John Jacob ASTOR was a German-American capitalist and fur trader who became one of the wealthiest people in the United States during the 19th century. He was the first prominent member of the ASTOR family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States. ASTOR made his fortune through the fur trade, real estate investments, and the opium trade. He was also an early investor in the steamboat business and the first to invest in Manhattan real estate. His business ventures made him one of the wealthiest men in the United States at the time.