Yahoo: John Jacob Astor IV was one of the richest men in the world when he died on the Titanic. Here's a look at his life.
- #news
- #headline
Figure timeline
John Jacob Astor IV
John Jacob Astor IV was an American business magnate, real estate developer, and investor who was a member of the Astor family and also the Livingston family. A writer, as well as a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish–American War, he was among the most prominent American passengers aboard RMS Titanic and perished along with 1,495 others when the ship sank on her maiden voyage. Astor was the richest…
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
business · American businessman and Titanic passenger (1864–1912) · entrepreneur · inventor · writer · science fiction writer · racing automobile driver · passenger · hotel owner · also John Jacob Astor IV, John Jacob "Jack" Astor IV, John J. Astor IV, John Jacob Astor, IV
Born 13 July 1864 · Died 15 April 1912 · Q430672
15 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
8 photos · 1 video
Video
Astor Battery on parade -
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Update
- Update
2026· 1 entry
2016· 1 entry
insider.si.edu: John Jacob Astor, IV
- #news
- #headline
1935· 1 entry
Vincent gave the watch as a christening gift to the infant son of William Dobbyn IV, John Jacob Astor's executive secretary"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1912· 2 entries
Died 1912-04-15.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #death
John Jacob Astor VI (August 14, 1912 – June 26, 1992)
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #life
- #personal-life
1911· 1 entry
The 47-year-old Astor married 18-year-old socialite Madeleine Talmage Force, the sister of real estate businesswoman and socialite Katherine Emmons Force, and daughter of William Hurlbut Force and Katherine Arvilla Talma
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1909· 1 entry
Astor and Willing divorced in November 1909.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #life
- #personal-life
1904· 1 entry
To designs by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1898· 3 entries
A "vibratory disintegrator" used to produce gas from peat moss, and a pneumatic road-improver, and he helped develop a turbine engine
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
After the long-running Goelet Cup for yacht races in Newport had been discontinued, Astor offered new prizes to the New York Yacht Club where he was a member
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Astor personally financed a volunteer artillery unit known as the "Astor Battery", which served in the Philippines
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1897· 1 entry
Astor built the Astoria Hotel, "the world's most luxurious hotel", in New York City, adjoining the Waldorf Hotel owned by Astor's cousin and rival, William
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1891· 1 entry
Astor married socialite Ava Lowle Willing, a daughter of Edward Shipped Willing
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1864· 2 entries
At his parents' country estate of Ferncliff in Rhinebeck, New York
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Born 1864-07-13.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth