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Astor, William Backhouse Sr.
1792 - Born on September 19th in New York City. American fur trader and real estate businessman.
1808 - He was sent to the University of Göttingen in Germany, where he joined the German Student Corps Curonia of the Baltic-German students.
1815 - He returned to the United States to take the reins of the family business at his father’s insistence.
- Entered partnership with his father, who changed the name of his firm to John Jacob Astor & Son.
1818 - Astor married Margaret Armstrong, the daughter of a Revolutionary War general.
1848 - Upon his father’s death, Astor became the richest man in the United States, inheriting roughly $18 million.
- He was the last member of the Astor family to enjoy this distinction.
1875 - Died on November 24th.
1808 - He was sent to the University of Göttingen in Germany, where he joined the German Student Corps Curonia of the Baltic-German students.
1815 - He returned to the United States to take the reins of the family business at his father’s insistence.
- Entered partnership with his father, who changed the name of his firm to John Jacob Astor & Son.
1818 - Astor married Margaret Armstrong, the daughter of a Revolutionary War general.
1848 - Upon his father’s death, Astor became the richest man in the United States, inheriting roughly $18 million.
- He was the last member of the Astor family to enjoy this distinction.
1875 - Died on November 24th.
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