A Bit of History

The Gilded Age was, of course, all about aspiration and exclusion. On February 16th 1892, the New York Times published the official, if infamous, “list of 400” who were identified to be of high social standing. The authors and collaborators were the social arbiter Ward McAllister and Mrs. John Jacob Astor.  A good number of local “river estate” local families were included. But the “dance” between the wealthiest of river estate owners, and the ordinary (and above ordinary) of Rhinebeck, was a dance that sustained the main tenets of the Gilded Age: exclusion and aspiration.

The highest of society would have had their grand balls at the Hotel Astor in New York City or at their private mansions on Fifth Avenue. But the idea of the grand ball was alive and well for those not lucky enough to be included in the “400.” This is where the aspiration comes in! 

Just three years after the 400-list was announced, as Mrs. Astor had set the tone, the Poughkeepsie Eagle News of December 30th 1895 had the following to report, “The [Beekman Arms] has been the scene of many notable society gatherings but there was never a more brilliant assemblage witnessed within its walls than that on Friday evening. It was the masquerade ball of which so much has already been said, and of which so much more can be told. It was by far the grandest event of the kind ever held in Rhinebeck!”

The dance between locals and the elite recognized that the wealthy were large employers of perhaps hundreds of locals for each estate. 

Local respect by the “ordinary” for those on the list, like the Astors, bordered on reverence, as can be seen during the controversial period with John Jacob Astor, after divorcing his wife, married an “obscure” 18-year old woman when he was 47 years old.

Local newspaper accounts quoted locals as entirely supportive of the new marriage, with a local band serenading the new couple at Ferncliff, their river estate.

The Washington Times of August 3rd 1911 was not entirely convinced with the headline asking can she make good as our queen of society New York fashionables ask of Aster’s fiancee 18-year-old Madeline Force has difficult task ahead Charming girl who will be Mistress of Millions equally at home on horse or yacht announcement of Engagement lifts her from comparative obscurity.

John Jacob Astor IV died on the Titanic when it sank in the Atlantic April 14, 1912. More like a storyline of a dramatic movie, his young wife was pregnant and survived. His funeral was held at Rhinebeck's Church of the Messiah (for which he donated an organ and brought in Tiffany stained glass windows). 

Image Sources:  Vanderbilt Ball Photo Album; RHS.