Socialite. Daughter of a wealthy merchant family whose ancestors were among New York's first Dutch settlers. After finishing her education in Europe, she married William Backhouse Astor Jr., a son of one of America's richest families, in 1853. The couple had five children. Mrs. Astor created "the Four Hundred," a social list comprised of a carefully selected group of upper-class families. The Astors purchased Beechwood in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1881. Beechwood became the center of Newport social life during the Astors' eight-week summer season. In 1883, Alva Vanderbilt organized a masquerade ball in New York during the winter season, shunned by Alva Mrs. Astor called on the Vanderbilts in return for an invitation to the Vanderbilt ball. In 1892 her husband William Astor died leaving her son John Jacob Astor IV the richest man in America. in 1893 Caroline and her son moved into a Richard Morris Hunt-designed Italianate double mansion at 840 Fifth Avenue at 65th Street, it was there in 1905 that Mrs. Astor gave her last great party. A few days after the party, Caroline Astor, dowager queen of New York society, fell on her staircase and broke her hip. She was 75. The fall broke her spirit as well. Confined to a wheelchair, she died three years later in 1908. Caroline's funeral was held at her Fifth Avenue mansion, and she was entombed in the Astor family mausoleum at Trinity Cemetery.
Cenotaph here
Cenotaph here
Socialite. Daughter of a wealthy merchant family whose ancestors were among New York's first Dutch settlers. After finishing her education in Europe, she married William Backhouse Astor Jr., a son of one of America's richest families, in 1853. The couple had five children. Mrs. Astor created "the Four Hundred," a social list comprised of a carefully selected group of upper-class families. The Astors purchased Beechwood in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1881. Beechwood became the center of Newport social life during the Astors' eight-week summer season. In 1883, Alva Vanderbilt organized a masquerade ball in New York during the winter season, shunned by Alva Mrs. Astor called on the Vanderbilts in return for an invitation to the Vanderbilt ball. In 1892 her husband William Astor died leaving her son John Jacob Astor IV the richest man in America. in 1893 Caroline and her son moved into a Richard Morris Hunt-designed Italianate double mansion at 840 Fifth Avenue at 65th Street, it was there in 1905 that Mrs. Astor gave her last great party. A few days after the party, Caroline Astor, dowager queen of New York society, fell on her staircase and broke her hip. She was 75. The fall broke her spirit as well. Confined to a wheelchair, she died three years later in 1908. Caroline's funeral was held at her Fifth Avenue mansion, and she was entombed in the Astor family mausoleum at Trinity Cemetery.
Cenotaph here
Cenotaph here
Bio by: Stories Of The Gilded Age
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