John Jacob Astor

Born in Rhinebeck, New York, in 1864, John Jacob Astor IV was a member of the prominent Astor family and became known as a real estate developer, investor, inventor, and author. He served in the Spanish-American War, which is why he was often referred to as Colonel John Jacob Astor.

Astor helped develop major New York properties and was associated with landmark luxury hotels, including the Astoria, which later became part of the Waldorf-Astoria. He also wrote fiction and pursued technical interests, giving him a reputation that went beyond wealth alone.

In 1912, he was traveling on the RMS Titanic with his second wife, Madeleine, when the ship struck an iceberg and sank. He died in the disaster at age 47, and his death remains one of the most widely remembered stories connected to the Titanic.