Part 5 (2/2)

Winthrop of New York She died a few years ago leaving an iical Seminary ”I pray,” reads her will, ”that the Trustees of this Institution may make such use of this bequest as that the extension of the Church of Christ on earth and the glory of God may be promoted thereby” In the same instrument she adds: ”As a siaret L Gelston, had she survived iven jointly bythat her money could be more satisfactorily employed than in the manner indicated, contested the will, and the Seminary finally received, as the result of a compromise, between 1,600,000 and 1,700,000

One of my earliest recollections is of John Jacob Astor, a feeble oldthe doorsteps of his hoe His house was exceedingly plain and was one of a roned by hihter of General John Ar at least a portion of his father's life lived in a fine house on Lafayette Place I have attended evening parties there that were exceedingly simple in character, and at which Mrs Astor was always plainly dressed and wore no jewels I have a very distinct recollection of one of these parties owing to a ludicrous incident connected with myself My mother was a woman of decidedly doe family of children that she never allowed an event of a social character to interfere hat she regarded as her household or maternal duties We older children were therefore much thrown upon our own resources frorew into womanhood and entered society I was usually accompanied to entertainments byfriend, Margaret Tillotson Kehter of William Kemble, of whom I shall speak hereafter Upon this particular occasion I had gone early in the day to the Keht there, with the intention of attending a ball at the Astors' Having dined, supped, and dressed myself for the occasion, in company with Miss Kemble and her father I reached the Astor residence, where I found on the doorstep an Irishmy arrival In her hand she held an exquisite bouquet of pink and white japonicas which had been sent to me by John Still Winthrop, the _fiance_ of Susan Armistead, another of my intimate friends The bouquet had arrived just after my departure from home and, quite unknown to oodness of her heart had taken it upon herself to see that it was placed in my hands I learned later that, uests, she had been awaiting my arrival for several hours It seehout the evening with uests at this ball was Mrs Francis R Boreel, the young and beautiful daughter of Mr and Mrs Walter Langdon, ore in her dark hair a diarandfather, John Jacob Astor It was currently rumored at the time that it cost twenty thousand dollars, which was then a very large ale article of that character Mrs Langdon's two other daughters were Mrs

Matthew Wilks, who married abroad and spent her life there, and the first Mrs De Lancey Kane, who made a runaway match, and both of whom left descendants in New York All three women were celebrated for their beauty, but Mrs Boreel was usually regarded as the handsodon was Dorothea Astor, a daughter of John Jacob Astor, and her husband was a grandson of Judge John Langdon of New Haiton, and who for twelve years was a member of the United States Senate and was present as President _pro teton

Another society woman whose presence at this ball I recall, and without whoarded as coustus Davis, wife of the author of the well-known ”Jack Downing Letters” Indeed, the na” seemed so much a part of the Davis family that in after years I have often heard Mrs Davis called ”Mrs Jack Downing” The Davises had a handsoentle survived the e

In an old newspaper of 1807 I cae notice, which was the first Astor wedding to occur in this country:

BENTZON--ASTOR Married, on Monday , the 14th ult

[September], by the Rev Mr [Ralph] Williston, Adrian B

Bentzon, Esq, of the Isle of St Croix, to Miss Magdalen Astor, daughter of John Jacob Astor of this city

It hile on a cruise a the West Indies that Miss Astor ood family but moderate fortune In the early part of the last century ners went to that part of the world with the intention of hter of John Jacob Astor, Eliza, married Count Vincent Rumpff, as for some years Minister at the Court of the Tuileries froh life, and long remembered after death, for her sys, entitled ”Transplanted Flowers,” has been published in conjunction with one of the duchesse de Broglie, daughter of Madame de Stael, hom she was intimately associated in her Christian works

Henry Astor, the brother of John Jacob Astor, was the first of the family to come to America I aan Dix, rector of Trinity church in New York, and a life-long friend of the whole Astor connection, that he was a private in a Hessian regiainst our colonies in the Revolutionary War After its close he decided to remain in New York where he entered the eo market He subsequently ehly successful business e fortune to his childlessDr Dix has stated that it was probably through hier brother came to this country However this e passenger in a shi+p commanded by Capt Jacob Stout and arrived in Baltimore in January, 1784 He subsequently went to New York, where he spent his first night in the house of George Dieterich, a fellow countryman whom he had known in Germany and by who in his e a little money he hired a store of his ohere he sold toys and German knickknacks He afterwards added skins and even musical instru in _The Daily Advertiser_ of New York, of the 2d of January, 1789, and following issues:

J Jacob Astor, At No 81, Queen-street, Next door but one to the Friends Meeting-House, Has for sale an assortment of Piano fortes, of the newest construction, Made by the best makers in London, which he will sell on reasonable terives Cash for all kinds of FURS: And has for sale a quantity of Canada Beaver, and Beaver Coating, Racoon Skins, and Racoon Blankets, Muskrat Skins, &c &c

It would seem that these Astor pianos were e Astor, an elder brother of John Jacob Astor, was associated with the latter in their sale Indeed, one of theton's Headquarters in Newburgh, bears the name of ”Geo Astor & Co, Cornhill, London;” while still another in ton has the inscription of ”Astor and Camp, 79 Cornhill, London” Their octaves were few in nuarded theed affairs a duet could be perfore of instru the earliest recollections ofin turn the inspiring Scotch airs upon the Astor piano that stood in their drawing-roos was especially inimical to cloistered life and it, too, was possibly of Scotch origin I am unable to recall its exact words, but its refrain ran as follows:

I will not be a nun, I can not be a nun, I shall not be a nun, I'inal letter written by John Jacob Astor from New York on the 26th of April, 1826, addressed to ex-President Jaard as interesting on account of its quaint style:

Dear Sir,

Perratulate you on your Honourable retirement [from public life] for which I most sincerely wish you may enjoy that Peace and Tranquility to which you are so justly entitled

Without wishi+ng to cause you any Inconveniency [sic] on account of the loan which I so long since lad if you would put it in a train of sittlelment [sic] if not the whole let it be a part with the interest Due

I hope Dear Sir that you and Mrs Monroe enjoy the best of health and that you may live many years to wittness [sic]

the Prosperity of the country to which you have so generously contributed

I am most Respectfully Dear Sir your obed S &c

J J ASTOR

The Honble James Monroe

ItMr

Monroe's financial obligation was duly relieved, and that the debt was paid in full