John Jacob Astor

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.