Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (November 27, 1843 – September 12, 1899) was an American socialite and a member of the prominent United States

Vanderbilt family The Vanderbilt family is an American family who gained prominence during the Gilded Age. Their success began with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the family expanded into various other areas of industry and philanth ...

Noted forebears

He was the favorite grandson of Commodore

Cornelius Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. After working with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into lead ...

, who bequeathed him $5 million, and the eldest son of William Henry "Billy" Vanderbilt (who bequeathed him about $70 million) and Maria Louisa Kissam. In his turn, he succeeded them as the chairman and the president of the New York Central and related railroad lines in 1885.Vanderbilt, 173–185.

Early life

Cornelius Vanderbilt II was born on November 27, 1843, on

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

to William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885) and Maria Louisa Kissam.

Career

Vanderbilt established a reputation for a strong work ethic while clerking at the Shoe and Leather Bank in New York City. This endeared him to his grandfather, the 'Commodore,' who was a strong believer in personal industry.Vanderbilt, 177-9. Vanderbilt was active in numerous organizations, including the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York,

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, Trinity Church, St. Bartholomew's Church, Sunday Breakfast Association, and the Newport Country Club.

Personal life and death

On February 4, 1867, he married Alice Claypoole Gwynne (1845–1934), daughter of Abraham Evan Gwynne and Rachel Moore Flagg. The two met at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church where both taught

Sunday school ] A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes. Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...

. Together, they had seven children: * Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt (1869–1874), who died of a childhood illness at the age of five. * William Henry Vanderbilt II (1870–1892), who died of

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often th ...

while attending

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

. * Cornelius "Neily" Vanderbilt III (1873–1942), whom his father disinherited for marrying Grace Graham Wilson (1870–1953) without his approval. * Gertrude Vanderbilt (1875–1942), who married

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeding, horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as ...

(1872–1930) * Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915), who died aboard the RMS ''Lusitania'', and who married Ellen French, and after their divorce, Margaret Emerson (1884–1960). * Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880–1925), who first married society debutante Cathleen Neilson, and later Gloria Morgan. * Gladys Moore Vanderbilt (1886–1965), who married Count László Széchenyi (1879–1938). A stroke in 1896 compelled him to reduce his active business involvement. He died of a

cerebral hemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as hemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain (i.e. the parenchyma), into its ventricles, or into both. An ICH is a type of bleeding within the skull and one kind of stro ...

shortly after 6 a.m. on September 12, 1899, at his

home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...

on West Fifty-seventh Street in

Manhattan, New York City Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York. Located almost entire ...

. Upon his death, family leadership passed to his first brother,

William Kissam Vanderbilt William Kissam Vanderbilt I (December 12, 1849 – July 22, 1920) was an American heir, businessman, philanthropist, and horse breeder. Born into the Vanderbilt family, he managed his family's railroad investments. Early life William Kissam Vand ...

Estate

Vanderbilt's philanthropy had been such that he did not increase the wealth that had been left to him. His estate at the time of his death was appraised at $72,999,867, $20 million of which was real estate. In dollars, $73 million is equivalent to $. In the weeks following Cornelius Vanderbilt II's death, the terms of his will sparked a minor controversy within New York society when it was revealed that Vanderbilt's eldest surviving son, Cornelius Vanderbilt III, was to receive a substantially smaller share of his estate compared to his siblings. In his place Vanderbilt’s second surviving son, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, was named as the principal beneficiary, inheriting over half of the fortune as well as the Gold Congressional Medallion awarded to his grandfather, 'Commodore' Cornelius Vanderbilt I, by the United States Congress—an heirloom which had come to symbolise headship of the Vanderbilt family. The final version of the will bore the date 18 June 1896, the same day originally intended for the wedding of Cornelius Vanderbilt III to Grace Wilson despite his parents' disapproval of the union. Under the terms of the Will, Vanderbilt's widow received a $7,000,000 trust fund which would pay a life annuity of $250,000, with instructions that upon her death, this fund be equally divided among her children unless otherwise stipulated in her own Will. Alice also received an additional outright gift of $2,000,000, ownership of the family's box at the Metropolitan Opera House, a life interest in both the Newport estate, "The Breakers," and the family’s Manhattan residence at 1 East Fifty-Seventh Street. The terms of these bequests gave Alice authority to assign her interest in The Breakers to Alfred, Reginald, Gertrude, or Gladys. Unless otherwise provided in her Will, after Alice's death the Manhattan House would pass to Alfred; in the event of Alfred predeceasing Alice the house would instead pass to Reginald. Alfred, Gertrude, Reginald and Gladys each received $1,125,000 from a $5,000,000 Trust Fund established for Cornelius Vanderbilt II's benefit under his own father's Will, and a quarter-share of a $20,000,000 Trust Fund. A separate gift of $1,000,000 was also provided for Gertrude, and in addition to the entirely of the residuary estate (valued between $28,500,000 and $35,000,000), Alfred also received the Rhode Island Oakland Farm Estate. In addition to being passed over as the eldest surviving son, in contrast to the $6,125,000 his other siblings received, Vanderbilt Sr's will limited his son Cornelius Vanderbilt III's inheritance to the income from $1,000,000 Trust Fund, plus the remaining $500,000 from the $5,000,000 William H. Vanderbilt I Trust Fund. Vanderbilt's Will also provided for a specific bequest of $100,000 to his younger brother Frederick William Vanderbilt, whilst other relatives, friends, and servants collectively received approximately $565,000. Various churches and charitable organisations collectively received charitable bequests totaling $1,020,000. Despite his effective disinheritance under their father's will, shortly after their father's death Alfred voluntarily gifted Cornelius III $6,000,000 from his own inheritance so that his brother's share would match that of their other siblings.

Real estate

The

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

mansions that Cornelius Vanderbilt II, his brothers, and his sons lived in have been demolished, including Cornelius Vanderbilt II House. His 70-room summer residence,

The Breakers The Breakers is a Gilded Age mansion located at 44 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island, US. It was built between 1893 and 1895 as a summer residence for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family. The 70-room mans ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

, still stands as a memory of his lifestyle. It is today operated as a historic house museum.

Descendants

Through his son, Reginald, he was the grandfather of Gloria Laura Vanderbilt, the socialite and fashion designer, and the great-grandfather of news anchor Anderson Hays Cooper. Through his son, Alfred, he was the grandfather of William Henry Vanderbilt III, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr., and George Washington Vanderbilt III.