William Backhouse Astor Junior

William Backhouse Astor Jr.

William Backhouse Astor, Jr. (born July 12, 1829 in New York City , † April 25, 1892 in Paris ) was the younger son of William Backhouse Astor and grandson of the legendary company founder Johann Jakob Astor (1763-1848). He was co-heir to the Astor real estate empire, but largely left management to his older brother Johan Jacob Astor III (1822–1890).

In 1849 he finished his education at Columbia College. In 1853 he married Caroline Webster Schermerhorn (1830–1908), who was very ambitious in society . She was soon known in New York and Newport social circles as "Mrs. Astor". It dominated social life at that time. William, however, had little interest in such activities. His wife feared that he would disrupt their receptions, throw the musicians out and send the children to bed and was glad if he was not present.

Before the Civil War , he supported the movement for the abolition of slavery and during the war he financed the equipment of a complete regiment of the Union Army.

Unlike his enterprising father, William was not interested in business expansion. When he wasn't enjoying his life on his yacht, he devoted himself to equestrian sports. In 1876, Vagrant, one of his horses, won the Kentucky Derby.

He spent most of the winter months on board his yacht in Jacksonville, Florida. In this city he also had some important buildings built. In 1874 he bought a plot of land about 200 square miles on the St. Johns River north of Orlando. There, on the ruins of an old Huguenot settlement from the 16th century, he and two partners founded a city which he called Manhattan, but whose name was later renamed Astor in his honor.

This company began building a port for steamers to deliver the materials it needed. Then he bought a railroad that connected his new city to the rest of Florida. He financed the city's first church and cemetery. He also co-financed other important buildings such as schools. He also ran a few hotels in town, of course.

The city of Manhattan (Astor) flourished and William added a grapefruit plantation to his ventures. However, he should no longer experience the further development. After his death in 1892, his ventures fell to his son John Jacob Astor IV . In the same decade, Florida was opened to other railways. The city of Astor, however, lost its rail connection and began a steady decline.

William Backhouse Astor, Jr. died of a heart attack in Paris in 1892.

He had five children with his wife Caroline:

• Emily Astor (1854-1881)
• Helen Schermerhorn Astor (1855-1893)
• Charlotte Augusta Astor (1858-1920)
• Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (1861–1948)
• John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912)

Web links

• William Backhouse Astor, Jr. at Familypedia