Emigration.

John Jacob Astor was the richest man in America when he died, having amassed a fortune based on the unique economic opportunities of the United States in the early national period. He was born in the village of Waldorf in Germany on 17 July 1763, the son of a butcher. At the age of sixteen he worked his way on a timber boat to England, joining a brother there in the business of making and selling musical instruments. Astor immediately began to learn English and to save money to emigrate to America, arriving in Baltimore in March 1784 with about twenty-five dollars and seven flutes. He made his way to New York, joining another brother there, and soon set himself up in business. Astor got help through an advantageous marriage to Sarah Todd, a member of the elite Brevoort family, who brought $300 as a dowry.

Fur Trading.