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A Journey in Other Worlds
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J. J. Astor

This article was written by Knowledgerush staff or contributed by users. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
The Astor family is a significant American family of German descent notable for their prominence in business, society, and politics.

Founding Family Members

John Jacob Astor (b.17th July 1763, d, New York 29/30 March 1848) and his brother George, (b. Walldorf/Heidelberg 28th Apri1 1752 d,London December 1813) known as 'George & John Astor' flute makers; came to England in around c1778 - c1831 from Walldorf, Germany In 1783 John Jacob left for Baltimore, Md., active first as a dealer in woodwind instruments then in New York as a merchant in 'Furs & pianos' later in real estate, amassing a legendary fortune; During the 19th century became the wealthiest family in the United States. After moving to New York, he met and married Sarah Todd. Towards the end of that century, a branch moved to Britain and achieved great prominence there. As the 20th century wore on, the American branch began to decline, but their legacy lives on in their many public works including the New York Public Library, and remain the seventeenth wealthiest family in history. Members of the British branch hold two hereditary peerages, a viscountcy and a barony.

John Jacob Astor's brother, Henry Astor also emigrated to America. He was a horse racing enthusiast, and purchased a thoroughbred named Messenger who had been brought from England in 1788. The horse became the founding sire of all Standardbred horses in the United States today.

Family Namesake Places

Beyond the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, the Astor family name is imprinted in a great deal of United States history and geography. There is a town of Astor in the states of Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and Kansas and there are Astorias in Illinois, Missouri, New York, and Oregon. There is an Astor Park in Wisconsin, and an Astor Row, Astor Court and Astor Place in New York City. A large number of town and city thoroughfares also bear the family name. The New York City neighborhood of Astoria, Queens is named after the family as well.

The Astors were also prominent on Mackinac Island, Michigan and Newport, Rhode Island with their summer house, Astor's Beechwood Mansion. At Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, there are the Lord and Lady Astor Suites; the hotel salon is called Astor's. Cliveden House Hotel in Buckinghamshire, England, once home to Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor and Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor (nee Langhorne), is also home to Lord and Lady Astor Suites.

A number of Astor family members are buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in Manhattan, New York.

Bloodline

Listed By Ancestry/Generation:

John Jacob Astor (1763–1848), married Sarah Todd

  1. Magdalena Astor (1788–1832), married 1st 1807, Adrian Bentzon; married 2nd 1820, John Bristed (1778–1855)
    1. Charles Astor Bristed (1820–1874)
  2. John Jacob Astor II (1791–1869)
  3. William Backhouse Astor, Sr. (1792–1875)
    1. Emily Astor (1819–1841), married Samuel Ward Jr (1814–1884), financier, lobbyist, author.
      1. Margaret Astor Ward (1838–1875), married 1856 John Winthrop Chanler (1826–1877), New York Congressman. Their children are collectively referred to as the Astor Orphans.
        1. John Armstrong Chanler (1862–1935)
        2. Winthrop Astor Chanler (1863–1926)
        3. Emily Astor Chanler (1864–1872)
        4. Elizabeth Astor Winthrop Chanler (1866–1937)
        5. William Astor Chanler (1867–1934), United States Congressman
          1. William Astor Chanler, Jr. (1904–2002)
          2. Sydney Ashley Chanler (1907–1994)
        6. Marion Ward Chanler (1868–1883), died of a surfeit of Turkish Delight
        7. Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler (1869–1942), New York Congressman
          1. Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler, Jr. (1891–1963)
          2. Alida Chanler (1894–1983)
          3. William Chamberlain Chanler (1895–1981)
        8. Margaret Livingston Chanler (1870–1963)
        9. Robert Winthrop Chanler (1872–1930), artist
        10. Alida Beekman Chanler (1873–1969)
    2. John Jacob Astor III (1822–1890) 1st son of William
      1. William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (1848–1919)
        1. William Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (1879–1952)
          1. William Waldorf Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor (1907–1966)
            1. William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor (born 1951) (from 1st marriage)
            2. Emily Astor (from 2nd marriage)
            3. Janet Elizabeth Astor (born 1961) (from 3rd marriage)
            4. Pauline Marian Astor (from 3rd marriage)
          2. Nancy Phyllis Louise Astor (1909–1975)
          3. Francis David Langhorne Astor (1912–2001)
          4. Michael Langhorne Astor (1916–1980)
          5. John Jacob Astor (1918–2000)
        2. Pauline Astor (1880–1972)
        3. John Rudolph Astor (1881–1881)
        4. John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever (1886–1971)
          1. Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (1918–1984)
            1. John Jacob Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever (born 1946)
            2. Hon. Bridget Mary Astor (b. 1948)
            3. Hon. Elizabeth Louise Astor (b. 1951)
            4. Hon. Sarah Violet Astor (b. 1953)
            5. Hon. Philip Douglas Paul Astor (b. 1959)
          2. Hugh Waldorf Astor (1920–1999)
          3. John Astor, MP (1923–1987)
            1. Elizabeth Kathleen Astor (born 1951)
            2. John Richard Astor (born 1953)
            3. George David Astor (born 1958)
    3. William Backhouse Astor, Jr. (1830–1892), 2nd son of William
      1. Emily Astor (1854–1881), married 1876, James John Van Alen (1848–1923)
        1. James Laurens Van Alen (1878–1927), married 1910, Margaret Louise Post (1876–1969)
          1. Louise Astor Van Alen (1910–1997), married 1st 1931 (div 1932), Alexei Mdivani (1905–1936); married 2nd 1936, Sergei Mdivani (1903–1936); married 3rd 1947, Alexander Saumderson (1917- )
      2. Helen Schermerhorn Astor (1855–1893)
      3. Charlotte Augusta Astor (1858–1920)
      4. Caroline Astor|Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (1861–1948)
      5. John Jacob Astor IV (1864–1912), died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic
        1. William Vincent Astor (1891–1959), son by 1st wife
        2. Ava Alice Muriel Astor (1902–1956), daughter by 1st wife
        3. John Jacob Astor VI (1912–1992), son by 2nd wife
          1. Mary Jacqueline Astor
          2. William Backhouse Astor III (born 1935)
          3. Wesley Andrew Astor IV 1940
    4. Henry Astor (1832–1918), married 1871 Malvina Dinehart (1845-?)
    5. Bruno Margaret Astor Lopez-Fernandez (born 1983)

Spouses

External links


This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "J. J. Astor".

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Posted by June 25th, 2004
John Jacob Astor was born on July 13, 1864. in Rhineback, New York.

He Built the Astoria Hotel in 1897, NY, adjoining Waldorf Hotel, which was built by William Waldorf Astor, his cousin. The two buildings now form one building called the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, one of the largest and probably most costly hotels in the world. He Presented to the government a mountain battery for use in war against Spain, said to have cost over $100,000. After assisting Major-General Breckinridge, Inspector-General USA, in inspection of camp and troops at Chickamauga Park, GA, assigned to duty on staff of Major-General Shafter, and served in Cuba in operations ending in surrender of Santiago. Invented a bicycle brake, a pneumatic road improver, and an improved turbine engine. Author: "A Journey in Other Worlds," etc. Died April 15 1912 on Rms Titanic, he was returning from his honeymoon trip, with his pregnant bride, Madeline. (pictured with him above)

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