Episode 1 of 1

Incorporation of the American Fur Company

When
April 6, 1808
Where
New York City
Part of
John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company

John Jacob Astor incorporated the American Fur Company in New York City on April 6, 1808, with permission from President Thomas Jefferson.

The Embargo Act of 1807 had disrupted Astor's trade with Canada. He established the company to sell furs, skins, and buffalo robes. This venture was part of his broader strategy to control the fur trade, which he had been developing since the late 18th century.

Sources

  1. John Jacob Astor Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-02
  2. American Fur Company Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-29

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.