Historical Essay
Astor, John Jacob (1763-1848)
Fur Trader
John Jacob Astor founded the American Fur Company in NY in 1808 and its subsidiary, the South West Co., in the Great Lakes region. He had a virtual monopoly on the American fur trade from 1820 until 1834 and was reputed to be the richest man in the US when he died.
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Dictionary of Wisconsin History
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[Source: Columbia Encyclopedia]