I see some questionable sources via Google, but nothing solid. Anyone know?
Wiki is silent on the question, FWIW, although it says he was decended from a German Waldensian family. The Waldensians were a Protestant Christian sect. Given the anti-Semitism of the day, if he had been Jewish, I would expect to see it prominently mentioned.
Elendil_s_Heir:
Wiki is silent on the question, FWIW, although it says he was decended from a German Waldensian family. The Waldensians were a Protestant Christian sect. Given the anti-Semitism of the day, if he had been Jewish, I would expect to see it prominently mentioned.
Wikipedia actually had it for a while, then it was deleted. Someone asked this question on the talk page, but it has not been answered.
According to the 19th century “Sunshine and Shadow in New York”, by Matthew Hale Smith, which has a chapter on Astor:
In religious belief Mr. Astor was a Lutheran. He was an elder in the church located on Nassau Street, near John. Here he worshipped till the church was sold and pulled down. He seldom attended church after that, saying he was sold out of house and home. Mr. Labough was his pastor. Mr. Astor was afflicted with a complaint that made it difficult for him to sit long at a time. To a clergyman, he said, “Men think me a heathen. I can not sit in church. I have a painful disorder that prevents me.” The first Mrs. Astor, the mother of his children, was a member in full communion of the Grove Street Baptist Church. She was a woman of great business tact, high principles, and and strong common sense. Her house was always open to ministers of religion.
I’m assuming you’re talking of the J. J. Astor who went down with the Titanic , correct? Because there were six John Jacobs in the family-he was John Jacob IV.
Why would you think that, and not the John Jacob Astor who made the original fortune?
What about John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt? His name is mite-named Jew.
If only because that was the most well-known J.J. Astor, I guess. If I’m wrong, I appologize.