John Jacob Astor (1763-1848). Astor started a fur goods shop in
New York City in the late 1780's. Astor took advantage of a treaty between the
United Kingdom and the
United States in 1794 which opened new markets in
Canada and the
Great Lakes region. By 1800 he had amassed nearly a quarter millon dollars, and had become one of the leading figures in the fur trade. Astor was given permission to trade in ports monopolized by the [British East India Company]
?, and greatly benefited from the fur trade with
China. His plan to establish a fur trading company headquartered in
Astoria Oregon failed when the British captured the posts during the [War of 1812]
?.
Astor then turned his sights on New York City real estate. At the time of his death, Astor was the wealthiest person in the United States.