Astor family
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The Astor family achieved prominence in business, society, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 19th and 20th centuries. With German roots, some of their ancestry goes back to the Italian and Swiss Alps,
the Astors settled in Germany, first appearing in North America in the 18th century with John Jacob Astor, one of the wealthiest people in history.
Image: John Jacob Astor
Image: John Jacob Astor III
Image: Vincent Astor, half length portrait, facing right) Marceau LCCN96503454 (cropped)
John J. Astor
John Jacob Astor
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John Jacob Astor was a German-born American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor. Astor made his fortune mainly in a fur trade monopoly, by exporting opium into China, and by investing in real estate in or around New York City. He was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States.
John Jacob Astor portrait by John Wesley Jarvis, c. 1825
John Jacob Astor, by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1794
Sarah Cox Todd