Astor, Madeleine Talmadge (c. 1893–1940)
Astor, Madeleine Talmadge (c. 1893–1940)
American socialite. Name variations: Madeleine Force Astor; Madeline. Born around 1893; died in 1940; married John Jacob Astor IV, in 1911 (he died on April 15, 1912, on the Titanic); married twice more; children: John Jacob Astor V (b. August 14, 1912). John Jacob Astor's first wife was Ava Willing Astor , the mother of Vincent Astor (b. 1891).
Madeleine Astor had been married to John Jacob Astor IV for only a few months when she boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg. The couple's entourage included a manservant, a maid, a nurse, and an Airedale named Kitty. When news of the iceberg first reached the Astors, Madeleine has been quoted as saying, "I rang for ice, but this is ridiculous." John Jacob Astor went down with the ship, but Madeleine and the dog Kitty survived the sinking, and Madeleine went on to marry twice more.