John Jacob Astor

John Jacob Astor (1763-1848) was a merchant and entrepreneur who held citizenship in both the United States and Germany. He was born in Walldorf, Germany, on July 17, 1763, and died in Manhattan, New York on March 29, 1848.

Astor was the founder of the Pacific Fur Company and is known as the father of his son, William Backhouse Astor Sr., who was a prominent businessman. John Jacob Astor owned several notable properties, including the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site and the Astor House.