Aldrichs memoir, The Astor Orphan (Ecco), out Tuesday, reveals what its like to be American royalty after the money runs out. When Madeline became pregnant during the trip, the couple decided to go home. Albrecht. Their son, Hans Pieter Asdor, was born in Switzerland and died in Nuloch . The family is related to the Astor family, the Rockefeller family, the Roosevelt family and the Vanderbilt family. Sarah encouraged John to invest in real estate, the foundation of their multi-million dollar fortune. Madeleine received his house and a $5 million trust fund, though she lost both after remarrying, as Johns will stipulated that she must forfeit the fortune unless she remained single. Viscount Astor, of Hever Castle in the County of Kent (1917), with subsidiary title Baron Astor, of Hever Castle in the County of Kent (1916), and Baron Astor of Hever, of Hever Castle in the County of Kent (1956), were granted with the standard remainder to the legitimate male heirs of the bodies of the original grantees. He was a watchmaker from Paris and he was a Hugeunot, French Protestants who believed in the teachings of John Calvin. Not so for Alexandra, who tried desperately to keep up appearances by learning the violin and acing her classes. He was the head of the Astor family, with a personal fortune of approximately $150,000,000. Astor left the bulk of his fortune to his second son William, because his eldest son, John Jr., was sickly and mentally unstable. Their son, Hans Pieter Asdor, was born in Switzerland and died in Nuloch. The Astor family, a New York dynasty whose name and influence was imprinted across business, politics, and society throughout the nineteenth and . Consuelo Vanderbilt was forced into marrying Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough by her social-climbing parents and her dowry of $76million was spent restoring Blenheim Palace. She didnt seem excited to be there.. Toward the end of that century, some of the family moved to England and achieved high prominence there. Rokebys decline began after Margarets death in 1963 and continued unabated through the 1980s, while Aldrich was a child. Behind the scenes, the home was crumbling and Aldrich and her parents shared three cramped rooms on the third floor, Joint ownership brought out the worst in the family and without the 25-strong staff it once had dedicated to its upkeep it suffered, Rich: William B. Astor Sr., pictured, married into the 420-acre estate in 1818 and made his fortune selling fur and real estate, Memoir: Astor Orphans by Alexandra Aldrich tells of life inside the family's Hudson River mansion. But, as a history buffwho had written several historical novelswith a passion for art and architecture derived from his time spent in Italy, he immediately recognized its potential.. [12] At Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, there are the Lord and Lady Astor Suites; the hotel salon is called Astor's. The House of Astor's Dirty Laundry. Neighbors filled Ricky with beer and ice cream in exchange for his backhoe or bulldozer. What Did John D. Rockefeller Say About School? He dressed impeccably, was well - read, collected paintings from Europe, and possessed perhaps the city s ' nest wine cellar. By the end of her life they were so successful that John reputedly paid her $500 an hour for her work, which she invested in religious causes. Often they didnt have enough cash to buy groceries and had to borrow money from the local gas station owner to fund trips to A&P. There is a neighborhood called Astor Park just south of downtown Green Bay, Wisconsin. Despite his hatred of the American press, he bought several UK publications, including The Observer newspaper. William B. Astor Sr.'s oldest daughter, Emily, passed away in childbirth and her daughter, Margaret, died of pneumonia at an early age. Always on the look out for a new opportunity, he began trading with China in around 1800, but the Chinese were resistant to Western goodsso in 1816, Astor became involved in the lucrative opium smuggling trade. Astor is a legendary name in the United States and England, linked with the rise of Manhattan, the obscenely wealthy entrepreneurs of the 19th century, and European politics and the Profumo Affair. John Jacob Astor IV (July 13, 1864 - April 15, 1912) was an American business magnate, real estate developer, investor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War, and a prominent member of the Astor family.He died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic during the early hours of April 15, 1912. Is the Astor family still around? The two married on September 10, 1911. Just the surname alone invokes all sorts of ideas about wealth and privilege, doesn't it? The Vanderbilt Family The Vanderbilts are one of Americas oldest old money families. While pulling himself up by his bootstraps well, no, not really. Today it remains home to a slew of less-than-wealthy heirs to the Astor and Livingston fortunes, but looks more like a rundown museum than the home of what was once one of America's richest families. Legend has it that the number was arrived at simply because it was the capacity of the Astors ballroom, but, whatever the reason, membership was essential for anyone who wanted to be someone in New York. Are There Still Headhunters In Papua New Guinea? Rokebys story begins in 1815, when John Armstrong Jr., a US senator from New York, finished building his country estate in Barrytown, Dutchess County. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Marked by wealth, parties and fame, The Astor's exquisite past stirs up its future. But, as the Vanderbilts and others discovered, her approval was not easy to getand her word was always final. John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest passenger aboard Titanic. In his will, Astor left the equivalent of $10 million in today's dollars to the city of New York to build a library in his name. Madeline, her maid, and her nurse were all given a place on lifeboat 4, but John was told that he and his valet would have to wait until all the ladies were off the ship before they could be evacuated. Are the Astor family still wealthy? After the war, Astor lobbied Congress to pass a bill that prohibited non-U.S. citizens from owning fur companies in the country, pretty much giving him a monopoly on the lucrative trade, and Astor was back in business. The Astor family can trace their ancestry back to Giovan Asdour (15951668) and Gretta Ursula Asdour (1589). Rokeby in Hudson Valley, New York has been owned by the Astors for nearly 180 years. They were gifted the Astor family estate, Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire, which Waldorf's father William had bought in 1893 for $1.2 million - equivalent to $34 million today. How much is the Astor family worth today? Astor had made his money mostly through real estate. He retained his interest in politics, giving generously to the Conservative Party. During the 20th century, the number of American Astors began to decline, but their legacy lives on in their many public works including the New York Public Library. Like his father before him, Waldorf had an inclination for a career in politics and, with Nancys support, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton in 1910. Thus, Astor began a time-honored tradition of prominent Americans laying the foundations of generational fortunes by selling opium to China. Oh, the magnificent Astors! The next generation is where the division between country and city Astor is drawn. As she stepped into the hall, she felt the stare of 60 eyes. It was 1816, and he was still recovering from the Pacific Fur Company fiasco, so he bought 10 tons of opium from what was then the Ottoman Empire, now the country of Turkey, and shipped it via a fur trading ship to China, where it had been illegal for 17 years. No amount of wealth could save them from the horrific events that unfolded on the night of April 12, 1912, when the liner struck an iceberg and began to sink. Scenario 1: All in the Family. According to the.css-gegin5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#9a0500;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-gegin5:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}New York Post,yesterday a judge ruled that 69-year-oldCharlene Marshall Brooke Astor's son's wife,whomAstor famously nicknamed "Miss Piggy" (above)will inherit the $14.5 million that remains of theAstor family fortune. And no one is happy about it. After a drawn-out divorce battle, she moved back to her homestead in 2005 and stayed there with her son for six years. The Astor family achieved prominence in business, society, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 19th and 20th centuries. According to the New York Post, yesterday a judge ruled that 69-year-old Charlene Marshall Brooke Astors sons wife, whom Astor famously nicknamed Miss Piggy (above)will inherit the $14.5 million that remains of the Astor family fortune. Here are 11 facts about this fascinating family. He was a more active philanthropist than his predecessors, making substantial gifts to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Trinity Church as well as to the Astor Library. They are not like the nouveau riche, whose wealth came fairly recently as a result of business and investment successes. Her daughter Margaret died young of pneumonia, followed two years later by her husband. Astor continued his love of the game and that of its sister-sport, Squash Racquets. It comes as no surprise that the wealthiest family in the United States is the Waltons - with a net worth of $247 billion. Living descendants of the family have authored books with titles such as Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt and Dead End Gene Pool about the family's lost wealth. 'Everyone had different views of what should happen to Rokeby.'. His young widow and the other survivors were rescued by the RMS Carpathia around 03:30. They then moved in 1800 to the United States where they established the Eleuthere Irenee, a company that manufactured gunpowder. Her victory on November 15, 1919, meant that the first ever female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons was a member of the Astor family. Astors roughly $100 million fortune will be distributed: $30 million will go toward the creation of a Brooke Astor Fund for New York City Education, and millions more will go to Prospect Park, Central Park, city playgrounds and various cultural institutions. After attending boarding school, she moved to Poland, where she discovered the wonderful regimen of religion. Is the Astor family still wealthy? According to . Astor founded the American Fur Company in 1808 and was establishing a chain of posts and trading settlements across the Pacific to expand his trading and shipping of furs. In July 1961, William was hosting a party that included John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War, at the same time his friend and osteopath, Steven Ward, was throwing a party elsewhere on the estate. For the first time in Astor history, money was tight, and the taxes and operating costs became a noose around the familys neck. 'Our poverty was the big secret. The family was also known for its 10 magnificent mansions along Fifth Avenue. The Astor family's wealth started in the late 1700s. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. They were once called the landlords of New York, where some of the places are still named after them, like the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Astor Row, Astor Court, Astor Place, Astor Avenue, and even the Astoria neighborhood in Queens. Socialite Brooke Astor's son is found guilty of swindling his elderly mother. Their earliest known ancestors worked as butchers in Germany, before the family moved to England to become flute makers. By Shana Ab. The company was known for its ruthless practices by practicing both horizontal and vertical integration in order to kill off all competition. That's $147 billion more than the second wealthiest family - Koch Family. Alexandra and her parents shared three cramped rooms on the houses unvisited third floor they were, literally, Astors in the attic. Are the Astor family still wealthy? When comparing to its portion of America's Gross Domestic Product, Astor I's fortune is worth the modern equivalent of $121 BILLION dollars. The 1908 Olympics in London featured a number of sports that are no longer found in the modern games, including running deer shooting, tug-of-war, and Jeu de Paume. The Rockefeller family was not actually considered old rich before because they made their fortune quite late when compared to the other families. It was Anne Boleyns childhood home and, after returning from France in 1522, she frequently stayed at the castle with her parents, enticing Henry VIII to visit on several occasions during their courtship. Astor passed away in 2007 at the age of 105,and her only sonAnthony Marshall (above right)died at the age of 90 lastNovember. Hever Castle in Kent was built in 1270, but its most famous residents were the Boleyn family, who had owned it between 1462 and 1540. He was brought back to New York and buried in Manhattan, and the gold watch he was found with was given to his oldest son and heir, Vincent, who wore it for the rest of his life. The Astor fortune was partly founded on drug smuggling. He made sure that half of the trust fund would skip a generation to . The cupboards were bare and the fridge contained only expired milk and moldy pasta sauce. According to the New York Post, yesterday a judge ruled that 69-year-old Charlene Marshall Brooke Astor's son's wife, whom Astor famously nicknamed "Miss Piggy" (above)will inherit the $14.5 million that remains of the Astor family fortune. John Jacob Astor IV was lucky enough to become part of the Astor family tree well after the first J. J. Astor left Germany to land on American soil and began, by hook or crook, to build his empire as a fur trader, a smuggler, and a landowner. It became a family tradition he said, as later on they married with the Schermerhorns and Willings and Beekmans.. He attended Eton College and Oxford University and excelled at sports, including racquets, a game said to have originated in prisons before becoming popular in the alleys of London. But the War of 1812 took a toll on that estate after the men working his Pacific Fur Company outpost in what is now the state of Oregon got scared and sold everything to a Canadian company. The house was now jointly owned by Margarets daughter Susan Kean-Cutler Aldrich and her three children, Richard Ricky Aldrich, John Winthrop Wint Aldrich and Rosalind Michahelles. Although William Waldorf was forced to concede, he had his revenge and the incident created a feud between the two branches of the family that would last years: The brothers, John III and William II, had lived in neighboring houses on 5th Avenue, but after Johns death, his son demolished their house in 1893and built the 13-story Waldorf Hotel on the site, right next to Aunt Lina. She was a strictly religious woman who took sole ownership of Rokeby. The Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island still has rooms called the Lord and Lady Astor Suites, while the salon is still called Astors. She worked alongside her husband as a consultant, and was accused of witchcraft after her success with the company in 1817. [2] Are the Astor family still wealthy? A pandemic hasn't stopped many of America's richest families from adding to their fortunes. Here now is a list of the old money families that have been richest the longest. But in 2005, she and her son returned to her ancestral home and lived there for six years. Why was Mrs. Astor so powerful? Those making their fortunes from new industries like the railroad were upstarts who, although sometimes even richer than the old money crowd, would never quite fit in. Home Rockefeller University Are The Astors Still Rich? The family is also heavily involved with charity work. The front of the house was a museum, a facade. According to the New York Post yesterday a judge ruled that 69-year-old Charlene Marshall Brooke Astor's son's wife whom Astor famously nicknamed "Miss Piggy" (above)will inherit the $14.5 million that remains of the Astor family fortune. That hefty sum, however, was chump change compared to the entire fortune he left his family: his $20 million estate would be worth around $100 billion today. John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest passenger aboard Titanic. That same year, the family merged the two hotels in a new business venture: The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Cleaning and upkeep were the last items on the to-do lists. But the country Astors did not fare as well. Their eight children, ages 4 to 14, became the Astor orphans.. Here are 11 facts about this fascinating family. Astor and his valet died in the sinking; the formers body was recovered on April 22. The Vanderbilt family traces its roots to the van Salees, one of the first to inhabit New Amsterdam back in the 17th century. A mesmerizing novel of historical fiction from New York Times bestselling author Shana Ab, The Second Mrs. Astor tells the sweeping real-life Titanic love story of Madeleine Force, who became the teenaged bride of one of the worlds richest men, and triumphed over tragedy and heartache. Alexandra Aldrich knew better than to play in the front hall. The difficulties with his aunt would have an unexpected outcome for William Waldorf Astor. Having tried his hand at being a butcher like his father and an instrument maker like his brother, John I emigrated to America in 1783. The neighborhood of Astoria, Queens, was renamed to incite John Jacob Astor to invest there. From exotic locations to the fastest cars, every article is an adventure I can't wait to experience. The Vanderbilts can still be found in New York. The house, and sprawling surrounding acreage, has been passed down from generation to generation, but as one of the current generation has revealed in her new book, the reality of living of Rokeby was rather different than the grand facade. During the 1800's, the family carefully orchestrated moves in order to keep their wealth by arranging intra family marriages between cousins. She says the lonely squalor of the third floor was startlingly contrasted to the grandeur of the rest of the property and she felt ashamed when she climbed the stairs. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, 'I lived a double life. One day, she and her four female cousins, and perhaps her half-brother, may own Rokeby. The wealth of the Astor family originated . Budding social climbers would engineer ways to get Mrs. Astors approval. Email us, talk@npr.org . Astor family, wealthy American family whose fortune, rooted in the fur trade, came to be centred on real estate investments in New York City. Observing the lives of the rich and famous is also one of my guilty pleasures and blending my passions of entertainment and literature together is nothing short of a dream. On his fathers death in February 1890, he reportedly inherited $100 million, and, disillusioned with his failure in politics, upset by the war with his aunt and her son, and ridiculed by the U.S. press, William Waldorf declared that America was no longer a fit place for a gentleman to live and moved his family and business operations to Britain. Derived from Germanic Adal (noble) and Behrt (bright or famous), this surname means illustrious. Germanys Albrecht is heir to the most profitable retail chains across the world. her $200 million fortune. Yet, it's a culture that, he argues, is on a decline. It is listed on London Stock Exchange. The horse became the founding sire of all Standardbred horses in the United States today. From a German immigrant who arrived in America with nothing to a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, the Astor familys story is one of hard work, ruthless business tactics, snobbery, and savvy investment in real estate. 'These free-spirited Astor orphans left us, their descendents, our legacy: the house, its history, and contents, and a sense of entitlement and superiority,' Aldrich writes in her memoir. Not one of them was even a millionaire. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. The couple was so taken by the property that in 1836 Astor offered $50,000 to his father-in-law for the estates title. But if he thought the two sides of the family would live in harmony, his plan was thwarted by a disagreement over who would be known as Mrs. Astor. Everyone had different views of what should happen to Rokeby.. The Astor family is considered as Americas first aristocrats. . He was the head of the Astor family, with a personal fortune of approximately $150,000,000. [2] There, they established a flute making company. A large portion of his estate also went to charity. She had walked straight into a tour group. You might have heard of the Rockefellers, who grew wealthy after John D. Rockefeller struck oil, and Levi Strauss, who got rich after inventing blue jeans to meet the demand for tough work pants during the Gold Rush. Vincent Astor, born in 1891, was the eldest child of John Jacob Astor IV. The family was especially prominent in Newport, Rhode Island and Mackinac Island in Michigan. Her mother had become moodier and more withdrawn. See also what is the . 1459-1525. She could hear the vibrations of her uncles voice, likely lecturing someone on the nearly 200 years of Astor family history at the 420-acre estate Rokeby, as it is called beginning with William B. Astor Sr., who married into the property in 1818. Forget the gilt-framed oil paintings or the gold-plated china, this was what it really meant to be a modern-day Astor. He bought the estate of disgraced former Vice President Aaron Burr for a steal, then chopped it up and rented the parcels out at ridiculously high rates. (Stillness in the Storm Editor) Update: The following text was edited for typos and errors so as to ensure maximum reception.Please share this information far and wide. After his father, William Waldorf, moved to Britain with his family, John V was raised as an English gentleman. The Astor family's 420-acre estate has fallen on hard times as the family has run out of money to maintain its upkeep, The Astor family name conjures up images of the Gilded Age and one of Americans richest families at a time of great prosperity and optimism for the country, Today the house is essentially a shabby shrine to previous generations and a bygone era of outlandish wealth. She spent the next three years living next to a building site. This story has been shared 117,022 times. John Jacob Astor V figured out a way to help bring in money to help with the upkeep of Beechwood Mansion. Her ancestor William B. Astor became 'the richest man in America' with his successful trading of products such as furs, pianos and real estate. By 1963, the affair was becoming public, and whispers were circulating that the three were involved in a spying ring. During the 19th century the family diversified, focusing more on long term industries like finance and real estate. In Astoria, Oregon, the primary elementary school is called John Jacob Astor Elementary and the city is home to the Astoria Column. Margaret made it her own, as well, by naming the property Rokeby after a poem by Sir Walter Scott. Now 100 years on from the self-made John Jacob Astor I, they believed that as old money, they had a superior role in New York society. While the two siblings had pursued careers, Ricky, who had been trained at Harvard, returned to Rokeby as a gentleman farmer. His mother had another name for it: a blue-collar maintenance man.. But unfortunately for Profumo, Keeler was also the girlfriend of another of Wards guests, a Soviet Union naval attach named Yevgeny Ivanov. His son, Vincent, still fabulously wealthy, married Brooke, considered the last doyenne of New York high society. Astor started a fur-goods shop in New York City about 1786 after learning about the fur trade while . (17921875).[4]. An obvious reaction to my childhood, she says with a laugh. It was not until 1883 that Mrs. Astor, a Knickerbocker belle who had married into an old real estate fortune, called on Mrs. Vanderbilt, a Southerner whose husband's railroading riches were . But, by the time Aldrich was running down its hallways, she says 'the Astor money that had supported generations of aristocrats, ill-equipped to earn or invest, (was) gone. I always longed to be rescued, she told The Post. Not only did it lead him into the hotel business, but it also resulted in his emigration to Britain. The Rotshchilds also had a British branch that was bequeathed with the titles of Baron and Baronet by Queen Victoria. Her grandmother, who helped raise her and provided her with the basic necessities out of a secret trust fund, was shipped off to rehab. InOctober 2009, Anthony was accusedby his only two sons, Philip and Alec,of exploiting his mother's dementia to loot The family connection continued when, in 1878, Helen Schermerhorn Astor, daughter of The Mrs. Astor, married James Roosevelt, becoming Franklin D. Roosevelts sister-in-law. His sonsclaimed he bought glamorous gifts for himselflike a $920,000 yacht, stole valuable artwork from Astor's estate, and wrote changes into her will. WARREN BUFFET (U.S.) CEO, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY - PEAK NET WORTH: $77.2 BILLION . Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. Johns corpse was one of only 333 bodies recovered from the sea. Then, after making a quick buck in something completely illegal and unethical, he was really ready to take New York City by storm. The original "Commodore's" house on Washington Square North still stands and, compared to the later structures, is quite tasteful. He also donated a steamer boat named after him to the Union during the Civil War. For more than a century, they were the richest family in America, and their shrewd marriages linked them to some of the most politically powerful families. The family got rich in the latter part of the 1800's to the early part of the 1900's when their oil business boomed mainly through their company called Standard Oil. Among the resulting oil firms were Exxon, Mobil and Chevron, all of which trace its roots to Rockefeller. Anyone could have money in the fast moving and socially mobile America of the Gilded Agewhat was important was to have the right sort of money. John Jacob Astor (1763-1848) was the founder of the family fortune. He was sentenced to prison but was granted medical parole just two months later. There are also towns named Astor in Florida, Georgia, Kansas and Iowa, as well as places called Astoria in Oregon, Illinois and Missouri. Eventually, however, they got accepted as part of the old rich. In 1929, Rachel Spender-Clay, granddaughter of William Waldorf, 1st Viscount Astor, married David Bowes-Lyon, the brother of Elizabeth, Duchess of York and the future Queen Consort of George VI. The Astor family could now claim kinship with monarchynot only was Rachel the sister-in-law of George VI, but her son, Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon, is Elizabeth IIs first cousin. John Jacob Astor VI John Henry DickWilliam Force DickWilliam Karl Dick, Jr. Madeleine Astor/Children. I enjoyed keeping the myth alive that I lived in a mansion, she says. ', Among them were 'Uncle Willie,' 'Uncle Archie' and 'Uncle Lewis.'. He bought several properties, most notably Cliveden, from the Duke of Westminster, and Hever Castle, once the home of Ann Boleyn. He enjoys playing sports and watching movies together. 23. There are three women on the list: Mrs. E. H. Harriman with $80,000,000 (the richest woman in the country), Mrs. Russell Sage with $60,000,000 and Mrs. Lawrence Lewis with $50,000,000, the last . Dorsey, promoting his band, probably is the least rare of the signatures, believes Fraley. It depends how the wills shake out. William was accused of having an affair with one of the other models, Mandy Rice-Davies, and although there was no evidence that he orchestrated the meeting between Profumo and Keeler, he was investigated by the police. The marriage ended in divorce in 1903, and, at the persuasion of her father, she sailed to Britain at the end of 1904 with her son and sister, Phyllis. Aldrich and her parents shared three cramped rooms on the third floor. John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest passenger aboard Titanic. After moving to New York, John met and married Sarah Cox Todd (17621842). It was 1816, and he was still recovering from the Pacific Fur Company fiasco, so . Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. She continued to be known as the Mrs. Astor. The 43-room main house was built in 1815 and expanded periodically over the yearsincluding substantial additions by . 1815 and expanded periodically over the yearsincluding substantial additions by was accused of witchcraft after success! Generation to getand her word was always final Pacific fur company fiasco,.. ; s a culture that, he argues, is on a decline this was what really! On Sunday & Metro Media Group, ' 'Uncle Archie ' and 'Uncle Lewis. ' Willie. The house of Astor & # x27 ; is the astor family still wealthy stopped many of America #... Buffet ( U.S. ) CEO, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY - PEAK NET WORTH: $ 77.2 billion York John. 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