John Jacob Astor Quotes
102 John Jacob Astor Quotes
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[To his brother George Astor on the 14th of September 1814.] If you can get British army bills they would do as well as they are worth par here, but I am told there are many counterfeits, you can therefore only take them under good guarantee or indorse good bills on Montreal or Quebec are equally good or better…
John Jacob Astor
[To his brother George Astor on the 14th of September 1814.] I pray you take care not to expose the goods to damage or capture as I can less than ever afford the loses.
John Jacob Astor
[To McKenzie.] While I breathe and so long as I have a dollar to spend I’ll pursue a course to have our injuries repaired and when I am no more I hope you’ll act in my place. We have been sold, but I do not despond.
John Jacob Astor
[In September 1814.] I find at this moment such difficulty in getting money that I am disgusted with money transactions and I wish now more than ever to be completely out of debt and free from engagements.
John Jacob Astor
[In 1815 on scheming to get the Astoria outpost back from the Northwesters.] By the peace we shall have a right to the Columbia River and I rather think that I shall again engage in that business.
John Jacob Astor
[When Albert Gallatin returned from Europe in the Fall of 1815 Mr Astor meet with him in Washington and offered a qualified congratulations on the treaty he had helped to negotiate.] I’m very much pleased with what you gentlemen have accomplished, but there are some things you ought not to have left undone, Mr Gallatin. [‘What things, Mr Astor? – Albert Gallatin] You should have settled more definitely the question of the Columbia territory. [(laughing) ‘Never mind. It will be time enough for our great-grandchildren to talk about that in two hundred years.’ – Albert Gallatin] (Shaking his head) If we live, Mr Gallatin, we shall see trouble about it in less than forty years.
John Jacob Astor
[On the 9th of October 1815 on proposing to Gallatin a partnership where Mr Astor would put up all the money and give Gallatin a 20% stake while charging him the legal interest until his one-fifth share was paid off.] Of course you know it is not possible to say what the profits may be, but I presume it will not be extravagant to calculate from $50,000 to $100,000 clear per annum after interest and all expenses are deducted.
John Jacob Astor
[In January 1816.] I wish to God we might get a national Bank and that quickly. Do you think it would do any good if I was now to go to Washington?
John Jacob Astor
[In March 1817 on his son William.] I am rather sorry to find that he will become a merchant. I would have liked him to have been in public employ but he says that he can not be idle and must have something to do.
John Jacob Astor
[In February 1818 on taking his seven year old grandson John Jacob Bentzon and his eighteen year old daughter Eliza on a trip to Philadelphia and Washington.] I was changing my clothes for to dine and while Bentzon [the grandson] was sitting by the street door at or near 5 in the afternoon a boy of 17 years of age came by with his skates and persuaded Bentzon to go with him to the Tiber [Creek]. Bentzon was not 5 minutes absent before I missed him but before we could hear where he had gone, both he and the boy with him were drowned. No one had seen them on the ice and we met while looking about only a little boy who had seen them walking towards it. Bentzon had never been on ice before. I cannot describe to you the distress the misfortune has occasioned.
John Jacob Astor
[In 1818.] I have some considerable anxiety about the business of the American Fur Company, having considerable interest therein and as I think not a person who is capable to direct or manage the whole so as to prevent a loss or to make the most of it.
John Jacob Astor
Supposing it may be useful to those of my family which will survive me, I propose to make some notes of some transactions which are not entered in my books and to explain some which are entered more fully than appear on my books.
John Jacob Astor
[In 1819 giving some advice to a friend experiencing family problems.] Remember, my dear friend, how soon you may have to leave this world and remember that, like all men, you will seek forgiveness. Forgive your children, as you wish our father in heaven to forgive you. Let them come to you and support them… for all your wealth will do you no good in your grave. Divide some of it with them. See them happy and comfortable and you will be so yourself. Don’t tell me that it is easy to give advice. I say to you that I do divide with my children. Like you, I worked for them and I wish them to have all the good of it. The more they enjoy it, the more happy am I.
John Jacob Astor
[In October 1822.] Matters here go on irregular enough. It’s all the while up and down. So soon as people have a little money they run into extravagancy, get in debt and down it goes. Exchange is again 12 ½ to 13, and people will again ship specie, the bank again curtain discounts, bankruptcy ensues, exchange will fall for a short time, and then we have the same scene over again. You know so well this country and character of the people that I need say no more.
John Jacob Astor
I have been vexed and I am not pleased with the expense the company has been put to in buildings.
John Jacob Astor
The more I see it, the more I am convinced that we have ever imported too many goods and been induced to give them too freely to people who are unable to pay for them.
John Jacob Astor
Mr Crooks is clever as an Indian trader… but he is not a merchant. His ideas… as to the trade are fallacious and extravagant.
John Jacob Astor
[To President Monroe.] All Europe is threatened with revolution. The example of Spain will, I have no doubt, be followed and I am persuaded that those in power are trembling, but none can or dare act.
John Jacob Astor
[To Betsy (Madame Bonaparte) on what he told Pauline.] I told her what I thought was the case; that your father is very wealthy, but that his property consisted chiefly in houses and lands, which at present did not produce much; that he has a large family, say seven besides yourself; and that I believed you had to economize to educate your son.
John Jacob Astor
Your son will have sense enough not to be flattered with prospects which may prove vain.
John Jacob Astor
[On Joseph Green Cogswell dining with him at a hotel and Mr Astor saying] This man [The owner] will never succeed. [‘Why not, Mr. Astor?’ – Joseph Cogswell] Don’t you see what large lumps of sugar he puts in the bowl?
John Jacob Astor
[On Joseph Green Cogswell visiting a hotel dining room and Mr Astor saying] The owner will never make a success of this establishment. [‘Why is that?’ – Joseph Cogswell] Don’t you see what large lumps of sugar he puts in the bowl? [At another time when Joseph Cogswell said that he estimated it cost them twenty-five cents every minute the harbour cruise boat was waiting, and at that Mr Astor tried to break into a run.]
John Jacob Astor
[On the 20th of August 1825 at the age of 62 to Ramsay Crooks.] With regard as to whether I continue in the trade I really cannot now tell. Much will depend on the situation of matters when I get home, but whether I do or not I never had any other thought than that [if] I did retire, I would like you and Mr Stuart to be fully satisfied. I must say that I never intended to make any arrangements contrary to your interest. Quite otherwise, nor did I contemplate that you or Mr. Stuart would ever separate from the concern while I continued. I hope that both of you on reflection have come in the late agreement. You tell me indeed that you will at all events go on.
John Jacob Astor
[On the 17th of March 1827 to Albert Gallatin at the age of 63.] At the moment, when there is not in all this city any mercantile house which may be considered as of very high and first rate standing here and in Europe, I am more than ever sorry not to be 10 or 15 years younger. With my capital and your friends and [good] name we could get all the good business of Europe. Such an establishment would be the height of my ambition and a great fortune could be [gained] but, as it is, I feel as if I were too old and require too much time for the preservation of my health to attend much to business and I feel, also, as if I had fortune enough.
John Jacob Astor
[On being in France in 1833 after a nasty fall and a painful ulcer operation rather than immediately returned to America.] I think now to remain in Europe till spring, indeed I am not able to go back and in winter I do not wish to.
John Jacob Astor
[On Parisian banks only willing to pay 2.5 percent interest on the 2 million francs he had on deposit.] It would make any man’s blood boil.
John Jacob Astor
[In March 1833 on the American Fur Company a little while before he turned 70 years of age.] Wishing to retire from the concern in which I am engaged with your house, you will please take this as notice thereof, and that the engagement entered into on the 7th of May 1829, between your house and me, on the part of the American Fur Company, will expire with the [end] of the present year on the terms expressed in said agreement.
John Jacob Astor
[On being told by the captain that if he tried to put into an unfamiliar harbour he would lose his insurance coverage after Mr Astor had offered him $10,000 to put ashore.] But I’ll insure you!
John Jacob Astor
[On the 4th of May 1834 after having just recently returned from overseas to discover his wife had died 8 days before he arrived, but then him going on to live for almost another 14 years.] While absent, I lost wife, brother, daughter, sister, grandchildren and many friends and I expect to follow very soon.
John Jacob Astor
[On foreseeing the changing market not long before deciding to retire from the American Fur Company in 1833 and in 1834 selling out.] I very much fear beaver will not sell very soon unless very fine. It appears that they make hats of silk in place of beaver.
John Jacob Astor
[To a young German immigrant who knocked on his door claiming that they were also from his hometown of Walldorf in Germany. Then after being given a $5 bill from Mr Astor saying to him ‘Your son game me ten dollars.’] Well he may, the dog has a rich father.
John Jacob Astor
[On being asked by one of his granddaughters (probably Sarah Langdon) after she had been scolded by her grandmother ‘Grandfather, why did you marry Grandmother, anyway?’] Because she was so pretty, my dear.
John Jacob Astor
[On promising a $1,000 towards the publishing costs of the naturalist’s classic ‘Birds of America’, published between 1827 and 1838 to John James Audubon. But when Audubon arrived to collect the pledge sum he was told.] You come at a bad time. Money is very scarce. I have nothing in the bank. I have invested all my funds. [Five visits later Mr Astor still had the same excuse calling next door to his son.] William, have we any money in the bank? [‘Yes, Father. We have $220,000 in the Bank of New York, $70,000 in the City Bank, $90,000 in the Merchants’- William (Then he was cut short by Mr Astor and Audubon then got his thousand dollars.)]
John Jacob Astor
[On promising a $1,000 towards the publishing costs of the naturalist’s classic ‘Birds of America’, published between 1827 and 1838 to John James Audubon. But when Audubon arrived for the sixth time to collect the pledge sum after being told on previous occasions Astor had ‘nothing in the bank or all his money was ‘invested’ or was suffering from a ‘downturn in the market’ he was told.] Ah, M. Audubon, so you have come again after your money. Hard times, Mr Audubon – money scarce! William, have we any money in the bank? [‘Yes, Father. We have $220,000 in the Bank of New York, $70,000 in the City Bank, $90,000 in the Merchants, $98,400 in the Mechanics, $83,000… ’- William (Then he was cut short by Mr Astor.)] Well, it seems, Mr Audubon that William can give you a cheque.
John Jacob Astor
This country will see a chain of growing and prosperous cities straight from New York to Astoria, Oregon.
John Jacob Astor
[On foreseeing expansion of America with Astoria.] The plan was right, but my men were weak, that is all. The gateway to China will be from the northwest. My plans were correct. Time will vindicate my reasoning.
John Jacob Astor
The man who makes it the habit of his life to go to bed at nine o'clock, usually gets rich and is always reliable. Of course, going to bed does not make him rich - I merely mean that such a man will in all probability be up early in the morning and do a big day's work, so his weary bones put him to bed early. Rogues do their work at night. Honest men work by day. It's all a matter of habit, and good habits in America make any man rich. Wealth is a result of habit.
John Jacob Astor
Were I on the spot, and had the management of affairs, I would defy them all; but, as it is, everything depends upon you and the friends about you. Our enterprise is grand and deserves success, and I hope in God it will meet it. If my object was merely gain of money I should say, think whether it is best to save what we can and abandon the place; but the thought is like a dagger to my heart.
John Jacob Astor
[On building Astor House and fulfil the vow of his youth. (In building it he needed to buy Mr Coster’s house a rich retired merchant of great wealth who lived next door to Mr Astor and was extremely indisposed to move and held out long against every offer of the millionaire. His house was worth $30,000 and that was offered. Then when it was declined he offered $40,000 without success. Then to his neighbour.] Mr Coster, I want to build a hotel. I have got all the other lots; now name your own price. [Mr Coster then confessed the real obstacle to the sale. ‘The fact is, I can’t sell unless Mrs Coster consents. If she is willing, I’ll sell for $60,000, and you can call tomorrow morning and ask her.’ – Mr Coster. (The next day Mr Astor visited in the morning and met Mrs Coster.) ‘Well, Mr Astor, we are such old friends that I am willing for your sake.’ – Mrs Coster. Then a spacious granite mansion was built and was later known as the Chinese Building.]
John Jacob Astor
Has Mrs. Blank paid that rent yet? [‘No.’ –Agent] Well, but she must pay it. [‘Mr Astor, she can’t pay it now; she has had misfortunes, and we must give her time.’ – Agent] No, no. I tell you she can pay it, and she will pay it. You don’t go the right way to work with her. [Then the agent left and explained to Mr Astor’s son the anxiety of Mr Astor with regards to this unpaid rent. The son told the agent to give it to the old man as if he had received it from the tenant. Then returning to Mr Astor with the money.] There! I told you she would pay it if you went the right way to work with her.
John Jacob Astor
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