{"value"=>"<p>Series I, the William B. Astor estate papers, 1835-1890, 1931, contains copies of his wills and codicils; letters testamentary and certificates of same for his executors, as well as certificates for the estates of John Jacob Astor and James Gallatin; accounts kept by his executors; and authorizations for charitable distributions, including the Astor Library. Also found are litigation records, consisting of judgment rolls in the related lawsuits of William Astor (William B. Astor Jr.) and others versus John Jacob Astor and others, and vice versa, 1877; decrees in two lawsuits filed by insurance companies regarding William B. Astor's British investments, 1885; and two deeds, 1877 and 1890; all regarding Astor family members. Letters and documents, 1835-1876, 1931, pertain to various business transactions handled by his executors, 1876, with earlier items, 1840-1875, recording transactions by William B. Astor and by his father. Included is an 1835 insurance policy assigned to John Jacob Astor in 1836 for dwellings in Greenwich Village.</p> <p>The series contains four negative photographs of Astor family members and properties, circa 1900-circa 1931, which appear to be copies of photographic prints. A note dated 1931 August 31 regarding one of the photographic negatives in the collection, and an undated label for the negative image of John Jacob Astor (1822-1890) identified as \"John Jacob Astor II\", were located with the negatives; these have been placed with Letters and documents.</p>"}