Iconic millionaire entrepreneur, real estate tycoon, inventor, colonel, and sci-fi author?
John Jacob Astor the Fourth was the richest passenger on the Titanic as well as one of
the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world.
And though he died on the Titanic at the age of 47, Astor led such an incredible life that
you would think it had been written by Hollywood’s best writers.
I am Paul DuVall, satisfying your curiosity craving, and you are watching 10 amazing facts
about John Jacob Astor the Fourth, the richest passenger on the Titanic.
Starting us off at number 10, how exactly did JJ Astor the Fourth get so wealthy?
Well it actually began with his Great Grandfather, John Jacob Astor the First, who was born in
Germany and immigrated to the United States after the American Revolutionary War.
JJ Astor the First made a fortune when he entered the fur trade and built a monopoly,
with his fur trading empire extending to the Great Lakes region and Canada, and later expanding
all the way to the Pacific coast.
As European demand for furs began to decline, he pulled out of the fur trade in 1830.
Seizing the lucrative opportunity to invest in New York City real estate, John Jacob Astor
the First became the very first multi-millionaire in the United States, and thus began one of
the most powerful dynasties in the world.
So, now that we have established where JJ Astor the Fourth’s wealth came from, let’s
jump to amazing fact number 9.
And this is one I can’t stop telling my friends about.
It’s just so fascinating.
You see, it’s not uncommon for the wealthy to pick up interesting side hobbies, and Astor
was no exception.
One of his side hobbies was authoring a science fiction novel, called A Journey in Other Worlds.
Okay now keep in mind, he published this book in 1894.
The book portrays a fictional account of life in the year 2000 where Earth is controlled
by mega corporations, using incredible advances in science and technology to improve life
on the planet.
Readers follow the exploits of a handful of intrepid explorers as they take the first
interplanetary voyage, visiting Jupiter and Saturn.
Oh, and the illustrations in the book are top notch.
I recommend picking up a copy of this best-seller at your local bookstore.
Next up at number 8, shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Astor
was appointed to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Volunteers.
He even allowed his personal yacht to be used by the U.S. government during the war.
Not only that, but he also personally financed a volunteer artillery unit known as the “Astor
Battery,” seen here in this 1899 parade that was caught on film.
And at number 7, speaking of films, Astor himself appeared in a number of them.
Here you can see the 1898 film, President McKinley’s Inspection of Camp Wikoff.
Note that film was still in its infancy at this time, so it can be difficult to make
out what’s in it.
But my favorite part is at the end of the film, where you can see this newspaper photographer’s
epic fail as he tries to get Astor to pose for a photo, and Astor stops for a split second
and then just keeps on rolling.
Like a boss.
Next over at number 6, much like the generations of Astors before him, JJ Astor the Fourth
was also quite the successful real estate tycoon.
In 1897, he built the Astoria Hotel, the world’s most luxurious hotel, in New York City, which
was combined with his cousin’s Waldorf Hotel into the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
He also built the St. Regis in New York, which was the tallest hotel in the city when it
was completed in 1904.
Now at number 5, as if Astor’s other accomplishments were not already impressive, he was also a
prolific inventor.
Some of his patented inventions include a bicycle brake, a vibratory disintegrator for
producing gas from peat moss, and a pneumatic road-improver.
Up next at number 4, it should come as no surprise that a man of Astor’s social status
would own multiple luxurious mansions.
However, none of his other mansions came close the level of decadence that "Astor Courts"
achieved.
This mega-mansion reportedly housed the first residential indoor swimming pool in the U.S.,
an indoor clay tennis court with a soaring vault and truss ceiling of industrial glass,
two squash courts, a bowling alley, and a shooting range.
And over at number 3, On April 10, 1912, John and his wife Madeleine boarded the Titanic
with their airedale terrier named Kitty, but to really understand the context of this moment,
we need to rewind back to 1911.
After divorcing his first wife, Ada, John, who was 47 at the time, married the 18-year-old
Madeleine Force, who was a year younger than his son Vincent.
Public opinion was divided concerning the respectability of Astor’s actions, and the
newlyweds decided to escape New York and spend winter traveling abroad to let the gossip
die down at home.
They spent a few months vacationing in Egypt and Paris, and you know who else joined them
on their vacation?
None other than the Unsinkable Molly Brown herself, but let’s not get too distracted
from our story.
Winter gave way to spring, and Madeleine discovered she was pregnant, prompting the Astors to
make the decision to journey back to the US for the birth of their child, hence why they
boarded the Titanic.
Now coming down to number 2, shortly after the Titanic hit the iceberg, Astor informed
his wife of the collision but told her the damage did not appear to be serious.
Even as the ship's lifeboats for first class were being lowered, Astor remained unperturbed,
and he and his family played with the mechanical horses in the gymnasium.
He even declared: "We are safer here than in that little boat."
When it finally became clear that the Titanic was doomed, Astor helped his wife into lifeboat
number 4 and asked Second Officer Charles Lightoller if he could join his wife because
she was in "a delicate condition;" however, Lightoller told him men were not to be allowed
to board until all the women and children had been loaded.
It was at this point that Astor probably realized that he was destined to die with the Titanic.
One survivor later claimed to have spotted Astor clinging to a raft until hypothermia
set in, and he no longer had the strength to hold on.
And finally, at number 1, after the Titanic sank, the New York American broke the news
on April 16 with a lead devoted almost entirely to Astor; mentioning at the end of the article
that 1800 others were also lost.
Astor's prominence led to the creation of many exaggerated accounts about his actions
during the sinking of the Titanic.
One story alleges that he opened the ship's kennel and released the dogs, including his
own beloved dog, Kitty; in another, he placed a woman's hat on a boy to make sure the child
was able to get into a lifeboat.
Another legend claims that after the ship hit the iceberg, he quipped, "I asked for
ice, but this is ridiculous."
These stories appeared in newspapers, magazines, and even books about the sinking, but at best
they are nothing more than unsubstantiated legends.
Continue satisfying your curiosity craving by subscribing and watching these videos.
I’m Paul DuVall.
Thanks for watching, and I will see you in the future.