| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Born in Walldorf, Baden, Germany (currently in the Rhein-Neckar district), he learned English in London, England while working for his brother George whose business was manufacturing musical instruments.
Astor arrived in the United States in 1784 just after the end of the Revolutionary War. He started a fur goods shop in New York CitySkyline, with Statue of Liberty New York, New York" redirects here. For alternate meanings, see New York, New York (disambiguation). New York — officially named City of New York and often called New York City to distinguish it from the state of New York, in the late 1780sEvents and Trends 1787 United States Constitution 1788 Great Britain established the prison colony of New South Wales in Australia. 1789 French revolution World Leaders King Louis XVI ( France) King George III ( Great Britain) Emperor Joseph II ( Holy Rom.
Astor took advantage of a treaty called Jay's Treaty between BritainThe word Britain is used to refer to the United Kingdom (UK): i. the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (from 1927), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ( 1801- 1927) or the United Kingdom of Great Britain ( 1707- 1801). and the United States in 1794Events February 11 1st session of US Senate open to the public. March 14 Eli Whitney is granted a patent for the cotton gin. March 27 The United States Government established a permanent United States Navy and authorized the building of six vessels (in 17 which opened new markets in CanadaCanada historically the Dominion of Canada is the second-largest, and northernmost, country in the world. It is a decentralized federation of 10 provinces and 3 territories, governed as a constitutional monarchy, and formed in 1867 through an act of Confe and the Great Lakes region at the expense of the Canadians. By 1800Events March 14 Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonti is elected pope Pius VII. March 21 Pius VII becomes Pope April 24 US Library of Congress founded. May 15 Napoleon Bonaparte crosses the Alps and invades Italy. June 14 Battle of Marengo, Napoleon defeats the Au he had amassed nearly a quarter of a million dollars, and had become one of the leading figures in the fur trade. Astor was given permission to trade in ports monopolized by the British East India Company, and greatly benefited from the fur trade with China. He established the American Fur Company on April 6, 1808, and later formed subsidiaries, the Pacific Fur Company and the Southwest Fur Company (in which Canadians had a part) to control fur trading in the Columbia River and Great Lakes area respectively. His fur trading ventures were disrupted when the British captured his trading posts during the War of 1812. However, his operations rebounded in 1817 after the U.S. Congress passed a protectionist law that barred foreign traders from U.S. Territories. The American Fur Company once again came to dominate trading in the area around the Great Lakes. In 1822, Astor established the Astor House on Mackinac Island as headquarters for the reformed American Fur Company, making the island a metropolis of the fur trade. Astor withdrew from the company in 1834.
A lengthy description based on documents, diaries etc. was given by Washington Irving in his travelogue Astoria .
As the cost of fur went up due to over trapping, and the demand went down due to changing fashions, Astor turned his sights on New York City real estate. At the time of his death, Astor was the wealthiest person in the United States, leaving an estate estimated to be worth 20 million dollars or more. On his deathbed Astor indicated his greatest regret was that he had failed to purchase the whole of Manhattan. He is interred in the Trinity Churchyard Cemetery in Manhattan, New York.
The great bulk of his fortune was bequeathed to his second son, William Backhouse Astor Sr., instead of his eldest son John Jacob Astor II (1791-1869). A part of his money also went to found the Astor Library which was later consolidated with other libraries to form the New York Public Library.
Children: