1From James Madison to Richard Rush, 20 May 1819 (Madison Papers)
...and emigrated to the United States in 1783. He made a fortune in the fur trade and invested his profits in New York City real estate. He was instrumental in floating the 1814 loan in support of the War of 1812, and after JM’s death, Astor loaned money to Dolley Payne Madison, holding a mortgage on her Washington home. At his death he was deemed the richest man in America (Mattern and...