving informs us that it was desire of fame. We should rather say that when nature endows a man with a re- markable gift she also implants within him the love of exorcising it. Astor loved to plan a vast, far-reaching enterprise. He loved it as Morphy loves to play chess, as Napoleon loved to plan a campaign, as Kaphael loved to paint, and Handel to compose. The war of 1812 foiled the enterprise. " But for that war," Mr. Astor used to say, " I should have been the riciiC j1 man that ever lived." He expected to go on expending money for several years, and then to gain a steady annual profit of millions. It was, how- ever, that very war that enabled him to sustain the enormous losses of the enterprise without injury to his estate, or even a momentary inconvenience. During the first year of the war he had the luck to re- ceive two or three cargoes of tea from China, despite the British cruisers. In the second year of the war, when the Government w\as reduced to borrow at eighty, he invested largely in the loan, which, one year after the peace, stood at one hundred and twenty. Mr. Ahtor at all times was a firm believer in the destiny of the United States. In other words, he held its public stock in profound respect. He had little to 70 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. say of politics, but he was a supporter of the old Whig party for many years, and liad a great regard, personal and political, for its leader and ornament, Henry Clay, lie was never better pleased than when he entertained Mr. Clay at his own house. It ought to be mentioned in this connection that when, in June, 1812, the mer- chants of New- York memorialized the Government in fivor of the embargo, which almost annihilated the commerce of the port, the name of John Jacob Astor headed the list of signatures. CHAPTER Xiy. HE RETIRES FROM BUSINESS AND BUILDS THE ASTOR HOUSE. He was an active business man in this city for about forty-six years — from his twenty -first to his sixty -sev- enth year. Toward the year 1830 he began to with- draw from business, and undertook no new enterprises except such as the investment of his income involved. His three daughters were married. His son and heir was a man of thirty. Numerous grandchildren were around him, for whom he manifested a true German fondness; not, however, regarding them with equal favor. He dispensed, occasionally, a liberal hospital- ity at his modest house, though that hospitality was usually bestowed upon men whose presence at his table conferred distinction upon him who sat at the head of it. He was fond, strange as it may seem, of the society of literary men. For Washington Irving he always professed a warm regard, liked to have him at his house, visited him, and made much of him. Fitz- Greene Halleck, one of the best talkers of his day, a man full of fun, anecdote, and fancy, handsome, grace- ful, and accomplished, was a great flivorite with him. lie afterward invited the poet to reside with him and take charge of his affairs, which Mr. Halleck did for !:■ 72 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. many years, to the old gentleman's perfect satisfaction. Still later Dr. Cogswell won his esteem, and was named by him Librarian of the Astor Library. For his own part, though he rather liked to be read to in his latter days, he collected no library, no pictures, no objects of curiosity. As he had none of the wasteful vices, so also he had none of the costly tastes. Like all other rich men, he was beset continually by applicants for pecuniary aid, especially by his own countrymen. As a rule he refused to give : and he was right. He held beggary of all descriptions in strong contempt, and seemed to think that, in this country, want and fault are synonymous. Nevertheless, we are told that he did, now and then, bestow small sums in charity, though we have failed to get trustworthy evidence of a single instance of his doing so. It is, no doubt, ab- solutely necessary for a man who is notoriously rich to guard against imposture, and to hedge himself about against the swarms of solicitors who pervade a large and wealthy city. If he did not, he would be over- whelmed and devoured. His time would be all con- sumed and his estate squandered in satisiying the de- mands of importunate impudence. Still, among the crowd of applicants there is here and there one whose claim upon the aid of the rich man is just. It were much to be desired that a way should be devised by which these meritorious askers could be sifted from the mass, and the nature of their requests made known to men who have the means and the wdsh to aid such. Some kind of Benevolent Intelligence Office appears to be needed among us. In the absence of such an institution we must not be surprised that men renown* THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 73 cd for their wealth convert themselves into human por- cupines, and erect their defensive armor at the ap- proach of every one who carries a subscription-book. True, a generous man might establish a private bureau of investigation ; but a generous man is not very likely to acquire a fortune of twenty millions. Such an accumulation of wealth is just as wise as if a man who had to walk ten miles on a hot day should, of his own choice, carry on his back a large sack of potatoes. A man of superior sense and feeling will not waste his life so unless he has in view a grand public object. On the contrary, he will rather do as Fiauklin did, who, having acquired at the age of forty-two a modest competence, sold out his thriving business on easy terms to a younger man, and devoted the rest of his happy life to the pursuit of knowledge and the serv- ice of his country. But w^e can not all be Franklins. In the affairs of the world millionaires are as indis- pensable as philosophers; and it is fortunate for so- ciety that some men take pleasure in heaping up enor- mous masses of capital. llavinor retired from business, Mr. Astor determined to fulfill the vow of his youth, and build in Broadway a house larger and costlier than any it could then boast. Behold the result in the Astor House, which remains to this day one of our most solid, imposing, and respectable structures. The ground on which the hotel stands was covered with substantial three-story brick houses, one of which Astor himself occupied ; and it was thought at the time a wasteful and rash proceeding to destroy them. Old Mr. Coster, a retired merchant of groat wealth, who lived next door to Mr. 74: THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. Astor's residence, was extremely indisposed to remove, and held out long against every offer of the million- aire. His house was worth thirty thousand dollars. Astor offered him that sum ; but the offer was very positively declined, and the old gentleman declared it to be his intention to spend the remainder of his days in the house. Mr. Astor offered forty thousand witli- out effect. At length the indomitable projector re- vealed his purpose to his neighbor. *'Mr. Coster," said he, "I want to build a hotel. I have got all the other lots ; now name your own price." To which Coster replied by confessing the real ob- stacle to the sale. "The fact is," said he, "I can't sell unless Mrs. Coster consents. If she is willing, I'll sell for sixty thousand, and you can call to-morrow morning and ask her." Mr. Astor presented himself at the time named. " Well, Mr. Astor," said the lady in the tone of one who was conferring a very great favor for nothing, " we are such old friends that I am willing for your sake." So the house was bought, and with the proceeds Mr. Coster built the spacious granite mansion a mile up Broadway, which is now known as the Chinese Build- ing. Mr. Astor used to relate this story with great glee. He was particularly amused at the simplicity of the old lady in considering it a great favor to him to sell her house at twice its value. It was at this time that he removed lo a wide, two story brick house opposite Niblo's, the front door of which bore a lar^re I THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 75 silver plate, exhibiting to awe-struck passers-by the ;vords: "Mr. Astor." Soon after the hotel was finished, he made a present of it to his eldest son, or, in legal language, he sole' it to him for the sum of one dollar, " to him in hand paid." In the decline of his life, when his vast fortune was safe from the perils of business, he was i:}till as sparing in his personal expenditures, as close in Lis bargains, as watchful over his accumulations as ho had been when economy was essential to his solvency and pro- gress. He enjoyed keenly the consciousness, the feel- ing of being rich. The roll-book of his possessions was his Bible. He scanned it fondly, and saw with q liet but deep delight the catalogue of his property I'jngthening from month to month. The love of accu- mulation grew with his years until it ruled him like a tyrant. If at fifty he possessed his millions, at sixty- nvc his millions possessed him. Only to his own children and to their children was he liberal ; and his liberality to them was all arranged with a view to keeping his estate in the family, and to cause it at every moment to tend toward a final consolidation in one enormous mass. He was ever considerate for the comfort of his imbecile son. One of his last enter- prises was to build for him a commodious residence. CHAPTER XV. HIS VISIT TO EUROPE. In 1832, one of his daughters having married a European nobleman, he allowed himself the pleasure of a visit to her. He remained abroad till 1835, when he hurried home in consequence of the disturbance in financial affairs, caused by General Jackson\s war upon the Bank of the United States. The captain of the ship in which he sailed from Havre to New-York has related to us some curious incidents of the voyage. Mr. Astor reached Havre when the ship, on the point of sailing, had every state-room engaged ; but he was so anxious to get home, that the captain, who had commanded ships for him in former years, gave up to him his own state-room. Head winds and boisterous seas kept the vessel beating about and tossing in the channel for many days. The great man was very sick and still more alarmed. At length, being per- suaded that he should not survive the voyage, he ask- ed the captain to run in and set him ashore on the coast of England. The captain dissuaded him. The old man urged his request at every opportunity, and said at last: "I give you tousand dollars to put mc aboard a pilot-boat." He was so vehement and impor- tunate, that one day the captain, worried out of all THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 77 patience, promised that if he did not get out of the Cbannel before the next morning, he would run in and put him ashore. It happened that the wind changed in the afternoon and wafted the ship into the broad ocean. But the troubles of the sea-sick millionaire had only just begun. A heavy gale of some days' duration blew the vessel along the western coast of Ireland. Mr. Astor, thoroughly panic-stricken, now offered the captain ten thousand dollars if he would put him ashore anywhere on the wild and rocky coast of the Emerald Isle. In vain the captain remonstrat- ed. In vain he reminded the old gentleman of the danger of forfeiting his insurance. " Insurance !" exclaimed Astor, " can't I insure your ship myself?" In vain the captain mentioned the rights of the other passengers. In vain he described the solitary and rock-bound coast, and detailed the difficulties and dangers which attended its approach. Nothing would appease him. He said he would take all the responsi- bility, brave all the perils, endure all the consequences ; only let him once more feel the firm ground under his feet. The gale having abated, the captain yielded to his entreaties, and engaged, if the other passengers would consent to the delay, to stand in and put him ashore. Mr. Astor went into the cabin and proceeded to write what was expected to be a draft for ten thou- sand dollars in favor of the owners of the ship on his agent in New- York. He handed to the captain the result of his efforts. It was a piece of paper covered with writing that was totally illegible. " What is this ?" asked the captain. 78 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. m ^ " A draft upon my son for ten thousand dollars," was tlie reply. " But no one can read it. " Oh I yes, my son will know what it is. My hand trembles so that I can not write any better." "But," said the captain, "you can at least write your name. I am acting for the owners of the ship, and I can not risk their property for a piece of paper that no one can read. Let one of the gentlemen draw up a draft in proper form ; you sign it ; and I will put you ashore." The old gentleman would not consent to this mode of proceeding, and the affair was dropped. A favorable wind blew the ship swiftly on her way, and Mr. Astor's alarm subsided. But even on the Banks of Newfoundland, two thirds of the way across, when the captain went upon the poop to speak a ship bound for Liverpool, old Astor climbed up after him, saying: " Tell them I give tousand dollars if they take a passenger." CHAPTER XYL. HIS LAST YEARS. ^v AsTOR lived to the age of eighty-four. During the last few years of his life his faculties were sensibly im- paired ; he was a child again. It was, however, while his powers and his judgment were in full vigor that he determined to follow the example of Girard, and be- queath a portion of his estate for the purpose of *' ren- dering a public benefit to the city of New- York." He consulted Mr. Irving, Mr. Halleck, Dr. Cogswell, and his own son with regard to the object of this bequest. All his friends concurred in recommending a public library, and, accordingly, in 1839, he added the well- known codicil to his will which consecrated four hun- dred thousand dollars to this purpose. To Irvings Astoria and to the Astor Library he will owe a lasting fame in the country of his adoption. The last considerable sum he was ever known to give away was a contribution to aid the election to tlH3 Presidency of his old friend, Henry Clay. The old man was always fond of a compliment, and seldom averse to a joke. It was the timely application of a jocular compliment that won from him this last effort of generosity. When tlio committee were presented 80 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. to bim he began to excuse himself, evidently intend- ing to decline giving. " I am not now interested in these things," said he. ''Those gentlemen who are in business, and whose property depends upon the issue of the election, ought to give. But I am now an old man. I haven't any thing to do with commerce, and it makes no diffe^'ence to me what the Government does. I don't make mo- ney any more, and haven't any concern in the matter." One of the committee replied : " Why, Mr. Astor, you are like Alexander when he wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. You have made all the money, and now there is no more money to make." The old eye twinkled at the blended compliment and jest. "Ha, ha, ha! very good, that's very good. AYell, well, I give you something." Whereupon he drew his check for fifteen hundred dollars. When all else had died within him,whenhe was at last nourished like an infant at a woman's breast, and when being no longer able to ride in a carriage, he was daily tossed in blanket for exercise, he still retained a strong interest in the care and increase of his property. His agent called daily upon him to render a report of mo neys received. One morning this gentleman chanced to enter his room while he was enjoying his blanket exercise. The old man cried out from the middle of his blanket : " Has Mrs. paid that rent yet?" " No," replied the agent. *' Well, but she must pay it," said the poor old man. THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 81 " Mr. Astor," rejoined the agent, " she can't pay it now ; she has had misfortunes, and we must give her 'J tiino. "No, no," said Astor; "I tell you she can pay it, and she will pay it. You don't go the right way to work with her." The agent took leave, and mentioned the anxiety of the old gentleman with regard to this unpaid rent to liis son, who counted out the requisite sum, and told the agent to give it to the old man as if he had received it from the tenant. " There I" exclaimed Mr. Astor when he received the money, " I told you she would pay it if you went ilie right way to work with her." Who would have twenty millions at such a price ? On the twenty-ninth of March, 1848, of old age merely, in the presence of his family and friends, with- out pain or disquiet, this remarkable man breathed his last. He was buried in a vault in the church of St. Thomas in Broadway. Though he expressly declared iu his will that he was a member of the Reformed Ger- man Congregation, no clergyman of that Church took part in the services of his funeral. The unusual num- hcr of six Episcopal Doctors of Divinity assisted at the ceremony. A bishop could have scarcely expected a more distinguished funeral homage. Such a thing it is in a commercial city to die worth twenty millions 1 The pall-bearers wore Washington Irving, Philip Ilone, S3'lvanus Miller, James Gr. King, Isaac Bell, David B. Oudcn, Thomas J. Oakley, Ramsey Crooks, and Jacob BfTaylor. CHAPTER XVII. HOW HE DISPOSED OF HIS PKOPERTY. The public curiosity with regard to the will of the deceased millionaire was fully gratified by the saucy enterprise of the Herald^ whicli published it entire in five columns of its Smallest type a day or two after the funeral. The ruling desires of Mr. Astor with regard to his property were evidently these two : 1. To jiru- vide amply and safely for his children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces ; 2. To keep his estate, as much as was consistent with his desire, in one mass in the hands of his eldest son. II is brother Henry, the butch- er, had died childless and rich, leaving his property to Mr. William B. Astor. To the descendants of the brother in Germany Mr. Astor left small but sufficient pensions. To many of his surviving children and grandchildren in America he left life-interests and stocks which seem designed to produce an average of about fifteen thousand dollars a year. Other grand- sons were to have twenty-five thousand dollars ou reaching the age of twenty-live, and the same sum when they were thirty. His favorite grandson, Charles Astor B listed, since well known to the public as an author and poet, was left amply provided for. He di- rected his executors to *' provide for my unfortunate THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 83 .o ])ru- lildreii, much ia the butch- •crtj to of the fficieiit 3n and its and age of grand- ars on B sum !harles as an Lie di- tunato son, John Jacob Astor, and to procure for him all the roml'orts which his condition (h)csor may reviuiro."* For this purpose ten thousand dolhirs a year was directed to be appropriated, and the house built for hiiniu Four- teenth street near Ninth avenue was to be his for liTe. It' he should be restored to the use of his flxculties, he was to have an income of one liundred thousand dol- hirs. The number of persons, all relatives or connec- tions of the deceased, who were benefited by the will, was about twenty-five. To his old friend and man- ager, F'itz-Greene Ilalleck, he left the somewhat ridi- culous annuity of two hundred dollars, which Mr. Wil- liam B. Astor voluntarily increased to fifteen hundred. Nor was this the only instance in which the heir recti- fied the errors and supplied the omissions of the will. He had the justice to send a considerable sum to the brave old captain who saved lor Mr. Astor the largo property in China imperiled by the sudden death of an agent. The minor bequests and legacies of Mr. Astor absorbed about two millions of his estate. The rest of his property fell to his eldest son, under whose care- ful management it is supposed to have increased to an amount not less than forty millions. This may, how- ever, be an exaggeration. Mr. William B. Astor minds his own business, and does not impart to others the secrets of his rent-roll. The number of his houses in this city is said to be seven hundred and twenty. The bequests of Mr. Astor for purposes of benevo- lence show good sense and good feeling. The Astor Library fund of four hundred thous!i!id dollai-s was the largest item. Next in amount was fifty thousand dollars for the benefit of the poor 9f his native village 84 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. in Germany. " To the German Society of New- York, ' coiitwiued the will, '• I give thirty thousand dollars on conuition of their investing it in bond and mortgnsio, and applying it for the purpose of keeping an office and giving advice and information without charge to all emigrants arriving here, and for the purpose of pnv tecting them against imposition." To the Home for Aged Ladies he gave thirty thousand dollars, and to the Blind Asylum and the Half-Orphan Asylum each five thousand dollars. To the German Reformed Con- gregation, "of which I am a member," he left the moderate sum of two thousand dollars. These objects were wisely chosen. The sums left for them, also, were in many cases of the amount most likely to be well employed. Twenty-five thousand dollars he left to Columbia College, but unfortunately repented, and an- nulled the bequest in a codicil. We need not enlarge on the success which has at- tended the bequest for the Astor Library — a bec^uest to which ^Ir. A\ illiani B. Astor has added, in land, books, and money, about two hundred thousand dol- lars. It is the ornament and boast of the city. Noth- ing is wanting to its complete utility but an exten- sion of the time of its being accessible to the public. Such a library, in such a city as this, should be open at sunrise, and close at ten in the evening. If but one studious youth should desire to avail himself of the morning hours before going to his daily work, the in- terests of that one would justify the directors in open- ing the treasures of the library at the rising of the sun. In the evening, of course, the library would probably THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 85 -York," Jllars on ortg;in-o^ n office ^rgQ u, of pro. ome ibr and to ni each (1 Con- eft the objects 10, were be Well left to md an- il as at- >cquest land, id do]- Kotli- Jxten- 'ubli(!, open Lit one f tlio le iii- D])en- I sun. )ablj be attended by a greater number of readers than in all the hours of the day togetlier. The bequest to the village of Waldorf has resulted in the founding of an institution that appears to be do- ing a great deal of good in a quiet German manner . The German biographer of Mr. Astor, from whom we have derived some particulars of his early life, expa- tiates upon the merits of this establishment, which, he informs us, is called the Astor House. " Certain knowledge," he says, " of Aster's bequest reached Waldorf only in 1850, when a nephew of Mr. Astor's and one of the executors of his will appeared from New- York in the testator's native town with power to pay over the money to the proper persons. lie kept himself mostly in Heidelberg, and oi'ganizcd a supervisory board to aid in the disposition of the funds in accordance with the testator's intentions. This board was to have its headquarters in Heidel- berg, and was to consist of professors in the University there, and clergymen, not less than live in all. The board of control, however, consists of the clergy of Waldorf, the burgomaster, the physician, a citizen named every three years by the Cppinion Council, and tlie governor of the Institution, who iuust be a teacher by profession. This latter board has control of all the interior arrangements of the Institution, and the care of the children and beneficiaries. The leading objects of the Astor House are: 1. The care of the poor, who, through age, disease, or other causes, are incapable of labor; 2. The rearing and instruction of poor children, especially those who live in Waldorf. Non-residents are received if there is room, but they must make com- 86 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. pensation for tlieir board and instruction. Children are received at the age of six, and maintained nntil they are fifteen or sixteen. Besides school instruction, there is ample provision for physical culture. Tliey are trained in active and industrious habits, and each of them, according to his disposition, is to be taught a trade, or instructed in agriculture, market-gardening, the care of vineyards, or of cattle, with a view to ren- dering them efficient farm-servants or stewards. It is also in contemplation to assist the blind and the deaf and dumb, and, finally, to establish a nursery for very young children left des lu ate. Catholics and Protest- ants are admitted on equal terms, religious differences not being recognized in the applicants for admission. Some time having elapsed before the preliminary ar- rangements were com})leted, the accumulated interest of the fund went so fur toward paying for the build- ings, that of the original fifty thousand dollars not less than forty-three thousand have been permanently in- vested for the support of the Institution." Thus they manage bequests in Germany! The Astor House was opened with much ceremony, Janu- ary 9, 1854, the very year in which the Astor Library was opened to the public in the city of New- York. The day of the founder's death is anijially celebrated in the chapel of the Institution, which is adorned by his portrait. CEAPTER XVIII. THE ASTOli ESTATE NOW. These two institutions will carry the name of John Jacob Astor to the latest generations. But they are not the' only services which he rendered to the public. It would be absurd to contend that in aceumiulatiiig his enormous estate, and in keeping it almost entire in the hands of his eldest son, he was actuated by a re- gard for the public good, lie probably never thougut of the public good in connection with the bulli of his property. Nevertheless, America is so constituted that every man in it of force and industry is ncccessi- tated to be a public servant. If tbis colossal fortune had been gained in Europe it would probably have been consumed in what is there called "founding a family." Mansions would hav^ been built with it, parks laid out, a title of nobility purchased; and the income, wasted in barren and stnpid magniiicence would have maintained a host of idle, worthless, and pampered menials. Here, on the contrary, it is ex- pended almost wholly in providing for the people ...f New-York the very commodity of whuth. they stand in most pressing need ; namely, 7iew houses. The simple reason why the rent of a small house in New- York is a thousand dollars a year is because the supply of 88 THE LIFE OF JOHN" JACOB ASTOR. houses is unequal to the demand. We need at this moment five thousand more houses in the city of New- York for the decent accommodation of its inhabitants at rents which they can afford to pay. The man who does more than any one else to supply the demand for houses is the patient, abstemious, and laborious heir of the Astor estate. lie does a good day's work for us in this business every day, and all the wages he re- ceives for so much care and toil is a moderate subsist- ence for himself and his family, and the very trouble- some reputation of being the richest man in America And the business is done with the minimum of waste in every department. In a quiet little office in Prince street, the manager of the estate, aided by two or three aged clerks, (one of them of fifty-five years' standing in the office,) transacts the business of a property larger than tha. of many sovereign princes. Every thing, also, is done promptly and in the best manner. If a tenant desires repairs or alterations, an agent calls at the house within twenty-four hours, makes the requi- site inquiries, reports, and the work is forthwith begun, or the tenant is notified that it will not be done. The concurrent testimony of Mr. Astor's tenants is, that ho is one of the most liberal and obliging of landlords. So far, therefore, the Astor estate, immense as it is, appears to have been an unmixed good to the city in which it is mainly invested. There is every reason to believe that, in the hands of the next heir, it will con- tinue to be managed with the same prudence and economy that mark the conduct of its present propri- etor. We indulge the hope that either the present or some future possessor may devote a portion of liis vast THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 89 revenue to the building of a new order of tenement houses, on a scale that will enable a man wlio earns a dollar and a half a day to occupy apartments fit for the residence of a family of human beings. The time is ripe for it. May we live to see in some densely-popu- lated portion of the city, a new and grander Astor House arise, that shall demonstrate to the capitalists of every city in America that nothing will pay better as an investment than houses for the people, which shall afford to an honest hiborer rooms in a clean, or- derly, and commodious palace at the price he now pays for a corner of a dirty fever-breeding barrack! THE WILL OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. -♦♦♦- In the Name of GOD, Amen ; I, John Jacob Astok, of the city of New- York, desiring to dis- pose of all the real and personal estate to which I may be enti- tled, at the time of my decease, in the manner hereinafter ex- pressed, do make this my last Will and Testament. 1st. To MY Dauoiitek Douotuea, wife of Walter Langdon, Esquire, T give and bequeath all my household furniture ; also the use, during her life, of all wiy silver plate, my new service of plate excepted. Also, I give and bequeath to her for her life, the income of the following stocks, debt, and money : that is to say, 0}ie hundred thousand dollars of the debt of the city of N^ew- Vorl', bearing live per cent interest ; five hundred shares of the capital stock 0/' tfte Banh of America ; one thousand shares of the capital atock of the Manhattan Company; twenty five thou- sand dollars, deposited icith the New- York Life Insurance and Trust Company, (for which I hold certilicatcs ;) all which in- come I devote expressly to her sole and separate use — to be at her own disposal when received by her, and not otherwise, and to be free from all claim, interest, or inteiference of her husband. And to enable her to receive the said income, 1 order my execu- tors, (in whose names the funds aforesaid art to stand during tho life of my said daughter,) from time to time, as she may request, to execute such revocable letters of attorney as may be requisite to enable her to receive the said income. Also, I devise to her the house and lot on Lafayette Place in the city of Now- York, being twenty feet six inches wide, and TUE LIFE OF JOIIX JACOB ASTOR. 91 one hundred and thirty-seven feet six inches deep, now occupied by her, to have and to hold the same during her natural life, free from and exclusive of any interest or interference of her husband .iiid to her sole and separate use. And on her death, 1 give the said plate, (except as above,) sums of debt and deposit and stocks, to her then surviving issue and their executors and administrators. And I devise the said house and lot to her then surviving is- sue, and their Ueirs and assigns for ever. Intending that if any of her children shall have died before her, leaving issue, such issue are together to take what their parent would have taken if surviving. 2d. To John Jacob Astok Langdox, [see codi<^/il, 1 Eliza As- Toii Lan(jdon, Louisa Langdon, Walter Langdon, Jr., Wood- uuKV Langdon, Cecilia Langdon, and Eugene Langdon, child- ren of my daughter Dorothea, or to such of them as shall survive me, I devise all my lots on the easterly side of Lafayette Place, in the city of New- York, and fronting thereon. Also, my lots in the rear of my lots on the said easterly side of Lafayette Place^ extending to the Bowery, and fronting thereon. Also, my lands in the said cit}'', between Charlton street^ Morton street^ Green- wich street, and Hudson liicer, being one hundred lots, to have and to hold the same, them my said grand-childret), in equal shares, for and during their lives respectively. And on the death of each of them, my grand-children, I give the share which he or she shall have enjoyed for life, to their surviving issue, in fee simple, to be divided according to the number of their children ; and in case of death without issue then surviving, I devise the share of such deceased to my said other grand-children, above named, then surviving, in fee simple. lid. To my said grand-children, John J. A. Langdon, Wal- TEU Langdon, Jr., AVoodbuuy Langdon, and Eugene Langdon, [see codicil,] or to such of them as shall survive me, I devise the light lots of land belonging to me, with the improvements there- on, fronting on the easterly side of Broadway, in the city of New- V'ork, between Broome street and Spriny street, to have and to linld the same in cMpial shares, during their lives respectively ; 92 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. and on the death of each, I devise the share to which he had been entitled to his issue, him surviving, in equal shares, ac- cording to the number of his children, and to their heirs or as- signs forever. And in case of death without such issue, I devise such share to his then surviving brothers, and their heirs and as- signs forever. To my said grand-children, Sarah Astor, wife of Robert Bo- reel, E»q., Eliza Astor, Louisa and Cecilia, or to such of them us may survive me, I devise the four housen and lots fronting on the tcesterly side of Broad tea y, between Prince street and Hous- ton street, now known as numbers 579, 581, 583, and 587, ex- tending in the rear to Mercer street ; to have and to hold the same to them respectively, in etiual shares, during their lives ; and on the death of each, I devise her share to her issue then surviving, to be divided according to the number of her children, and to their heirs and assigns forever ; and in case of death with- out issue then surviving, I devise such share to her then surviv- ing sisters, and their heirs and assigns forever. To each of my said grand-sons, John J. A. Langdon, Waltek Langdon, Jr., WooDBUKY Lancjdon, and Eugene Langdon, and to each of my said grand-daughters, Eliza, Louisa, [codicil mod- ifies,] and Cecilia, on their respectively attaining the age of twenty-four years, I give twenty -'he thousand dollars ; and on their respectively attaining the age of thirty years, the further sum of twenty -five thousand dollars. To my grand-daughter Sarah, wife of Robert Boreel, I give the lands and building now known as the City Hotel, in the city of New-York, bounded by Broadway, Thames street. Temple street, and Cedar street, to have and to hold the same for her life. On her death, I devise the same to her then surviving is- sue, (according to the number of her children,) and to their heirs and assigns for ever. And in case of her death without such i.ssue, then I devise the same to her then surviving brothers and sisters, and their heirs and assigns forever. And I authoi-ize her, with the approbation of my executors, in case the building shall be burnt down or otherwise destroyed, to sell the said lands, in fee simple, or to mortgage the same, to raise mone^- for THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 93 rebuilding on the said lands ; in which case the proceeds and money shall be received by my executors and invested by them, and the income shall be paid to the said Saraii Boreel for her life, provided she shall reside within the State of New-York ; but in case she shall not reside therein, then ten thousand dollars j»or annum of such income shall be paid to her, and the residue to her mother, or, in case of her death, to the brothers and sis- ters of the said Sarah. And on the death of the said Sarah, the capital shall bo disposed of as is herein directed as to the land itself, of which it is the proceeds. 4th. [Revoked by codicil. j To my daughter Eliza, Wife of Vincent Rumpff, Esq., I give the income, lor her life, of the fol- lowing funds : Fifty thousand dollars of the Public Debt of Ohio, bearing six percent interest; Fifti/ thousand dollars oi the debt of the city of New Ilacen, bearing live and a half per cent interest ; Fifty thousand dollars deposited in the New- York Life Insurance and Trust Company, (of which I have certifi- cates ;) 07ie thousand shares of the capital stock of the Merchants' Bank in the city of New-York, and sixteen hundred and four shares of the capital stock of the Mechanics^ Bank, in the city of New-York. Also, if she shall come to the State of New-York, and there take up her residence, then I give to her such part of my residuary real estate as she shall select, not exceeding in xixhieffty thousand dollars, according to a just valuation there- of by my executors — which estate so selected shall be set apart to her by deed, to be executed by her and my executors ; to have and to hold the same to her during her life, if she shall not discontinue her residence in New- York. And on her death, I give the capital of the said funds, and the said real estate so se- lected, to her then surviving issue, their heirs, executors, and ad- ministrators, respectively, to be divided according to the number of her children ; but in case of her death without such issue, I authorize her to dispose of the said funds and lands by appoint- ments in the nature of a will, in such manner, and in sucli shares, and for such estates as she may think fit, to and amongst all or any of her relations by consanguinity, who might by possibility take lands from her by descent, according to the law of the State 94 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. m of New-York, as it slmll be at the date of such appointment ; and in case of her death ^vithnut such issue, and not leavinj; any such vahd appointment, then I give the said funds and hinds, one fourth to the chiUlren of my son, AVilliam B. Astor ; one half to the children of my dauj^hter, Dorothea ; and one fourth to my grand-son, Charles IJristed, and their heirs, executors, and ad- ministrators, respectively. Also, I give to my said davghfer EUsa^ and to her Juishand, Vincent Eump^ff, my lands and estates in the canton of Geneva^ in Sicitzerhind^ to have and to hold the same to them during their lives and the life of the survivor of them ; and on the death of the survivor, I give the same to her issue surviving her at her death, and to the heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns forever — to be equally divided, according to the number of her children ; and I hereby give her power to ai)point the said (Jen- cvese estates, in case of her death without such issue, to and amongst my grand-children, or to such one or more of them, and in such shares, for such estates, and on such conditions as she may direct by instrument, in the nature of a will ; and in case of her death without issue, as aforesaid, and without leaving any valid appointment, then I devise the said Genevese estates to my grand-children, as follows : One third to the children of William B. Astor, one third to the children of my daughter, l)orot!iea, and one third to my grand-son, Charles Bristed, and to their heirs, executors, and administrators, respectivel}'^, forever. 5th. To my gi-and-son, Charles Bristed, I devise all that lot of land belonging to me, fronting on the icesterly side of Lafa- yette Place, adjoining my house now occupied by my daughter Dorothea, and being seventy-seven feet six inches wide, by one hundred and thirty-seven feet six inches deep. Also, the lot and house now occupied by me, on the icesterly side of J] roadway, known as numher 585, being about twenty-nine feet in front on Broadway, and twenty-five feet on Mercer street, to which it ex- tends. Also, a lot of land belonging to me on the westerly [easterly — see codicil] side of liroadicay, between Spring street and Prince street— aho, nine lots of land on the Eighth avenue and Twenty-sixth street^ seven of which lie on the westerly side THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 95 of the avenue, including the two corner lots of Twenty-sixth street, and two lie on the northerlv side of Twenty-sixth stivet iiciir the avenue. Also, J\>rtij-tlivci: lofn of hind froiiiing on S,t'('iith airiine, liloomiutjiJdlc lioad, Thirti/sevcnth at reef, and Fortieth street. Also, eight lota of land on Avenue A, betmeen Su'th and Seventh streets. Also, my country seat at llcUgatc, and my lands there, containing about thirteen acres. Also, the twenth (wo lots owned by me in the Mock formed by Hamersley atreet, Varick street, Bedfonl street, and Downing street ; to have and to hold, all and singular, the said lots of land and pre- mises for and during his natural life. Also, I give to hitn, on his attaining the age of twenty -live years, the income and inter- eat of one hundred and Jifteen thousand dollars, to be set apart by my executors out of my good bonds and mortgages, to have and enjoy such income during his lilc. And as to the in^'ome of the real estate above devised to him for life, I devise the suuie to my executors in trust to receive the same and to apply it, or so much and part thereof as they may think fit, to the use of the said Charles Bristed, until he shall attain the age of twenty-five years. And upon the death of the said Chaiies Uristed, 1 give the said lands :i..d capital of^ one hundred and fifteen thotisand dollars to his then surviving issue, (to be divided according to tlie number of his children,) and to theii heirs, executors, ad- ministrators, and assigns, respectively forever. And in case of his death without such issue, th' I give the said lands and money, one half t" the children of m ■ son William B. Astor, and one half to the children of my daughter Dorothc^i Langdon, und to their heirs, executors, and administrators, respectively, forever, fith. To my grandsons, John Lvcob Astok, William Astou, and Henry Astor, sons of William B. Astor, or to such of them as may survive me, I devise all my lands I iing heticeen Bloom- ingdale Road, Hudson River, Forty-second s.'reet, and Fifty-frst street, to be divided in the proportion of two shares to John, and one share each to AVil^i.. and Henry, to have and to hold the same to them during their lives respectively. Provided, how- ever, that if my son "William B. Astor should consider either of them to have become unworthy of this devise, he may convey * ^. '*^."^^ .0^. \'^^, A IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^0 V /. *t ^<° .,^ 1.0 IP- III I.I 2.5 ■^ 1^ ill 2.2 S 1^ 12.0 1.8 11.25 ill 1.4 IIIIII.6 j^ ^. V2 ^ 0% n ^ w °?i /A '^ '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET W*8Sr6'»,N.Y. 14580 ^; .6) 872-4503 4f^ '7 % •s 96 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. the share of such one or more of them to the others or other, by appointment under his hand and seal ; and on their respective deaths, I devise the share devised to each for life, to his then sur- viving issue, and to their heirs and assigns forever, to be divided according to the number of his children. And in case of death without such issue, then I devise the same to his surviving brothers, and their heirs and assigns for ever ; or, in case they should not survive, to William B. Astor and his heirs for ever. 7th. [Codicil modifies the whole.] I direct my executors to pro- vide for my unfortunate son, John Jacob Astor^ and to procure for him all the comforts which his condition doth or may admit ; and to bear the expense thereof, not exceeding Jive ' >u8and dollars a year ; and in case he, should be restored, then I direct them to apply to his use ten thousand dollars a year during his life ; and if he shall leave lawful issue surviving him, then I direct my executors to pay to such issue the sum of five thou- sand dollars per annum to each child for life. And mj^ exec- utors are directed to set apart from my estate, such funds as in their judgment shall be sufficient to defray these annuities ; and also all other annuities bequeathed in my will ; which annuities shall stand secured on such funds, OKclusive of any of my lands* 8th. [R voked by codicil] To each of the four daughters of my deceased brother George Astor, I give twenty thousand dol- lars ; to his son Joseph^ I give twenty -Jive thousand dollars; to his son William H. Astor, I give ten thousand dollars; to George Astor, Jr., I give three thousand dollars ; to the widow of my said hrother George, I give two hundred pounds sterling yearly, for her life, commencing, the first payment, one year after my death ; the same to be estimated here at the current rate of exchange. To my niece Sophia Astor, of Nienwid, in Germany, I give five thousand dollars. To my Sister Cath- erine, wife of Michael Miller, I give one thousand dollars ; to the children of her daughter, Maria Moore, I give five thousand dollars, to be equally divided among them, and to be paid to their mother for their use. 9th. To the German Society of the City of New- York, [modi- fied by codicils,] I give thirty thousand dollars^ upon condition THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 97 that they do, as soon as conveniently may be done after pay- ment of the money, invest and keep the same invested in secu- rity of bond and mortgage of lands, and apply the interest and income thereof to establish and maintain an oflSce, in some suit- able place in the city of New-York and proper persons attend- ing, who shall speak the German language, and be otherwise qualified for their duty, who shall attend daily in such office during the usual hours for business in this city, for the purpose of giving advice and information, without charge, to all emigrants arriving here, touching their establishment here and their course of life ; and for the purpose of protecting them against imposi- tions, to which strangers without knowledge of the country or its language may be exposed. To the Trustees of Columbia College, [revoked by codicil,] in the city of New- York, I give twenty fine thousand dollars, upon condition that they do, within a reasonable and convenient time, establish a professorship of the German language and liter- ature, and do appoint and continue a professor therein, of com- petent learning, who shall give proper lectures and instruction in the said language and literature. To The Association for the Relief of Respectable Aged Indigent Females in the city of New-York, I give twenty-five thousand dollars, on condition that they cause the same to be put out and kept at interest on bonds and mortgage of real es- tate, and apply the interest to the objects of their association. And in case of a breach of any of the said conditions or from any legal or other impediment, any of the three last legacies shall fail to take efiect, then I give the same to my executors, confid- ing in their honor alone to make such disposition of such sums as they shall deem most analogous to the aforesaid purposes. To the German Reformed Congregation [revoked by codicil] in the city of New-York, of which I am a member, I give two thousand dollars. loth. All the rest, residue, and remainder of my real and per- sonal estate [changed by codicil] I give and devise to my son William B. Astor, to have and to hold the said real estate to him for his life. And I authorize him to appoint the same after &:J 98 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. :■'!;, M^ u* m it .' '.) 't :j ,:!,(. his death to and amongst his children and their issue in such shares and for such estates and on such conditions as he may think fit, by deed or by will ; and in case he shall leave no such valid appointment, I devise the same to his children and their heirs and assigns forbver, including as well those now born as subsequently born children. And I hereby charge upon tho residuary estate thus devised, portions of two hundred thousand dollars, [changed by codicil,] to be settled upon each of his daughters, and her issue, in such manner as he may think fit, subject to the condition of their marrying with the- consent of himself or his wife, or such per- sons as he may nominate in his will, which portions are to bo set apart out of the real estate devised to him as above, and which when set apart are not to form any incumbrance upon tho residue : and in case of his leaving no appointment as aforesaid, these portions are to be considered as part of his daughters' shares on the division of the estate now devised, among his children. And as to the personal estate bequeathed to him, it is my w 11 that he employ the same in the improvement of the real estate to him herein above devised, in such manner as he may think fit My Service of Plate above mentioned, I give to be used by my son William B. Astor for life, and after his death to such of his sons as he may appoint. 11th. And considering that the uncertainty of life estates may embarrass the advantageous enjoyment of lands thus situated, and considering, also, other matters of convenience, I do hereby AUTHOKizE each and every person who shall take an estate under this will, which may terminate with his or her life, to make any lease of the premises to them devised, and of any and every part thereof, for any term of years not exceeding twenty-one years from the date thereof with covenants therein for allowing to the lessee or his assigns, the actual value at the termination of the lease, of the buildings then standing on the demised prem- ises, and useful as a dwelling-house or for any mercantile or me- chanical business, which covenant shall bind the remainderman, in respect to such lands, if he shall enter thereupon ; 2)rovided ■■,'i. THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 99 that such leases be made with the assent of one of my executorc. uniting in the same for this purpose, and that the fair yearly- value of the premises be reserved as rent, payable annually without any anticipation by way of premium, and be made pay- able to the tenant for life, and to the persons in remainder suc- cessively, according to the nature of their several estates. Also, I do authorize any such tenant for life, with the assent of one of my executors, uniting in the deed, to manifest the same, to sell and convey in fee simple^ to the extent of one half hi value of the lands devised, to such life tenant, in order to raise money for the improvement of the residue, for which appli- cation of the money so to be raised, such executor shall make provision before giving such assent ; and his uniting in the deed shall make the same an eifectual conveyance to the parties ac- cepting the same, who shall thereby be freed from seeing to the application of the purchase-moneys. In case any of the stocko or funds herein specifically bequeathed should not he in my hands at my decease, the several bequests shall be made up by purchases at the expense of my estate, of stocks or funds of the same, or a similar kind, and to the same amount, at their par values ; and in case any of the said stocls or funds should he paid off or become, in the judgment of my eX' ecutors, insecure, then it shall be lawful for them to sell and dis- pose of the same at the request, or with the assent, of the per- son entitled to the income thereof, and to invest the proceeds in such other safe securities as my executors shall think expedient, and so on, from time to time. But no change in the form of in- vestment shall change the right or interest of any person in the income and proceeds of such property. I appoint William B. Astor, James G. King, Washinoton Irvino, James Gallatin, , to be executors of this my will, and give such of them as shall act herein, and the sur- vivors and survivor of them, the several powers, authority, and discretion herein granted. And whenever, and as often as their numher shall le reduced to two, my acting executors shall ap- point such proper persons as they may select, to be united with them in the execution of the objects of this will ; and upon such 100 THE LIFE OP JOHN JACOB ASTOR. ^'ii appointment being accepted and acknowledged, and recorded as a deed, the persons so appointed shall be invested with the same interest, right, discretion, and control, as if appointed by name in this will ; and so, from time to time, until all the purposes of this will shall be accomplished or completed. And I expressly de- clare that those who shall act in the executorship of this will shall not be answerable for the losses which shall occur through the acts of others of their number, or of any agents by them em- ployed, nor otherwise, than from their own fraudulent miscon- duct, and they shall be in all respects indemnified out ot my estate, and may employ such agents and servants as they may deem necessary ; and may make any arrangement /or the settle- ment of any di^culties which may arise in relation to any of my estate, by composition or arbitration, as they shall think fit. / authorize my executors, at the request of any person or persons to whom lands are herein devised in common, to set apart their shares in severalty ; and thenceforth the limitations of fu.ture estates applicable to the shares before separation shall apply to the separated share, and they may charge the lands with sums for equality of partition. Lastly, I revoke all other wills by me made prior to this date, and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I have signed and sealed these presents, this fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six. JOHN JACOB ASTOR. [l. s.] 'I. |.i Published in the presence of us, before whom the testator declared these presents to be his last will and testament, and requested us to sign our names as witnesses, which we do, in his presence and in presence of each other. Dated, 1836, July 4. Hannah Norman, Hell-Gate, New- York. Daniel Lord, Jr., 26 Beach street, New- York. Dated, 30th Dec. 1836. Geo. B. Smith, 640 Broadway, New-York. Edwin Smith, 71 Bleecker street. New- York. Wm. W. Bruce, 481 Houston street .6 '< ' .1 THE LIFE OP JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 101 Declared by Mr. J. ". Astor to be his last will and testament, by him subscribed as such, before us, signing as witnesses, at his request. 1845, Jan. 11. Jas. G. Cogswell, 585 Broadway, New- York. Charles J. McIlvaine, 44 Great Jones street. Daniel D. Lord, Nineteenth street. ■**• A CODICIL TO THE WILL OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. In order to make s^ome provisions of my will more plain, to make some alterations therein, and to consolidate sundry codicils thereto, (which codicils I hereby revoke,) I make this codicil to my will, bearing date the fourth day of July, eighteen hundred and thirty-six. And do declare the said will and this codicil to contain my last will. 1st. I give to my daughter, Dorothea Langdon, the lot on the toest side of Lafayette Place, in the city of New-York, [revoked in codicil 3 March, 1841,] twenty-seven feet wide, and one hun- dred and fifty-five feet deep, on the north side of the house and lot, in my will given to her life ; to have and to hold the same to her for life, free of any interference of her husband, and to her sole and separate use, being the same lot given in my will to Charles Bristed, and which I confirm to him after Mrs. Langdon's life. And in relation to the income given to my daughter, Mrs. Langdon, and to the house and lots devised to her for life ; in order the better to secure the same to her, I devise and direct, that in case her husband, present or future, or any one claiming under his act or default, shall attempt to interfere with, dispose of, or incumber the said legacy of income or devise of land, or any part there ", then in that case I do from that time give the said income and lots of land on Lafayette Place, to my executors dur- ing her life in trust, to receive the income and the rents and pro- fits of the land, and to apply the same to the use of my said daughter and her children, in such manner and proportions as she may request ; and should there be any surplus of such income, 102 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. w 1'$:' m beyond what may be so applied, I give the same to her children from time to time, as it shall accrue. 2d. Inasmuch as my grandson, John J. A. Lanodon, has de- parted this life, whereby two legacies of twenty-five thousand dollars each, have become lapsed, I therefore add to the lands de- vised in the second item of my will to him and his brothers and sisters in that item named, or to such of them as may survive me, three lots of land lying on the westerly side of Lafayette Place, [modified in codicil March 3, 1841,] next north of a lot which in my will is given for life to Charles Bristed, and is above given for her life to my daughter ; each of which three lots i« twenty-seven feet in width, and one hundred and fifty-five feet in depth, subject to, and with the benefit of a gangway running from Art street, across the rear of the said lots parallel with Lafayette Place, and twenty feet wide, and lying at a distance of one hundred and ten feet therefrom ; which three lots of land I give to my said grandchildren, to have and to hold in equal shares as tenants in common for their lives respectively ; and on the death of each, I give his or her share to his or her surviving issue in fee simple, and in case of death without sur- viving issue, I give such share to his or her other brothers and sisters, in the same item named, surviving, in fee simple. 8d. In relation to the above lots on Lafayette Place, and to the house and lot given in my will to Mrs. Langdon, and to Charles Bristed for life, and in relation to my other lots on the west side of Laftiyette Place, I have laid out the same so as to include a gangway [revoked March 3, 1341] twenty feet wide, as above mentioned, and a piece of land twenty-five feet deep, in the rear thereof, for a stable lot, which gangway is to be used as n carriage-way by the residents on the said lots appertaining thereto, and is to be regulated and kept in order, with a gate, by such residents ; each lot bearing an equal share of the expense. And I direct and devise that the said lots so given to Mrs. Lanjr- don and Charles Bristed shall be extended so as to include each one hundred and fifty-five feet deep from Lafayette Place, with the privilege of such gangway, and subject thereto. 4th. J[f the yearly income (of stocks and funds) given to my ■m THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 103 daughters^ Mrs. Langclon and Mrs. Rumpff^ respectively, shall in any year fall short of fifteen thousand dollars, then the defi- ciency shall be made up from my residuary personal estate, re- maining in the hands of my executors ; but if such deficiency shall arise from any temporary suspension of dividends or in- come, not occasioned by actual losses in the stocks or funds, then such advances shall be refunded from the excess of income over fifteen thousand dollars per annum, afterward accruing on such stocks or funds. Also in relation to the real estate of Mrs. Rumpff, in case she should come to this State to reside, as pro- vided in item fourth of my will, I direct that the selection bo made by n^ executory, as soon as may be after my decease, and that upon the event contemplated in the said item of my will, she shall take the estate therein given in such selected land. 5th. I give to Charles Bristed the lot of land belonging to me lying on the easterly side of Broadway^ between Prince and Spring streets, which is the lot I intend in the fifth item of my said will, wherein the same is erroneously described as lying on the westerly side of Broadway, and the lot now correctly de- scribed, is hereby given as the other lands in that item men- tioned. 6th. As to all my lands at Green Bay, and its vicinity, in the territory of Wisconsin, (in which there are others connected with me,) and also as to all my lands not within the city and county of New-York, I authorize and fully empower my executors, or any two of them, or of the survivors of them, to seal and deliver' all deeds of conveyance, in fee simple, or for partition, if needed, and to execute all other instruments of every kind needful, or in their judgment proper, in relation to the lands and every part thereof; and also to appoint such agents, from time to time, sub- ject to their control and direction, as they may think fit, with the like powers ; the proceeds of all such sales to be disposed of as part of my personal estate. And for the purpose of such sales, and for the protection of the lands in the mean time, I give the same to my executors, as joint tenants, and' not as tenants in common, in fee simple, in trust, for such purposes. 7th. The service of plate excepted from the gift to Mrs. Lang- .! i 104 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. I? ■ don in my will, and therein mentioned as my new service of plate, and given for the use of William B. Astor for life, I de- scribe more particulaily as my service of French plate, at this time in his possession ; and in case he shall not leave any ap- pointment of it among his children, I give the same on his death to his eldest surviving son. 8th. I revoke and annul the eighth item of my said will, and the legacies therein given ; and in lieu thereof I give as follows : To Mrs. Sarah Oxuniiam, [modified in codicil of March 3, 184:1,] daughter of my late brother, George Astor, I give thirty thou- sand dollars ; to his son, Joseph Astor, [modified Oct. 24. 1831), J 1 ^WQ fifty thousand dollars; provided, however, thiU my execu- tors, if they think fit, may retain the same in whole or in pait, and apply the same, and the income thereof, to his use, and the maintenance of him and his family during his life ; and any bal- ance is to be given to his children or next of kin. To each of the other daughters [modified as to Mrs. Reynell, March 3, 1841] of my said brother George^ surviving me, I give twenty thousand dollars. To "NYilliam Henry Astor, son of my said brother Cjeorge, I give the annual sum of five hundred dollars during his life, commencing the first payment six months after my decease ; but if he shall attempt to assign or incumber the same, or it shall be claimed by any of his creditors under any legal proceeding's or claim in the law, then I direct my executors to cease paying it to him, and require them to apply the same in their discretion to his use, maintenance, and support. To George Astor, Junior, I give three thousand dollars. To the widow of my brother George I give two hundred pounds sterling^ yearly., for her lif\ to be estimated at the current rate of exchange at the time of payment ; the first payment of two hundred pounds to be made six months after my decease, and then yearly afterward. To my niece, Sophia Astor, of Nienvvid, in Germany, I gwofive thousand dollars. To the children of Hannah Moore, daughter of my sister Catharine, who may survive me, I give five thousand dol- lars, to be equally divided between them. To each of the chilli- ren ^George Ehninger, who may survive me, I give one thou- sand dollars. These legacies, of which the time of payment is THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 105 of de- this not above declared, are to bo paid one half in six months, the balance in twelve months, from my decease ; and my executors are to set apart funds from my personal estate, to discharge the annuities which arc to be allowed up to the death of the annui- tants. 9th. I reduce the legactj to the German Society of New-Yokk, from thirty thousand dollars to twenty-five thousand dollars. I have given to the Association for the Relief of Respectable AfiED Indigent Females, in the city of New-York, five thousand dollars, which is to be deducted from the legacy of twcnty-fivo thousand dollars given in my will. To the Institution for the Blind, in the city of New- York, I give five thousand dollars. To the Society for the Relief of Half-Orphans and Destitute Children, in the city of New- York, I gw^five thousand dollars. To the New- York Lying-In Asylum I give tico thoumnd dollars. And in case of any of these three legacies failing to gj into effect, I give the same to my executors, confiding in their honor alone, to make such dispositions of such sums as they shall deem most analogous to the objects of the said charities. 10th. I direct that the jiortions of two hundred thousand dol- lars, [see codicil, Dec. 22, 1843,] for each of the daughters of my son, William B. Astor, shall be settled on them on their re- spectively attaining the age of twenty-one years, or their mar- riage. I give to my son, William B. Astor, one half of my residuary personal estate absolutely ; and also the income of the other half, until he shall think fit to expend such other half in the improvement of my residuary estate ; and the balance thereof unexpended at his death, I give to his children, or to such of them, and in such manner and proportions as he may appoint by will. nth. In case any devises, bequests or legacies, trusts, powers, conditions, limitations, or other dispositions or clauses in my said will or in this codicil, or in any suhsequent codicil, should, for any reason, he deemed invalid, (having intended, however, in all things, to make them conformable to the law,) then it is my will, that in all events the said will and codicils shall stand valid as to all other parts and provisions ; and that no failure of ':«■ 106 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. m p any clause of my will, or the codicils thereto, shall defeat or ren- der void any other parts thereof. And in case of the invalidity of any devise or legacy or other provision, I direct that the prop- erty or subject of such invalid disposition shall bo given to the persons for whose benefit the same appears by the expressions of such defeated clause ; as to which property or subject, I au- thorize my executors to appoint the same, to said person or per. sons, in such estates, manner, and proportions, as they shall judge conformable to my will, and as shall be lawful. And in- asmuch as I make advancements or beneficial provisions for per- sons or purposes provided for in my will and codicils, it is my direction that such advancements, if charged in my books of ac- count, shall be deemed so much on account of the provision in my will or codicils in favor of such person or persons. Lastly. I appoint Daniel Lord, Junr., to he an executor of my will with the other executors thereof, in the same manner as it he had been named therein, and I give him all such estate, in- terest, authority, trust, and power, as is given to my other ex- ecutors. I publish this codicil and my said will as hereafter modified, as together containing my last will and testament; and I have signed and sealed the isame in the presence of the subscribing witnesses hereto, this nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty -eight. JOHN JACOB ASTOR. [l s.] SECOND CODICIL. ,. I, John Jacob Astou, do make this further codicil to my will, bearing date July 4th, 1830. ■ 1st. In order more comfortably to accommodate my unfortu- nate son John, I have provided for the erection of a dwelling- house on Fourteenth street in the city of New-York, upon a cer. tain piece of land which I attach thereto, bounded 'as follows : beginning on the northerly side of Fourteenth street, one hun- dred and twenty-five feet westerly from its intersection with THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 107 the westerly side of the Ninth avenue, running thonce northerly parallel with the said avenue to the south side of Fifteenth street, thence westerly along the same one hundred feet, then southerly parallel to the line of the said Ninth avenue to Fourteenth street, then along the same easterly one hundred feet, to the place of beginning, which house I intend to furnish and provide for his convenience and that of the persons who from time to time shall take charge of his personal comfort. Now, therefore, I do hereby give to my son John the said house and land with the furniture appropriate thereto, to have and to hold as long during his life as the same shall be used and kept for his personal accommoda- tion and convenience, with remainder to my daughter Dorothea, to be held by her so long during her life as she shall use the same or the income thereof for her own use, free from nil control or interference of her husband, and so long as she or her hus- band shall not attempt to dispose of her interest therein, and shall not permit the same to be incumbered or taken under any incumbrance, but not longer ; and in case, during her life, she or her husband, or any claiming under or against them, shall attempt to incumber or divert the same from her actual use, then [ give the same to my executors, in trust, during her life, to receive the rents and profits thereof, and to apply the same to her use, for which her receipts shall be a full voucher to my executors. Af- ter her death I give and devise the said lands and furniture^ one equal half part thereof to the then surviving children and isAiie of my daughter Dorothea, the other half to the then surviving children and issue of my son William, taking in fee simple, and the issue representing its parent deceased. Provided, however, and I hereby authorize my executors, in case they shall think that the comfort of my son will be more pro- moted by a change of his residence or any other appropriation of the property for his benefit, to lease the said premises forany law- ful termof years, or to sell the land and execute the proper deeds, to convey the same in fee simple, and to invest the proceeds from a sale in other lands, for his personal use and accommodation during his life, or in bonds secured by mortgage of real estate, or public stocks, and so on, from time to time, in which case of 108 THE LIFE OP JOHN JACOB ASTOR. I-. ,;?^ investment I give the income, to be applied by my executors, to the use of my son Jol::), for his hfe ; after his death I give the said income to my daughter Dorothea, and my executors as above expressed in relation to the land ; and the capital on her death I give to the then surviving children of my said daughter, and my son William, as above expressed. Item. The sum which my executors are authorized under the seventh item of my will to expend for my son John is hereby enlarged to ten thousand dollars per annum. Item. In consequence of the lamented death of my daughter Eliza^ the provisions of the fourth item of my will are defeated, and I revoke the said item ; and I give the use of my estate near Geneva to Mr. Vincent Rumpff for his life ; and after him I give the said estate to my granddaughter Cecilia Langdon and her heirs forever. / give to my daughter Dokotiiea the income of one hundred thousand dollars deposited in the New-York Life Insurance and Trust Company, bearing interest at five per cent per annum, to take and receive the income thereof so long dur- ing her life as siie or her husband, present or future, or any one claiming under them, shall not attempt to encumber, charge, or assign the same, in whole or in part ; and in case of any such attempt, then I give the said income to my executors, in trust, during her life, to apply the same to her use, for which her own receipt shall be a voucher ; and tqion her death^ I give the said capital sum to her daughters [see codicil of June 3, 1841] Eliza, Louisa, and Cecilia, and to her sons, Waltek, Woodpuky, and Eugene, and to such of these six children as may survive me, to be equally divided among them, and to be accumulated as to the share of each one under the age of twenty-one years, for his or her benefit; and on their attaining that age respective^, to be paid to them by my executors ; and if any of them shall die before that age, without surviving issue, his or her share shall be given to the survivors. Also. I give to the said six children of my daughter Dorothea, or to such of them as may survive me, one hundred thousand dol- lars of the public debt of the city of Xew-York, bearing five per cent interest, usually called the Water Loan, to be paid to each THE LIFE OF JOHX JACOB ASTOR. 109 on attaining their age of .twenty-one ycarf?, and the interest of the shares of those under that age to be accumulated for their benefit until that period ; and in case any of them shall die be- fore that age without surviving issue, then his or her share shall go to the survivors. Item. / give to my said grandchildrep ^ Eliza, Louisa, [see codicil of 3d June, 1841,] Cecilia, AValtek, Woodbury, and Eugene, and to such of them as may survive me, Jive lots of land fronting on the south side of Grand street., between Lud- low and Orchard streets; and also four lots of land fronting the southerly side of Grand street., between Norfolk and Essex streets, in the city of New-York, with their improvements respect- ively ; to have and to hold the same to ray said grandchildren, in equal shares, for their lives respectively. And on the death of each, I give the share enjoyed b}' such deceased to his or her issue, then surviving, in fee simple ; to be divided according to the number of his or her children, and if such deceased shall leave no surviving issue, then I give the share of such deceased to the survivors of the said six, and to their heirs or assigns for- ever. As to which lots, I direct and order that the eleventh ar- ticle of my will shall apply iii all respects in the same manner as if this devise had been contained in the body of the said will. Item. I give to my niece., Sophia Astor., of Nienwid., in Ger. many, in addition to her legacy, an annuity of three hundred dollars per annum., to commence from my decease, and paid up to the time of her death, payable yearly. And this codicil, with my said will, and the other codicils thereto, T publish, and declare to contain my last will and testa- ment. In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and set my seal in the presence of the witnesses subscribing with me, this ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thou- sand eight hundred and thirty -niiie. JOHN JACOB ASTOR, [r. s.] Published and declared by Mr. John Jacob Astor to be a codi- cil to his will, this ninth day of January, a.d., 1839, in presence of us signing at his request, and in presence of him and of each other. 110 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. THIRD CODICIL— AuCxUST 22, 1839. I, John Jacob Astor, do make this additional codicil to my last will, bearing date the fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-six. Desiring to render a public benefit to the city of New-York, and to contribute to the advancement of useful knowledge and the general good of society, I do by this codicil appropriate /our hundred thovsand dollars^ out of my residuary estate, to the es- tablishment of a Public Library in the city of New- York. For this purpose I give to my executors four hundred thousand dollars^ to be taken from my personal estate, or raised by a sale of parts of my real estate, to be made by my executors, with the assent of my son, William B. Astor, upon condition and to the intent that the said amount be settled, applied^ and disposed of as follows, namely : 1st. In erecting of a suitable building for a Public Library. 2d. In furnishing and supplying the same from time to time with books, maps, charts, models, drawings, paintings, engrav- ings, casts, statues, furniture, and other things, appertaining to a library, for general use, upon the most ample scale and liberal character. 3d. In maintaining and upholding the buildings and other property, and in defraying the necessary expenses of taking care of the property, and of the accommodation of persons consulting the library. The said sum shall be payable one third in the year after my decease, one third in the year following, and the residue in equal sums in the fourth and fifth year after my decease. The said library is to be accessible, at all reasonable hours and times, for general use, free of expense to persons resorting thereto, subject only to such control and regulations as the trus- tees from time to time exercise and establish for general conven- ience. The affairs of the institution shall be conducted and directed by eleven, to be from time to time sclecteil from the different liberal THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. Hi professions and employments in life and the classes of educated men. The Mayor of the city of New- York during his continuance in oflBce, and the Chancellor of the State of New- York during his continuance in oflBce, shall always be trustees. The vacan- cies in the number of trustees occurring by death, resignation, incapacity, or removal from the State, shall be filled by persons appointed by the remaining trustees. The acts of a majority of the trustees at a meeting, reasonably notified, shall be valid. All the property and effects of the institution shall be vested in the said trustees. They shall have power to direct the ex- penditure of the funds, the investment, safe keeping, and man- agement thereof, and of the property and effects of the institu- tion, and also to make such ordinar.oes and regulations from time to time as they may think proper for the good order and convenience of those who may resort to the library, or use the same ; and also to appoint, direct, control, and remove the su- perintendent of the library, and all librarians and others em- ployed about the institution ; and, also, they shall have and use all powers and authority for promoting the expressed objects of this institution, not contrary to what is herein expressed. They shall not receive any compensation for their services, except that if any one of their number shall at any time be appointed super- intendent, he may receive compensation as such. The trustees shall be subject to the visitation of the proper courts of justice, for the purpose of preventing and redressing all mismanagement, waste, or breach of trust. And I direct that the said public library be established on my land, at the corner of Lafayette Place and Art street, on the westerly side of Lafayette Place, in the city of New- York : be- ginning on the westerly line of Lafayette Place, eighty-one feet ; northerly from the corner of the house in which my daughter Dorothea Langdon now resides, and running thence perpendicu- lar to Lafayette Place, one hundred and thirty-seven feet six inches, to the alley-way in the rear ; thence along the alley-way to Art street ; thence along Art street to Lafayette Place, and thence to the place of beginning, with the right and benetit of way in the alley ; which land I direct my executors to convey 112 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. Sifl''! •M to the said trustees, in fee simple, by such proper assurances as shall secure the land for the purpose of the library, and on con- dition to be applied and used therefor. And inasmuch as one of the lots so to be conveyed is devised to the children of Mrs. Langdon, I order that twelve thousand five hundred dollars be paid to the said devisees as a compensation for the lot. And T direct that all the said land, hereby appropriated, be valued at forty thousand dollars, and form part of the said four hundred thousand dollars. I further direct that a sum not exceeding thousand dollars may be expended in the erection of .the building for the library. One hundred and twenty thousand dollars may be ex- pended in the purchase of books and other objects for the estab- lishment of the library, ana the residue shall be invested as a fund for the maintaining and gradually increasing of the library. All investments of the funds of the institution shall be made in the public debt of the United States of America, or of the States of the Union, or of the city of New- York, as long as such subjects of investment may be had, giving a preference according to the order in which they are named. And in case the income of the fund shall at any time exceed the amounts which the trustees may find useful to expend, for the purposes above named and particularized, they may expend such surplus in procuring public lectures to be delivered in connection with the library upon useful subjects of literature, philosophy, science, history, and the fine arts, or in promoting in any other mode the objects of the institution as above expressed. I direct my executors to cause and procure the necessary legal assuiances to be made for establishing and securing the application of the funds and property hereby appropriated for the purposes of these presents, and in the mode herein pointed out ; and it is my re- (juest that the trustees would apply to the Legislature of this State for such acts as may fully secure, establish, and perpetuate this institution, and render its management easy, convenient, and safe, both to themselves and the public. And as this pro- l)ei'ty is devoted wholly to public purposes, I trust that the Legislature will so far favor the institution as to exempt its pro- THE LIFE OF JOIIX JACOB ASTOR. 113 perty from taxation. And as a mark of my respect to tlie fol- lowing gentlemen, I name them to be the first trustees, that is to say : The Mayok of the City of New-Yokk and the Chax- CELLOK OF THE State, for the time being, in respect to their offices ; AVasiiincxTon Irving, William B. Astor, Daniel Loud, Junior, James G. King, Joseph G. Cogswell, Fitz-Greene IIal- LECK, Henry Brevoort, Junior, Samuel B. Ruggles, and Samuel Ward, Junior. In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal to this codi- cil, and publish the same as a codicil 'to my will, this twenty- second day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine. JOHN JACOB ASTOR [l. s.] FOURTH CODICIL— October 24, 1839. A further codicil to the will of John Jacob Astor, bearing date the fourth day of July, a.d. 1830. 1st. I revoke and annul the legacy of fifty thousand dollars given to Joseph Astor and his children or next of kin, contained in the eighth item of the codicil to my will, which codicil bears date the nineteenth of January, a.d. 1838 ; and \give to the said Joseph Astor, for his life, an annuity of three hundred pounds sterling per annum, to commence from my decease, and to be paid half yearlv, and up to his decease, provided that my execu- tors, if they think fit, may retain the same or any payment thereof and apply the same to the use of him or his family, as they may judge most beneficial to him. 2d. I revoke and annul the legacy of twenty-Jive thousand dol- lars given in my will to the Trustees of Columbia College, in the city of New- York. 3d. I direct that the commissions chargeable by my executors be divided among such of them as shall act in the executorship exclusively of William B. Astor, who receives the benefit of the general residuary gifts of my will. In witness whereof, I have subscribed this codicil, and do pub- 114 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. Hsh the same as an additional codicil to my last will and testa- ment, this twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine. J. J. ASTOR. Signed and declared by John Jacob Astor as a codicil to his will, this 24th day of October, a.d. 1839, in presence of us, sign- ing at his request, and in his presence, as witnesses. Lucv Sewell, Hurlgate, New-York. Geo. N. Sewell. Declared by Mr. J. J. Astor to be a codicil to his last will and testament, by him subscribed as such before us, signing as wit- nesses at his request, 1845, Jan. 11. Jos. G. Cogswell, 505 Broadway, N. Y. Charles J. McIlvaine, 44 Great Jones street. Daniel D. Loud, Nineteenth street. A FURTHER CODICIL To the icill of John Jacob Astor, hearing date the fourth day of Juhj^ in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty -six. Having before me the said will, and the four several codicils thereto, bearing date January 19, 1838, January 9, August 22, and October 24, 1839, I do make this additional codicil: that is to say — 1st. I revolve so much of the said codicil, dated in Januar}'-, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, as gives to my daughter, Mrs. Langdon, for her life, the lot on Lafayette Place, given in my \cill to Charles Bristcd for life ; so that the estate of Charles Bristed in the said lot, shall not be subject to an}' estate of my daughter theiein. And in relation to the plan of the lots on the west side of La- fayette Place, by which a gangway is established, as is mention- THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOK. 115 ed in the second item of the said codicil, T hereby revohe so much of the said codicil as relates to the establishment or enjoyment of the gangioay therein mentioned, and I abolish and annul the said gangway, and impose it as a condition on my daughter and grand-children, holding lands adjacent to it, that such gangway be wholly abandoned. 2d. I revoke the legacy of two thousand dollars given in my will to the German Reformed Congregation^ in the city of New- York, intending, during my life, to apply that amount to the re« ligious and moral welfare of Germans in some other mode. 3d. In relation to the Library provided for in my codicil, bearing date the twenty-second day of August, 1839, I have con- cluded to change the site thereof, and I therefore direct that the land in that codicil, appropriated for this purpose, be discharged theiefrom, and so much of the said codicil as appropriates the site of the said library, and the compensation to be paid for it, is hereby revoked. And instead thereof, / alloio the building for the said Library to be erected on the southerly sideof Astor Place, (formerly Art street,) between Lafayette Place and Broad- way, on the land described as follows : Beginning on the south- erly side of Astor Place, at a point distant one hundred and fifty- one feet westerly from the westerly corner of Astor Place and Lafayette Place; thence running westerly along Astor Place, sixty-five feet, thence in a line perpendicular to Astor Place, one hundred and twenty-five feet nine inches, to the northerly side of a lot given to my daughter, Mrs. Langdon ; thence along the same northerly and easterly, in a line perpendicular to the west- erly side of Lafayette Place, fifty -seven feet ; thence along the rear of the lot given to Charles Bristed, and in that direction, parallel with the westerly side of Lafayette Place, thirty-one feet one inch ; thence in a line perpendicular to the southerly side of Astor Place, one hundred and twenty-five feet, to the place of beginning ; which site I direct my executors to convey to the trustees of the said library, instead of the site in the said codicil expressed, and I estimate the site now above described, at thir- ty-five thousand dollars. But if the trustees of the said library shall, before commencing the building, think a site on the easterly 116 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. K 'i side of Lafayette Place preferahlc^ 1 authorize my executors, in- stead of the site aforesaid, to codvc}^ to the trustees of the libra- ry, as a site therefor, so much hind on the easterly side of La- fayette Place as shall be sixty-five feet in front, and one hundred and twenty feet deep, to be located out of my lands there, by the said trustees ; and direct that the site so selected be lairly and justly valued by my executors, and the amount of such valua- tion to be apportioned among the devises of the lands out of which the selection shall be made, and to be held and disposed of as the land was, both as to the capital and income. I direct that the sum to be appropriated for erecting the library "building shall not exceed seventy-Jive thousand dollars. And I also allow that the funds of the said library may in the discretion of the trustees be invested in bonds secured by mort- gage of improved real estate, as well as in the stocks enumerated in the codicil establishing such library. 4th. I give unto my grand-children herein next named, the following lots of land on Lafayette Place^ of which I have caused a map to be made, and the lots to be numbered from one to seven, each lot being twenty-seven feet in width on Lafayette Place, and to be bounded by lines perpendicularly thereto, and extending to the above described site for the library, and if that shall be located on the easterly side of Lafaj'^ette Place, then ex- tending to the rear of my lands there, namely : To my grand- son, William Astor, I give the southernmost lot, next to that of Charles Bristed, which lot now given is number two ; to John Jacob Astoh, I give the next lot north, being number three ; to Louisa D. Lanodon, [see codicil, June, 1841,] the lot next north, being number four ; to Eliza Langdon, the lot next north, being number five ; and to my daughter, Mrs. Langdox, I give the tico lots six and seven, the latter being a corner lot forty feet front and narrowing to the rear ; to have and to hold to them respect- ively, and to their heirs and assigns forever ; Provided^ however, and on condition that no buildings be erected on the said lots (including also the lot of Charles Bristed) but dwelling-houses at least three stories high and covering the full front of the lots, and the necessary offices on the rears of the lots. Provided. THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB .VSTOR. 117 also, that it shall be lawful for my executors at any time during the life of the devisee, to make and execute a settlement of the lots given to the said ladiCvS, securing the enjoyment to them, as a separate estate of the said lots during life, and a power of giv- ing the same as they please among their issue, brothers and sis- ters, and their issue, such power to be discretionary Mith my executors ; with a power to the said ladies respectively of leas- ing for terms of years allowed by law ; and I authorize my ex- ecutors, at the request of any of the said grand-children, (includ- ing Charles Bristed and his lot,) to lay out atiy part of the per- sonal estate given to them or to their use, respectively, in the erection of a suitable dwelling-house and its appurtenances on the lot so given fronting on Lafayette Place. 5th. I give to my friend Fitz-Gueexe Halleck, an annuity of two hundred dollars, commencing at my decease, and payable half-yearly for his life, to be secured by setting apart so much of my personal estate as may be necessary ; which I intend as a mark of regjird for Mr. Halleck. 6th. I direct my executors to apply ffty thousand dollars to the use of the poor of Waldorp, near Heidelberg, in the Grand Duchj of Baden, by the establishment of some provision for the sick or disabled, or the education and improvement of the young who mav be in a condition to need the aid of such fund ; re- questing my executors to consult on this subject my esteemed friend, Mr. Vincent Rumpff, and to procure the appointment or establishment of such trust or legal body, from the authorities and government of the place, as may be requisite or deemed use- ful by my executors. 7th. I reduce the legacy bequeathed to the German Society of New-York, from twenty-five thousand dollars to twenty thousand dollars, of which I have already advanced them fifteen thousand six hundred and ninety -seven dollars fifty cents, to be deducted therefor, from the said last mentioned sum. Also, I reduce the legacy which my niece, Mrs. Marv Revnell, wife of George Reynell, would have taken under the first codicil to my will, to fifteen thousand dollars. I reduce the legacy of my niece, Mrs. 118 THE LIFE OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. Sauaii Oxexiiam, given in the said codicil, from thirty thousand to twenty thousand dolhiH. 8tii. I appoint my grandson, Jgfin Jacob Astor, to bo an ex- ecutor of my will with the other executors thereof, in the same manner as- if he had been named therein ; and I give him all such estate, interest, authority, trust, and power, as is given to my other executors. And I apply the provisions of the eleventh item of my will to all my codicils, so far as the same can be ap- plied to the subjects thereof Last. I recogniz" and publish anew the said will and several codicils, as together with this codicil, forming my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this third day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, in the presence of the witnesses subscribing with me. J. J. ASTOR. [l. s.] I SIXTH CODICIL. A further codicil to the will of John Jacob Astor, dated July 4, 1836. 1st. As to all such shares, estate, and interest in land (except the lot on the west side of Lafayette place, mentioned beneath) as are in my will or in any cod'cil thereto, given on my decease to Louisa, daughter of Mrs. Dorothea Langdon, or to the issue of the said Louisa, I give one half thereof to the other children of my daughter Dorothea, to be taken and held as an increase of the shares or sums given to them and their issue in the same property ; the other half I give to my executors in trust, to re- ceive the rents, issues, and profits thereof, for the life of the said Louisa, and to apply the same to her use, clear of any control, debts, or right of her husband thereto; and after her death I give the same to her surviving children ; or if she leave none, to her surviving brothers and sisters or their issue. 2d. As to all estates, rights, and interests in lands, stocks, per- THE LIFE OF JOUN JACOB ASTOR. 119 sonal effects, or money, to which the said Louisa or her issue would have been entitled, under my will or any codicil thereto, after the death of her mother, brothers, or sisters, I give the same to her brothers and sisters and their issue, as an increase of their respective shares or interests, in the same property. 3d. As to the two legacies of twenty-five thousand dollars each, and the share of the Water stock, to which the said Louisa would have been entitled under m}-- will and a codicil thereto, I revoke the two legacies entirely ; I give the income of her share of stock to my daughter Dorothea for life ; and on her death I give the capital to her other children and their issue in case of • their decease. 4th. As to the lot on the westerly side of Lafayette place^ given to the said Louisa in a codicil to my will, I give the same to Cecilia Langdon, to be had and holden as if her name had been written in the devise thereof, instead of Louisa, with every advantage, power and benefit, and subject to every condition power, and limitation therein contained. 6th. I expressly authorize my daughter Dorothea Langdon, by deed or will, to appoint or give to the said Louisa and her issue, or to her or their use, any part, not exceeding in value one half of the real or personal estate by this codicil taken from Louisa and given to others. Gth. I direct and devise that Cifaules Bristed be one of the trustees of the devise and legacy for a public library, provided for in former codicils to my will, and I give him the said estate, interest, and power, as if he were orignally named in such devise and legacy, 7th. Considering the advantages which Mr. Vincent Rumpff has received from the marriage settlement of my daughter, I revoke the devise to him, for his life, of my estate near Geneva. But if an accounting shall take place between us touching the property in the said settlement after this date, and within two years, and the balance of that account shall be paid, then I re- new such devise to him for life of the estate near Geneva. In relation to the same estate which I give to the said Cecilia, subject to said life estate to Mr. Rumpff, I furthermore devise 120 THE LIFE OP JOHN JACOB ASTOR. that if she should depart this life before attaining the ago of twenty-one years, then I give the said estate to her issue sur- viving her ; and if she shall have none surviving, then I give the same to her surviving brothers and sisters and their heirs and assigns forever. Last. I publish this as a codicil to my will, and as altering and revoking the same and the codicils thereto, so *ar as a difler- ent disposition is made by the present codi"';. In Witness Wiiekkof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this third day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-one. J. J. ASTOR. [L.S.] SEVENTH CODICIL. I, John Jacob Astor, of the city of New-York, do make this additional codicil to my will, bearing date July 4th, 1836. In order to make a provision for Mr. Walter Langdon, after the decease of my daughter, his wife, in case he should survive her, I do hereby direct that an annual sum o^ Jive thousand dol- lars be appropriated to his use, from the rents and income of my lands in the city of New-York, bounded by Hudson River, Charl- ton, Morton, and Greenwich streets; such annual provision to commence from the death of my daughter, to be paid quarterly, and to continue during the life of the said Walter Langdon. And I authorize, empower, and direct my executors to select from the said lands such as will, in their judgment, suffice to secure the said annual sum, and to settle the same, by such con- veyance, in trust or otherwise, as will secure the same to the use of the said Walter Langdon. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-two. J. J. ASTOR. [L.S.] THE LIFE OP JOHN JACOB ASTOR. 121 EIGHTH CODICIL. A further codicil to the will of John Jacou Astoh, bearing date July 4, 1830. Whereas, in my will I charged upon the residuary estate de- vised to my son, William IJ. Astor, in the tenth item of my will, portions of two hundred thousand dollars, to be settled upon each of hirf daughters and her issue, in such manner as he might think fit, subject to the conditions therein expressed, which por- tions were to be set apart out of the real estate devised to him, and which, when set apart, were not to form any incumbrance upon the residue, and, in case of his leaving no appointment, the said portions were to be considered as part of his daughters' shares on the division of the estate thereby devised among his children ; and whereas, in the tenth item of a codicil to my said will (such codicil bearing date January 19, 1838) I directed that such portions should be settled on them on their respectively attaining the age of twenty-one years, or their marriage : Now, thinking it best for my said grand-daughters, and for other rea- sons expedient, I do hereby declare, direct, and will, that the said will and codicil, so far as relates to the said portions of two hundred thousand dollars, be modified and so far revoked, so that it shall be wholly discretionary with my said son AV^i'.liam IB. Astor, to give or appoint such portions or not ; and if he shall choose to appoint the same, it shall be discretionary with him to appoint the same in such manner and on such trusts and con- ditions as he may think fit ; and unless he shall choose to ap- point such portions to his daughters and their issue, they shall not be charges on my estate, or on the estate devised to my son, in any manner whatever. And I revoke so much of my said will, and of my codicil thereto, as is contrary or repugnant to this present codicil. In witness whereo., I have hereunto set my hand and seal, and have published this as a codicil to my will, this twenty-second day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-three, in the presence of Joseph G. Cogs- well, Lucy Sewell, and William W. Bruce, witnesses subscribing with me. J. J. ASTOR. [l.s.] A Th A:^ Tl JTJST? r» XJ IB Ij I S 13: El ID ; NINETEEN MONTHS A PEIS0MR OF WAR. 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