grew to become the dominant fur trader in America and built a fortune from investments in government loans and real estate. Manuscript L.S. "John Jacob Astor", 1p. 4to., [New York, 1834] to Secretary of War Lewis Cass: "...I beg leave to request the favor of you to give the appointment of Assistant Quarter Master at Prairie du Chien...to Lt. Howe...". At some point in time, a vandal clipped the signature from the letter: it has been professionally reattached with little evidence of the cuts remaining.