William Waldorf Astor

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The Right Honourable The Viscount Astor
William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 1 January 1916 – 18 October 1919 Hereditary peerage
Preceded by	Peerage created
Succeeded by	The 2nd Viscount Astor
Member of the New York Senate from the 10th district
In office 1 January 1880 – 31 December 1881
Preceded by	Daniel B. St. John
Succeeded by	Joseph Koch
Member of the New York State Assembly from the New York County's 11th district
In office 1 January 1878 – 31 December 1878
Preceded by	Elliot C. Cowdin
Succeeded by	James M. Varnum
Personal details
Born	William Waldorf Astor (1848-03-31)31 March 1848 New York City, U.S.
Died	18 October 1919(1919-10-18) (aged 71) Brighton, Sussex, England
Cause of death	Heart failure
Political party	Republican (US)
Spouse	Mary Dahlgren Paul ​ ​ (m. 1878; died 1894)​
Children	Waldorf Astor Pauline Astor John Rudolph Astor John Jacob Astor V Gwendolyn Enid Astor
Parents	John Jacob Astor III Charlotte Augusta Gibbes
Relatives	See Astor family
Alma mater	Columbia Law School

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor^[1] (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) was an American-English attorney, politician, businessman (hotels and newspapers), and philanthropist. Astor was a scion of the very wealthy Astor family of New York City. He moved to England in 1891, became a British subject in 1899, and was made a peer as Baron Astor in 1916 and Viscount Astor in 1917 for his contributions to war charities. The census-designated place of Waldorf, Maryland is named after him.