Mrs. Astor made her debut appearance in HBO’s The Gilded Age during the charity bazaar. Mrs. Astor reigned over New York’s society. Everyone from Aurora Fane to Bertha Russell sought approval from Mrs. Astor. To fall out of favor, was social suicide.
Was Mrs. Astor a Real Person?
Mrs. Astor is a real-life New York socialite during the gilded age. Similar to HBO’s The Gilded Age, she reigned as the most influential socialite, throwing lavish parties and balls. In fact, she threw so many parties that her ultra exclusive guest list became known as the Astor 400.
Was Mrs. Astor Rich Growing Up?
Mrs. Astor grew up very wealthy and had a privileged upbringing. Her family, before she married Mr. Astor, was wealthy and was one of the most prominent families of New York. Her family members were old money families. They were patrons of the art and served on boards of great New York institutions. The women in her family, the Schermerhorn ladies, her maternal side, were notable New York hostesses.
What Kind of Education did Mrs. Astor Get?
Mrs. Astor grew up receiving her primary education from a French teacher, learning domestic skills like needlework, penmanship and dancing. After that, she was sent off to France for school. Mrs. Astor was a francophile, she spoke french fluently and learned to entertain like the french. In fact, her parties were inspired by the French salon.
What was Mrs. Astor’s Maiden Name?
Mrs. Astor’s maiden name was Caroline Schermerhorn. The Schermerhorn were a prominent old money family.
How did Mrs. Astor Meet Her Husband?
They met as neighbors! Mrs. Astor knew her would-be husband, William Astor Jr. all her life. William Astor Jr. was the boy who lived next door to Caroline’s Georgian-style house on Lafayette street. A year older than Caroline, the couple married on September 20, 1853, two days before her 23rd birthday.
How Rich were the Astors?
The Astors were the richest family in America during the gilded age. Mrs. Astor’s father in-law was the head of the family and the richest man in America at the time. The Astors made their fortune from the fur trade, shipping and New York City real estate. In fact, the Astors were known as “The New York’s landlords.” They were one of the biggest landowners in Manhattan.
How Many Children Did Mrs. Astor Have?
Mrs. Astor had five children. After their marriage in 1853, the young Astors immediately started a family. Mrs. Astor’s first born was Emily Astor (born in 1854), followed by Helen Schermerhorn (born in 1855), then Charlotte Augusta, Caroline Schermerhorn (born 1861) and finally the heir, John Jacob Astor IV (born 1864).
Where did Mrs. Astor Live?
Mrs. Astor lived in a 4 story brownstone at 350 Fifth Avenue corner of 34th street (where Empire State Building is now). Built in 1859, Mrs. Astor’s 350 Fifth Avenue house was the home in which she entertained lavishly in and where the Astor 400 originated from.
What is the Astor 400?
The Astor 400 is an exclusive list of the crème de la crème of New York society. During the gilded age, Mrs. Astor had so much influence over New York society that she decided who was and who was not a member of New York’s elite society. Her rational for restricting her guest list to 400 was because she could only comfortably fit 400 guests in her mansion’s opulent ballroom.
Who was in the Astor 400?
The Astor 400 is Mrs. Astor’s exclusive guest list was actually a list of 319 guests from 169 families. The list includes prominent old money families as well as new money with very little social credentials.
The Astor 400 old money families were the Van Cortlandts, Schuylers, Van Rensselaers, Beekmans, Schermerhorn, Suydams, de Peysters and Rhinelanders. Mrs. Astor’s maternal family were the Van Cortlandts and Schermerhorns while her husband descended from the Schuylers and the Beekmans. New Money families, like the Vanderbilts made it to the Astor 400.
Can Newcomers Get into the Astor 400?
Newcomers can get into the Astor 400. Mrs. Astor’s guest list was fluid and not set in stone. Guests fall in and out of favor. Newcomers without aristocratic lineage like the Vanderbilts were able to get on the Astor 400.
And like any great hostess, Mrs. Astor knew that to throw a successful party she needed to mix it up by introducing new blood to the party. She could not have achieved that with the same old money families as her sole guests.
In HBO’s The Gilded Age, Bertha Russell tries to get into Mrs. Astor’s inner circle with hand delivered invitations and notes, encouraging her son Larry Russell to be friendly with Mrs. Astor’s daughter and by offering up her ballroom for the charity bazaar.
What Parties Did Mrs. Astor Throw?
Mrs. Astor is known for her annual ball which is usually held at the end of January or early February. It was the ball of the season, the most fashionable and exclusive party of New York society during the gilded age. Mrs. Astor also threw other lavish parties through out the season but none as fancy and sought after as her annual ball.
What was Mrs. Astor’s Social Calendar Like During the Gilded Age?
In the winter, Mrs. Astor throws her annual ball and hosts numerous dinner parties in New York. In the Spring, she entertains from her Paris apartment in Champs-Élysées. Mrs. Astor’s guests in Paris were notable French families as well as visiting elites from America.
Then in the summer, Mrs. Astor entertains from her mansion in Newport. She is back in her New York townhouse in November where she reigns as queen of New York society.
The Astor 400
Below is a list of the Astor 400.
Last Names of Astor 400 | Names of Astor 400 |
---|---|
Allen | Fred H |
Appleton | Mr. and Mrs. F. R. |
Astor | Mr. and Mrs. John Jacob |
Astor | Mr. and Mrs.William |
Baldwin | Miss Louisa |
Baldwin | C.C. |
Baldwin | C.C. Jr. |
Barbey | Mrs. Henry |
Barbey | Miss Eva |
Barclay | Mr. and Mrs. James |
Baylies | Mr. and Mrs. Edmund L. |
Bend | Miss Amy |
Bend | Miss Beatrice |
Berryman | Miss Georgina |
Bishop | Miss Mary Cunningham |
Bishop | Heber |
Bowdoin | George S. |
Bowdoin | Temple |
Bronson | Mr. and Mrs. Frederic |
Brown | Harold |
Brown | William Harold |
Bryce | Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd |
Bulkeley | Edward |
Burden | Miss Evelyn Moale |
Burden | Mr. and Mrs. I. Townsend |
Burnett | General and Mrs. Henry L. |
Cameron | The Misses (Margaret, Isabel, Catherine N., Judah Howe Sears and Anne F. Cameron) |
Cameron | Duncan |
Cameron | Sir Roderick |
Cannon | Mr. and Mrs. Harry |
Carroll | Mr. and Mrs. Charles |
Cary | Mr. and Mrs. Clarence |
Cavendish-Bentinck | Mrs. Elizabeth |
Chanler | Mr.and Mrs. Winthrop |
Chanler | The Misses (Elizabeth, Margaret and Alida) |
Cooper | Mr. and Mrs. Edward |
Coster | Harry |
Coster | William B. |
Cottenet | Rawlins |
Crosby | Miss Angelica Schuyler |
Crosby | Col. J. Schuyler |
Cross | Mr. and Mrs. James |
Cruger | Mr. and Mrs. S. Van Rensselaer |
Cushing | Miss Edith |
Cushing | Thomas F. |
Cutting | Mrs. Brockholst |
Cutting | F. Bayard |
Cutting | F. Brockholst |
Cutting | Mr. and Mrs. W. Bayard |
Cutting | Robert L. Jr. |
Cutting | William Jr. |
Dana | Mr. and Mrs. Paul |
De Forest | Mr. and Mrs. George B. |
Delafield | Miss Elizabeth Ray |
Delafield | Dr. and Mrs. Francis |
Depew | Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey M. |
De Peyster | Mr. and Mrs. Frederic J. |
Dyer | Mr. and Mrs. Elisha, Jr. |
Elliott | Mr. and Mrs. Duncan |
Erving | Langdon |
Fish | Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Jr. |
Fish | Mr. and Mrs. Stuyvesant |
Forbes | H. De Courcey |
Francklyn | Mr. and Mrs. C.G. |
Frelinghuysen | Theodore |
Furman | J.C. |
Goelet | Mr. and Mrs. Ogden |
Goelet | Mr. and Mrs. Robert |
Grant | Miss Julia Grant |
Greene | Miss |
Greene | Alister |
Griswold | Frank Gray |
Gurnee | Augustus C. |
Hadden | Alexander M. |
Hadden | John A. Jr. |
Hall | Miss Elizabeth Livingston |
Hall | Mr. and Mrs. Valentine G. |
Havemeyer | Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. |
Hawkes | Robert F. |
Hewitt | Mr. and Mrs. Peter Cooper |
Hoffman | Miss |
Hoffman | Mrs. Charles P. |
Hone | Robert Jr. |
Howland | Meredith |
Howard | Mr. and Mrs. Thomas |
Irvin | Mr. and Mrs. Richard |
Iselin | Mr. and Mrs. Columbus |
Iselin | Isaac |
Jaffray | Miss Helen |
Jaffray | Mrs. William |
Jay | Col. And Mrs. William |
Jones | Miss Beatrix |
Jones | Mr. and Mrs. F. Rhinelander |
Jones | Shipley |
Kane | Mr. and Mrs. De Lancey |
Kane | S. Nicholson |
Kane | Woodbury |
Kean | Elizabeth |
Kean | Julian |
Kernochan | Mr. and Mrs. Frederick |
Kernochan | Mr. and Mrs. J. P. |
Kip | Col. and Mrs. Lawrence |
Kip | Miss Edith |
Knowlton | Miss Mary |
Kountze | Mr. and Mrs. Luther |
Lanier | Mr. and Mrs. James |
Leary | Arthur |
Leiter | Miss Mary Victoria |
Livingston | Miss Clarissa |
Livingston | Edward |
Livingston | Edward de Peyster |
Livingston | Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. |
Livingston | Mrs. Maturin |
Lusk | Miss Anna H. |
March | Clement |
Marie | Peter |
Marshall | Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. |
Martin | Mr. and Mrs. Bradley |
Martin | F.T. |
McAllister | Miss Louise Ward |
McAllister | Ward |
McVickar | Mr. and Mrs. H.W. |
Mills | Mr. and Mrs. Ogden |
Moore | Mr. and Mrs. Clement C. |
Morgan | Miss Anne |
Morris | Mr. and Mrs. A Newbold |
Morris | Miss Eva C. |
Mortimer | Mr. and Mrs. R. |
Munn | Charles |
Nelson | Mrs. Frederick |
Newbold | Mr. and Mrs. Thomas |
Oelrichs | Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. |
Olin | Stephen H. |
Otis | Miss Mary |
Otis | James |
Parker | James V. |
Pendleton | Mr. and Mrs. Francis Key |
Perry | Miss Bertha |
Perry | Mrs. William A. |
Peters | Richard |
Pierson | Miss Marguerite |
Pierson | General and Mrs. J. Fred |
Porter | Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin C. |
Post | Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. |
Post | Edward C. |
Port | Mr. and Mrs. George B. |
Potter | Clarkson |
Potter | Mr. and Mrs. H.N. |
Potter | Julian |
Randolph | Miss Cora |
Redmond | Goold H. |
Rhinelander | T.J. Oakley |
Richards | Robert Kerr |
Ripley | Mr. and Mrs. S.D. |
Ritchie | James W. |
Rives | Mr. and Mrs. George L. |
Robert | Mr. and Mrs. Christopher |
Robins | Mr. and Mrs. H |
Robinson | D.T.L. |
Robinson | Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Jr. |
Robinson | Randolph |
Roche | Mrs. Burke |
Rogers | Miss Julia Fish |
Rogers | Mrs. |
Roosevelt | Mr. and Mrs. James |
Rutherfurd | Mr. and Mrs. Lewis |
Sands | Miss Edith Cruger |
Schuyler | Mr. and Mrs. Philip |
Shepard | Miss Agnes |
Shepard | Mr. and Mrs. Edward |
Sherman | Mr. and Mrs. William Watts |
Sloane | Miss Adele |
Sloane | Mr. and Mrs. William D. |
Smith | J. Clinch |
Stevens | Mr. and Mrs. Byam K. |
Stevens | Miss Elizabeth |
Stewart | Lispenard |
Stewart | Mr. and Mrs. William Rhinelander |
Stokes | Miss Olivia Eggelston Phelps |
Stokes | Mr. and Mrs. Anson Phelps |
Sturgis | Mr. and Mrs. F.K. |
Suydam | Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lispenard |
Tailer | Miss Fannie Bogert |
Tailer | E.N. |
Talleyrand | Marquise De |
Tiffany | Belmont |
Tooker | Miss Emily M. |
Tooker | G. Mead |
Twombly | Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton McKown |
Vanderbilt | Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius |
Vanderbilt | George W. |
Van Rensselaer | Mrs. A. |
Van Rensselaer | Miss Alice |
Van Rensselaer | Miss Mabel |
Varnum | James Mitchell |
Waterbury | Mr. and Mrs. James M. |
Webb | Alexander S. |
Webb | General and Mrs. Alexander S. |
Webb | Miss Carrie |
Webb | Mr. and Mrs. W. Seward |
Welles | Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin |
Wells | Mr. and Mrs. W. Storrs |
Wetmore | Miss Edith |
Wetmore | Governor and Mrs. |
Whitehouse | Worthington |
Whitney | Mr. and Mrs. William C. |
Whittier | Mrs. C.A. |
Wilks | Matthew Astor |
Willing | Miss Susan |
Willing | Barton |
Wilmerding | Miss Georgiana L. |
Wilson | Miss Grace |
Wilson | Mr. and Mrs. Orme |
Wilson | Richard T. Jr. |
Winthrop | Miss Marie Austen |
Winthrop | Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan |
Winthrop | Egerton |
Winthrop | F.B. |
Wysong | Mr. and Mrs. J.J. |
The Gilded Age is Streaming on HBO, Mondays at 9pm
Bibliography: The First Four Hundred: Mrs. Astor’s New York in the Gilded Age by Jerry E. Patterson