While his sister-in-laws were building some of New York City's biggest mansions, George W. Vanderbilt and his wife Edith looked to Asheville, North Carolina, to build Biltmore. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Aside from focusing on the business, he was also a philanthropist who donated substantial resources to various organizations. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. There was a problem getting your location. Death. The year was 1810, and the $100 (equivalent to a little over $2,100 today, per theOfficial Data Foundation)was spent on a boat that he used to start his own transport and freight business. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. [citation needed] His youngest son George inherited his Staten Island mansion and farm, which became Miller Field airbase and parkland. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Thanks for your help! Try again later. He was able to grow the business even bigger than it already was, and according to Real Estates in NY, William was able to double the Vanderbilt fortune from $100 million to $200 million before he retired in 1883. In 1896, however, at the age of 23, he decided to marry his lover Grace Wilson, a decision that his parents entirely disapproved of, according to the New Netherland Institute. Oops, something didn't work. It was only in 2019 after his mother's death that Cooper decided to learn more about the Vanderbilts, so he could one day pass the knowledge to his own son. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Vanderbilts, owners of a railroad empire brought to the top by ruthless patriarch Cornelius "the Commodore" Vanderbilt, were once the richest family on the planet. J. While the Vanderbilt fortune was being split among more and more descendants who loved to excessively spend their inheritances, the original source of their family's wealth, New York Central, began to decline in the first half of the 20th century, according to Forbes. railroad developer, financier Born: 5/8/1821 Birthplace: New Brunswick, N.J. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. In his will William was more equitable in dividing his fortune than his father had been. He inherited $100 million from his father and continued to grow the family railroad empire. [citation needed]. When he died, he was the richest man in the world. The Commodore is said to have told his oldest son, William Henry "Billy" Vanderbilt, "Any fool can make a fortune; it takes a man of brains to hold onto it." Your Scrapbook is currently empty. On his discharge, he returned to racing in a major way. Please refer to it for further understanding of the Vanderbilt family tree. There was an error deleting this problem. Male 21 December 1870-23 May 1892 LC6Y-7X8. About - William Henry A hemorrhage of the stomach occurred at 8:30P.M. Vanderbilt II, Arthur T: Fortune's Children. The press dubbed it Vanderbilt Row. By 1879, he was ready to sell some of his shares so that he would no longer be considered the sole owner. He roomed in Durfee Hall, Moses Taylor being his roommate. By the time he died in 1877 at the age of 82, he had a net worth of about $105 million (over $2.3 billion today), nearly all of which he left to his oldest son, William Henry Vanderbilt. Gen. Cornelius Vanderbilt, III; Gertrude Whitney; Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (RMS Lusitania victim); Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt and 2 others; Gladys, Countess Szchenyi and George Vanderbilt less, 1892, Bill died of typhoid fever William H. Vanderbilt Dead. Biography. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. He was noted as an excellent horseman, a first class cross country rider, and an expert polo player. He also built a mansion on Fifth Avenue to display the art he had donated to it. William Henry Vanderbilt (1821 - 1885) Net Worth: $239 billion How He Made His Money: Inheritance, railroads. The Gilded Age was when many of the infamously wealthy families got their start, from the Rockefellers to the Carnegies to the Vanderbilts (via ThoughtCo). In other words when he was 49 years old he became a multimillionaire, and probably one of the richest men in the United States. While Billy wasn't as ambitious as his father, he was obsessed with preserving his wealth and would nitpick over expenses. ; House to Grandson, Marquis of Blandford", "W.K. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. At one time during the afternoon he rallied, and his temperature went down to 100 1/2. He was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. He was brought to his father's house May 6, as his sickness was recognized as serious from the beginning. They also were prone to bouts of family competition, building huge mansions to rival each other. It was after Reginald's death when the Vanderbilts accused Morgan of being an unfit mother. In his will he divided his fortune more equitably than had his father, and he left substantial bequests to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the YMCA, and various churches and hospitals. William 'Billy' Henry Vanderbilt (1821 - 1885) - Genealogy William Henry Vanderbilt II (1870-1892) - Memorial Find a Grave In 1869, he was made vice-president of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, becoming its president in 1877. The Vanderbilts, still newly rich and with a reputation for crassness from their patriarch Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt, were not on that list. Gloria's son, Anderson Cooper, is a Peabody Award-winning journalist, author, and television producer and personality. ", "F. W. Vanderbilt Dies in Hyde Park Grandson of Founder of the Family Fortune 61 Years on New York Central Board Owner of Famous Yachts Gifts to Hospitals, Colleges and Other Institutions Totaled Millions", Vanderbilt rehab a study in family memories, "DR. W. SEWARD WEBB DEAD IN VERMONT; Retired New York Capitalist Succumbs at Shelburne in His 76th Year. Please reset your password. Title: William Henry II and Cornelius Vanderbilt III Artist: Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, Dublin 1848-1907 Cornish, New Hampshire) Date: 1882 Culture: American Medium: Bronze Dimensions: 16 1/4 x 26 1/8 in. When his father, William Henry Vanderbilt died in 1892, Cornelius Vanderbilt II received nearly another $70 million, and the responsibility to manage the New York Central Railroad system. The family name had different variations (Van De Bilt, Van der Bilt, Vander Bilt) before settling on "Vanderbilt," per Old Dutch Church NYC. He fought regulation of the railroads as he engaged in rate wars and gave special rates to favoured shippers. In 1841, Billy married Maria Louisa Kissam (18211896), daughter of the Reverend Samuel Kissam and Margaret Hamilton Adams. William H. Vanderbilt received, the first part of his education at Cutler's School, in this city. Papers of Hans Bontemantel He graduated from Yale in 1989 with a political science degree, and he worked his way toward being the successful broadcaster he is today. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Harold's brother William Kissam "Willie K" Vanderbilt II launched the Vanderbilt Cup for auto racing. Alfred G. Vanderbilt was President of Belmont Racetrack in New York and was the principal owner and president of Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Cornelius at the end of his life knew that by turning the organization over to William, it would be managed the same way he would have managed it. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Cornelius Vanderbilt II - Wikipedia A second generation arrived at Biltmore House a year later. Sorry! Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. William received bad publicity and clarified his response with a subsequent interview by the Chicago Times. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Now open to the public as a tourist attraction and national landmark, Biltmore House is considered the largest privately owned home in the entire country and is still operated by Vanderbilt descendants today. He has a unique ability to incorporate historical, religious, spiritual, scientific, archaeological and other forms . Young Vanderbilt was stricken with typhoid fever, which it is thought he contracted while on a Easter tour through the Western States. The two split on Williams decision to marry at age 19, and Cornelius sent his son off to farm on Staten Island. William Henry Vanderbilt, ( ) . ( ) By the time poor health forced him to resign his railroad presidencies in 1883, William Henry had nearly doubled the Vanderbilt family fortune. Permission to reproduce images (if available) must be obtained from the portrait owner. Verify and try again. (1821-85). [citation needed], Vanderbilt was an avid art enthusiast; his collection included some of the most valuable works of the Old Masters, and over his lifetime Vanderbilt acquired more than 200 paintings, which he housed in his lavish and palatial Fifth Avenue mansion. In 1934, his cousin on his mother's side . Last edited on 28 November 2022, at 04:11, New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, "Wm. William Henry Vanderbilt, II | National Portrait Gallery The Vanderbilt family is known as one of the most prominent families in the United States. It would become an important part of his life. He wasn't too keen on working in the family business, but he inherited his father's love of the arts and was an avid collector of various forms of artwork and books, according to The Blue Ridge Highlander. Two years later, William Henry Vanderbilt died and left the business to his sons William Kissam Vanderbilt (pictured) and Cornelius Vanderbilt II. He was the favorite grandson of William H. Vanderbilt, who left him a legacy of $1,000,000, the income to come to him as soon as he attained his majority, and the disposal of the principal to pass into his hands when he became thirty years old. William H. Vanderbilt, eldest son of Cornelius Vanderbilt, died at 10:15 o'clock last night at the home of his father, Fifty seventh Street and Fifth Avenue. How many rooms do you expect to be in this house? Industrialist, Businessman Born Cornelius VANDERBILT II American socialite, heir, and businessman Born on November 27, 1843 in Staten Island, New York, USA , United States Died on September 12, 1899 in New York City, New York, USA Born on November 27 35 Deceased on September 12 35 Family tree Report an error Vanderbilt Cornelius 1764 - 1832 Hand : Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877-1915), was a passenger on the RMS Lusitania and died when it sank. Search instead in Creative? His father and mother their five other children, and Dr. J. W. McLane were. [1], His father Cornelius frequently berated and criticized him, calling his eldest son a "blockhead" and a "blatherskite". As told by Town & Country, Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt was the great-grandson of the Commodore and the younger brother of Cornelius Vanderbilt III and Alfred Vanderbilt. cemeteries found in New Dorp, Richmond County (Staten Island), New York, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91806842/william-henry-vanderbilt. New York: Vintage Books. Broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper is the child of Gloria Laura Vanderbilt with her fourth husband, Wyatt Emory Cooper. Try again later. More, Housed in the New York State Library, the NNRC offers students, educators, scholars and researchers a vast collection of early documents and reference works on America's Dutch era. He was a member of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity and one of the most popular men in his class. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. However, various owners and mergers couldn't save it. William Henry Vanderbilt's triple house he lived on the left his two daughters lived on the right. His younger brother, William Kissam Vanderbilt, helped manage the family business for a while but shifted control of the railroads to an outside firm in 1903. (41.3 x 66.4 cm) Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of the American Wing Fund, Dorothy Schwartz Gift, and Morris K. Jesup Fund, 2010 For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. He roomed in Durfee Hall, Moses Taylor being his roommate. Oops, something didn't work. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. William Henry "Billy" Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 - December 8, 1885) was an American businessman and philanthropist. Even Billy, who ended up being the primary inheritor of the Vanderbilt fortune, wasn't allowed to get experience within the railroad empire until he was in his forties. Oops, we were unable to send the email. The New York and Harlem Railroad and the Hudson River Railroad were merged with the Long Island Railroad and the Central Railroad and formed the beginning of the New York Central System. Gloria Laura Vanderbilt was the daughter of Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt George Washington Vanderbilt II's nephew. Birth. She spent millions of her husband's inheritance building a huge mansion on Fifth Avenue's millionaire row, one of the largest homes there at the time. William Henry 'Billy' Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 - December 8, 1885) was an American businessman and philanthropist. She also started her own fashion empire and partnered with manufacturer Mohan Murjani to sell jeans specifically for women with her signature on the back pocket. Less than a century later, in 1973, when 120 Vanderbilts came together for a family reunion at Vanderbilt University, there wasn't a single millionaire in attendance. 0 cemeteries found in New Dorp, Richmond County (Staten Island), New York, USA. Later on, Cornelius also decided to go into the railroad business and acquired stocks for several railways including the Harlem and New York Railroads, as well as the New York Central and Hudson River Railroads. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Vanderbilt's railroad holdings included Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Chicago and Canada Southern Railway, the Detroit and Bay City Railroad, the Hudson River Railroad, the Hudson River Bridge, the Joliet and Northern Indiana Railroad, the Michigan Midland and Canada Railroad, the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, the New York Central Sleeping Car Company, the New York and Harlem Rail Road, the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad, and the Staten Island Rail-Road. During the past few months the young man had been elected to membership in the Knickerbocker, New York Yacht, Seawanhaka Corinthian, Racket and Tennis, Country, Westchester Polo, and Riding Clubs. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Young Vanderbilt was the owner of the forty-six-foot sloop yacht Ilderim, one of Burgess's last boats, which he had intended to put in commission this Summer. William Henry Vanderbilt, (born May 8, 1821, New Brunswick, N.J., U.S.died Dec. 8, 1885, New York, N.Y.), American railroad magnate and philanthropist who nearly doubled the Vanderbilt family fortune established and in large part bequeathed to him by his father, Cornelius.