Caroline Astor
- Bobby Kelley
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor was born on September 22, 1830 in New York City, the daughter of Abraham Schermerhorn and Helen Van Courtlandt White. She came from one of New York’s oldest Dutch merchant families, with ancestors who had settled in the city when it was still New Amsterdam. Her upbringing was one of restrained privilege rooted in established Knickerbocker society. She was educated in refinement and traveled abroad in Europe in her youth, gaining the poise and confidence that would later define her role in society.
On September 23, 1853 she married William Backhouse Astor Jr., son of William Backhouse Astor Sr. and grandson of the original John Jacob Astor, whose fortune in fur trading and Manhattan real estate had established the Astor family as one of the richest in America. Their marriage united two powerful strands of New York lineage, the Dutch mercantile Schermerhorns and the rapidly expanding Astor dynasty. Although William preferred a quieter life and often retreated to his sporting interests and clubs, Caroline began to assume a more prominent role, gradually developing a commanding social presence.
The couple originally resided in a townhouse at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, where Caroline began hosting receptions during the winter season. She soon emerged as the acknowledged arbiter of New York society and became known simply as Mrs. Astor, a title that implied there was no other. To reign properly she established rules of decorum, lineage, and conduct, and eventually formalized admission into society by approving what became known as “The Four Hundred,” the selectively invited group considered acceptable for her annual entertainments.
Caroline and William had five children. Their eldest daughter, Emily Astor, was born in 1854 and later married James John Van Alen. A second daughter, Helen Schermerhorn Astor, was born in 1855 and married diplomat James Roosevelt Roosevelt. A third daughter, Charlotte Augusta Astor, was born in 1858 and married James Coleman Drayton. Their fourth child, Caroline “Lina” Astor, was born in 1861 and married Marshall Orme Wilson. Their youngest child and only surviving son, John Jacob Astor IV, was born in 1864 and would later inherit the family fortune.
By the 1870s her home on Fifth Avenue had become the central stage of New York social life. In 1881 the Astors purchased Beechwood in Newport, Rhode Island. There Mrs. Astor presided over an eight week summer season in a routine no less formal than in New York. Each afternoon she received callers in full dress, maintaining her standards even by the sea. Beechwood soon became a gathering place for America’s wealthiest families during the Newport season.
In 1883 Alva Vanderbilt hosted a lavish masquerade ball that challenged the old order of society. Wishing to secure invitations for her daughter, Mrs. Astor made a rare social call upon the Vanderbilts. The gesture marked a turning point, signaling that even those of immense new wealth could gain admission to society through recognition from Mrs. Astor herself.
In 1892 her husband William Backhouse Astor Jr. died. Their son John Jacob Astor IV inherited much of the estate, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the country. The following year Caroline Astor and her son undertook the construction of a grand double mansion at 840 Fifth Avenue and 65th Street, designed by Richard Morris Hunt. One half was built for Mrs. Astor and the adjoining half for her son and his family. From this new residence she continued to hold receptions and dinners on a scale that reflected her long-established position.
As the years passed declining health began to limit her activities. In 1905 she hosted one final great reception at her Fifth Avenue mansion. Shortly afterward she sustained a fall on the stairs of her home and suffered a broken hip. The injury confined her more closely indoors and marked the beginning of a gradual withdrawal from society. She lived quietly with the care of her household and saw fewer visitors as her strength diminished.
Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor died at her Fifth Avenue mansion on October 30, 1908 at the age of seventy eight. Her funeral was held in the house where she had reigned over New York society for more than three decades. She was entombed in the Astor family mausoleum at Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City.
VERY INTERESTING, THANK YOU!!