From a German immigrant who arrived in America with nothing to a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, the Astor family’s story is one of hard work, ruthless business tactics, snobbery, and savvy ...

Astor Place. The Waldorf-Astoria. Even if you're not a New Yorker, you've heard of these iconic places. You also probably know they're named for one very powerful family: the Astors. To this day ...

The date was February 18, 1891, and Astor and his bride Ava Willing of Philadelphia had been married the day before and were on their way to the Poconos. Her family was among the oldest in the ...