One of the richest men in the world died on the Titanic.
Here's a look at the life of John Jacob Astor IV.
Frank Olito Apr 8, 2020, 2:13 PM
John Jacob IV was one of the wealthiest people in the world. Library of Congress / Getty
Before John Jacob Astor IV died aboard the Titanic in 1912, he was one of
the wealthiest people in the world.
As a member of the famous Astor real estate family, he built landmark
New York hotels like the Astoria Hotel and The St. Regis.
John Jacob Astor IV also wrote a science ction novel and was known as
a successful inventor.
After divorcing his rst wife, he married someone 30 years younger than
him, sparking a scandal and leading him to his death aboard the Titanic.
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When the Titanic sank in 1912, it killed over 1,500 people, including
some of the world's most wealthy and famous. But no victim aboard
the ship had more money than John Jacob Astor IV. L O O K I N G F O R S M A R T WA Y S T O G E T
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He was a member of the famous Astor family, which was considered
American royalty, especially in New York's organized society.
From building expensive hotels to a controversial marriage, this is
what John Jacob Astor's extravagant life was like before he met his
fate aboard the Titanic.
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John Jacob Astor IV was born on July 13, 1864, in New discounts on Fashion, Electronics,
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York into one of the most affluent families in the world.
The first John Jacob Astor. Stock Montage/ Getty
The Astor family dates back to the early 1700s when the original
G E T I N S I D E R I N Y O U R I N B OX
John Jacob Astor (pictured) came to the Americas from a small
village in Germany to make a name for himself. He started making
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money in the fur-trading businesses, but his real fortune began daily newsletter to get more of it.
when he entered the world of real estate. One of his rst big Sign-Up
purchases was a plot of land in the middle of Manhattan, which is
now known as Times Square. Quickly, Astor bought land all around
Manhattan, becoming one of the richest men in the world, creating a
dynasty.
When John Jacob Astor IV was born to William Astor and Caroline
Webster Schermerhorn, the Astor name was already well-respected
in high society, and the family's fortune was one of the world's
largest.
As an heir to the family fortune, John Jacob Astor IV
received an education at the finest schools in the US.
John Jacob Astor IV in 1890. Bettmann/ Getty
He rst attended St. Paul's School in Concord and then went on to
Harvard University, but there is no record of him graduating. After
schooling, Astor went abroad for a few years before returning to New
York to take up the family business: real estate.
In 1897, Astor used his fortune to build the Astoria Hotel
in New York.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel in 1907. ullstein bild Dtl./ Getty
In 1893, William Waldorf Astor built the Waldorf Hotel on the corner
of Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. Reportedly, he built the hotel to
spite his cousin, John Jacob Astor IV. In retaliation, Astor built a
competing hotel in 1897 on the adjacent corner and named it Astoria
Hotel. When the cousins were nally convinced that joining both the
hotels would be a smart business decision, a 300-foot marble
corridor was built to join the competing hotels. The famous Waldorf-
Astoria Hotel was born.
For the next few decades, the hotel became a symbol of luxury,
wealth, and class in New York. It was considered one of the best
hotels in the country and even in the world.
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel closed in 1928 and was demolished,
making room for the Empire State Building. The new Waldorf-
Astoria Hotel was built farther uptown in 1931, long after Astor's
death.
Astor also built another New York landmark hotel: The
St. Regis.
The St. Regis. Bettmann/ Getty
In 1904, Astor opened The St. Regis, which The New York Times
called "the nest hotel in America" at the time. Astor aimed to make
the hotel technologically advanced, ensuring each room had a
telephone. Some historians call the hotel Astor's "greatest
achievement," according to Biography.com. The St. Regis is still open
today.
While developing some of New York's finest hotels,
Astor was also focusing on his other hobbies, like
writing.
"Journey in Other Worlds." Amazon
In 1894, Astor published his rst and only science ction novel,
"Journey in Other Worlds."
"A 'Journey in Other Worlds' races far ahead of the nineteenth
century to imagine what life would be like in the year 2000," the
Amazon synopsis reads. "At the beginning of the twenty- rst
century, Earth is e ectively a corporate technocracy, with big
businesses using incredible advances in science to improve life on
the planet as a whole. Seeking other planets habitable for the
growing human population, the spaceship Callisto, powered by an
antigravitational force known as apergy, embarks on a momentous
tour of the solar system."
Astor was also an accomplished inventor.
John Jacob Astor IV. Library of Congress/ Getty
In 1898, he patented a brake for the bicycle, invented a vibratory
disintegrator, and created a pneumatic road-improver. He also
helped invent a turbine engine.
As for his personal life, Astor first married Ava Lowle
Willing in 1891, but they divorced in 1909.
Ava Lowle Willing. Universal History Archive/ Getty
Ava Lowle Willing and Astor had two children together, Vincent and
Alice. Although they seemed like the perfect, upper-class family, the
marriage was largely unhappy. The couple got divorced in 1909,
setting Astor up for one of the Astor family's biggest scandals.
At 47 years old, Astor met Madeleine Talmage Force,
who was 18, and they fell in love.
John Jacob Astor IV and Madeleine Talmage Force. George Rinhart/Corbis/Getty Images
When Astor and Madeleine Talmage Force married in 1911, it became
a scandal — at the time, divorce was rare and remarrying was even
more so. Astor and his new wife decided to spend winter in Europe in
hopes that the talk would die down in their absence.
When Madeleine fell pregnant in 1912, they decided to
return to New York, so Astor booked them a room on
the Titanic.
John Jacob Astor IV. Bettmann/ Getty
At the time, Astor was one of the world's richest men, and he
certainly was the wealthiest aboard the Titanic. It's reported that he
had a fortune worth somewhere between $90 and $150 million when
he boarded the fateful ship. Today, he would be worth between $2
and $4 billion when adjusted for in ation.
After the Titanic hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Astor
calmly brought his wife, Madeleine, to the second-to-
last lifeboat.
The Titanic. Bettmann/Getty Images
According to Biography.com, Astor was among the rst few people
who knew the ship was sinking. He woke his sleeping, pregnant wife
and told her to get dressed in her warmest clothes. He put all of the
jewelry on her, took her to the deck, and placed her in a lifeboat. She
clung to her husband and wanted to stay with him, but he
reportedly said, "The sea is calm. You'll be alright. You're in good
hands. I'll see you in the morning."
Astor was last seen smoking a cigarette on the deck and his body was
later recovered in the water. He was wearing a dinner suit and
holding a personalized pocket watch.
Astor's wife, Madeleine, survived the shipwreck and
gave birth to their son, naming him John Jacob. But
most of his fortune went to his son from his first
marriage, Vincent.
John Jacob Astor's first son, Vincent. Library of Congress/ Getty
If Astor made it to the US, it's reported that he would have made his
and Madeleine's unborn child the heir to his fortune. But most of his
money went to his rst son, Vincent (pictured), from his rst
marriage. John Jacob Astor VI received only a small portion of his
father's fortune, but Vincent went on to donate a large sum of his
father's money and became a philanthropist in New York City.
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