One of the most powerful families tied to Trinity is the Astor family. The first John Jacob Astor was born in Waldorf, Germany in 1763 as the son of a local butcher. He immigrated to the United States at the age of twenty one with the hopes of achieving the American dream. In 1786, he opened up his own fur trade shop and in 1808 he merged all of his fur businesses into one company called the American Fur Company. After the war of 1812, Astor’s investments increased substantially due to government bond deal. At the time of his death in 1848, Astor was the wealthiest man in the nation. His fortune was estimated at 20 million. The Astors were connected to other wealthy and powerful New York families and their family tree is extensive. The family leaves behind a historical legacy in New York with places like Astoria and Astor Place being just a few placeholders of their name in modern day.
A particularly interesting anecdote involves Astor’s great grandson John Jacob Astor IV. Astor dramatically died in the sinking of the Titanic in 1848. His second wife, Madeline Force Astor, was eighteen at the time and was pregnant with the couple’s child. Madeline and her unborn child were saved, but Astor IV perished in the tragedy, making the headlines of many of New York’s newspapers. Astor IV’s funeral was held at a church in his birthplace, Rhinebeck, but special arrangements were made to bring Astor IV’s body on a train to Trinity Church’s cemetery at 153rd street. Trinity’s rector at the time, Dr. Manning, gave the service before Astor IV was buried in his family vault. Astor IV, like his father and his grandfather, had served as Trinity’s vestryman for a number of years before his death.
The original John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor IV posing as Henry IV
John Jacob Astor IV’s funeral procession in all its grandeur.
The Astor Family has had a long association with Trinity Church. In 1804, the first John Jacob Astor took over vice president Aaron Burr’s lease of the Richmond Hill Estate, which was on Trinity’s property. From the time period of 1804 to 1866, the Astor family earned millions of dollars in real estate by subleasing Trinity’s land. In return, the Astor family gave large donations to the church. One contribution included the two sets of bronze doors at the front and the side of the church. The doors were designed to resemble the famous doors designed by Lorenzo Ghilberti at the Florence Baptistry. The front doors depict biblical scenes while the side doors depict secular scenes, one including George Washington on the day of his presidential inauguration. Another contribution includes the altar piece carved entirely from imported Italian marble. The Astors had the altar piece quarried from the same marble that Michelangelo’s David was carved from. A third notable contribution is visible from the outside in Trinity’s adjacent cemetery. The tallest monument on the site, the Astor cross symbolically marks the family’s prominence within the church.
Trinity’s intricate altar piece was donated by the Astor family.
Both the front and side doors of the church are made completely out of bronze. The middle scene depicts George Washington on the day of his inauguration.
The Astor Cross is the tallest monument in Trinity’s adjacent cemetery.
See also, Trinity Church
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