upon the authority of the
late Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, rector of Trinity church in New York, and a
life-long friend of the whole Astor connection, that he was a private in
a Hessian regiment that fought against our colonies in the Revolutionary
War. After its close he decided to remain in New York where he entered
the employment of a butcher in the old Oswego market. He subsequently
embarked upon more ambitious enterprises, became a highly successful
business man and at his death left a large fortune to his childless
widow. Dr. Dix has stated that it was probably through him that the
younger brother came to this country. However this may be, John Jacob
Astor sailed for America as a steerage passenger in a ship commanded by
Capt. Jacob Stout and arrived in Baltimore in January, 1784. He
subsequently went to New York, where he spent his first night in the
house of George Dieterich, a fellow countryman whom he had known in
Germany and by whom he was now employed to peddle cakes. After remaining
in his employ for a time and accumulating a little money he hired a
store of his own where he sold toys and German knickknacks. He
afterwards added skins and even musical instruments to his stock in
trade, as will appear from the following in _The Daily Advertiser_ of
New York, of the 2d of January, 1789, and following issues:

J. Jacob Astor,
At No. 81, Queen-street,
Next door but one to the Friends Meeting-House,
Has for sale an assortment of
Piano fortes, of the newest construction,
Made by the best makers in London, which he will sell on
reasonable terms.
He gives Cash for all kinds of FURS:
And has for sale a quantity of Canada Beaver, and
Beaver Coating, Racoon Skins, and Racoon Blankets,
Muskrat Skins, &c. &c.

It would seem that these Astor pianos were manufactured in London and
that George Astor, an elder brother of John Jacob Astor, was associated
with the latter in their sale. Indeed, one of them, formerly owned by
the Clinton family and now in Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh,
bears the name of "Geo. Astor & Co., Cornhill, London;" while still
another in my immediate neighborhood in Washington has the inscription
of "Astor and Camp, 79 Cornhill, London." Their octaves were few in
number, and a pupil of Chopin would have regarded them with scorn; but
upon these little spindle-legged affairs a duet could be perfo