Matthew Astor Wilks acre estate known as Cruickston Park and mansion designed by Detlef Lienau. Through his mother, Wilks was great-grandson of America's first millionaire John Jacob Astor, the fur trader and real estate magnet. Among his first cousins were DeLancey Astor Kane, Woodbury Kane, S. Nicholson Kane, and John Jacob Astor IV. His father, an English gentleman, was the son of a reverend and was born in London. Wilks, who inherited several million dollars from his family, began buying up property in lower Manhattan in 1876. He torn down the various mixed buildings and commissioned architect Charles W. Clinton to build a
Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (1 June 1918 – 28 June 1984), was an English soldier, publisher, peer, and member of the Astor family. Astor was the eldest son of John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever (1886–1971), and Lady Violet Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1889–1965). He had two younger brothers, Hugh (1920–1999) and John (1923–1987). His mother had two children, Mary (1910–2003) and George (1912–1997), from her previous marriage to Lord Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice (1874–1914). He was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford, before joining the Life Guards, where he reached