John Jacob Astor IV

Colonel John Jacob Astor IV (July 13, 1864 - April 15, 1912) was a businessman, inventor, writer and a member of the prominent Astor family. Serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War, Astor mainly dealt in real estate which included the original Waldorf=Astoria Hotel. A divorce and marriage to the much younger Madeleine Talmadge Force caused a scandal and he and his new wife took an extended honeymoon abroad to wait out the controversy. Madeleine Astor's pregnancy cut short the trip and they booked passage on board the RMS Titanic which struck an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912. John Jacob Astor IV was among the more than 1,500 victims of the sinking.

Madeleine and the Titanic

In 1909 Astor divorced his wife Ava and on September 9, 1911 married eighteen year?old Madeleine Talmadge Force in his mother's ballroom at Beechwood, the family's Newport, Rhode Island home. The divorce and marriage to Madeleine, who was a year younger than Vincent Astor, caused a scandal and John Jacob IV and Madeleine took an extended honeymoon in Europe and Egypt to wait for the gossip to calm down.

Related Topics:
1909 - September 9 - 1911 - Madeleine Talmadge Force - Newport, Rhode Island

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While traveling Madeleine became pregnant, and wanting the child born in the United States, the Astor's booked first?class passage on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic which they boarded at Cherbourg, France. Astor was the richest person on the ship and along with his wife his party included his manservant, his wife's maid and nurse and his pet Airedale, Kitty. At 11:40 PM on April 14, 1912 the Titanic hit an iceberg and began sinking. At first Astor didn?t believe the ship was in any serious danger, but later helped his wife into a lifeboat. He asked if he could join his wife, mentioning her "delicate condition", but the officer in charge said no men until all the women and children were away. Astor reportedly stood back, asked for the lifeboat number, lit a cigarette, and tossed his gloves to Madeleine.

Related Topics:
RMS ''Titanic'' - Cherbourg - France - Airedale - April 14 - 1912 - Iceberg - Lifeboat

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John Jacob Astor?s body was recovered by the MacKay-Bennett on April 22. Astor?s body was found partially crushed and mangled. He is believed to have been hit by a collapsing funnel. Among the items found on him were £225, $2440, and a gold watch which his son, Vincent, claimed and wore the rest of his life. Astor was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City. On August 14, 1912, his second son, John Jacob Astor VI was born.

Related Topics:
April 22 - Funnel - Trinity Church Cemetery - New York City - August 14 - 1912 - John Jacob Astor VI

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