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The Vanderbilt family is an American family who gained prominence during the
Gilded Age In History of the United States, United States history, the Gilded Age is the period from about the late 1870s to the late 1890s, which occurred between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was named by 1920s historians after Mar ...
. Their success began with the shipping and railroad empires of
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 ...
, and the family expanded into various other areas of industry and philanthropy. Cornelius Vanderbilt's descendants went on to build grand mansions on
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 ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
; luxurious "summer cottages" in Newport, Rhode Island; the palatial Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina; and various other opulent homes. The family also built Berkshire cottages in the western region of Massachusetts; examples include Elm Court (Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts). The Vanderbilts were once the wealthiest family in the United States. Cornelius Vanderbilt was the richest American until his death in 1877. After that, his son William Henry Vanderbilt acquired his father's fortune, and was the richest American until his death in 1885. The Vanderbilts' prominence lasted until the mid-20th century, when the family's 10 great Fifth Avenue mansions were torn down, and most other Vanderbilt houses were sold or turned into museums in what has been referred to as the "Fall of the House of Vanderbilt". Branches of the family are found on the United States East Coast. Contemporary descendants include American art historian John Wilmerding, journalist Anderson Cooper (son of
Gloria Vanderbilt Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (February 20, 1924 – June 17, 2019) was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. During the 1930s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother, ...
), actor Timothy Olyphant, musician John P. Hammond, screenwriter James Vanderbilt, and the Duke of Marlborough James Spencer-Churchill.


History

The progenitor of the Vanderbilt family was Jan Aertszoon or Aertson (1620–1705), a Dutch farmer from the village of
De Bilt De Bilt () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and town in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht, Netherlands. It had a population of in . De Bilt houses the headquarters of the Royal Netherland ...
in
Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
,
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, who emigrated to the Dutch colony of
New Netherland New Netherland () was a colony of the Dutch Republic located on the East Coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva Peninsula to Cape Cod. Settlements were established in what became the states ...
as an
indentured servant Indentured servitude is a form of Work (human activity), labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract called an "indenture", may be entered voluntarily for a prepaid lump sum, as paymen ...
to the Van Kouwenhoven family in 1650. The name of Jan's village, in the
genitive case In grammar, the genitive case ( abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive ca ...
, was added to the Dutch "'' van''" ("from") to create "''Van der Bilt''", which evolved into "Vanderbilt" when the English took control of
New Amsterdam New Amsterdam (, ) was a 17th-century Dutch Empire, Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''Factory (trading post), fac ...
(now
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
). The family is associated with the Dutch patrician Van der Bilt. His great-great-great-grandson,
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 ...
, began the rise of the Vanderbilt dynasty. He was the fourth of nine children born into a
Staten Island 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 ...
family of modest means. Through his paternal great-great grandmother, Abigail Southard, he descends from Republic of Salé President Jan Janszoon and his son Anthony Janszoon van Salee. They were among the earliest arrivals to 17th-century
New Amsterdam New Amsterdam (, ) was a 17th-century Dutch Empire, Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''Factory (trading post), fac ...
. In a number of documents dating back to that period, Anthony is described as tawny, as his mother was of
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
origin from Cartagena in the Kingdom of Murcia. Cornelius Vanderbilt left school at age 11 and went on to build a
shipping Freight transport, also referred to as freight forwarding, is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea but in American English, it has been ...
and
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
empire that, during the 19th century, would make him one of the wealthiest men in the world. Starting with a single commercial boat for crossing from Staten Island to Manhattan, he grew his fleet until he was competing with
Robert Fulton Robert Fulton (November 14, 1765 – February 24, 1815) was an American engineer and inventor who is widely credited with developing the world's first commercially successful steamboat, the (also known as ''Clermont''). In 1807, that steamboat ...
for dominance of the New York waterways, his energy and eagerness earning him the nickname "Commodore", a United States Navy title for a captain of a small task force. Fulton's company had established a monopoly on trade in and out of
New York Harbor New York Harbor is a bay that covers all of the Upper Bay. It is at the mouth of the Hudson River near the East River tidal estuary on the East Coast of the United States. New York Harbor is generally synonymous with Upper New York Bay, ...
. Vanderbilt, based in New Jersey at the time, flouted the law, steaming in and out of the harbor under a flag that read, "New Jersey Must Be Free!" He also hired the attorney
Daniel Webster Daniel Webster (January 18, 1782 – October 24, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the U.S. Congress and served as the 14th and 19th United States Secretary of State, U.S. secretary o ...
to argue his case before the
United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...
; Vanderbilt won, thereby establishing an early precedent for the United States' first laws of
interstate commerce The Commerce Clause describes an enumerated power listed in the United States Constitution ( Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). The clause states that the United States Congress shall have power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and amon ...
. While many Vanderbilt family members had joined the Episcopal Church,
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 ...
remained a member of the
Moravian Church The Moravian Church, or the Moravian Brethren ( or ), formally the (Latin: "Unity of the Brethren"), is one of the oldest Protestant denominations in Christianity, dating back to the Bohemian Reformation of the 15th century and the original ...
to his death. The Vanderbilt family lived on Staten Island until the mid-1800s, when the Commodore built a house on Washington Place (in what is now
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
). Although he always occupied a relatively modest home, members of his family would use their wealth to build magnificent mansions. Shortly before his death in 1877, Vanderbilt donated
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
1 million (equivalent to $ million in ) for the establishment of
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
in
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
. The Commodore left the majority of his enormous fortune to his eldest son, William Henry Vanderbilt. William Henry, who outlived his father by just eight years, increased the profitability of his father's holdings, increased the reach of the
New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected New York metropolitan area, gr ...
, and doubled the Vanderbilt wealth. He was the only heir to increase the Vanderbilt fortune. He built the first of what would become many grand Vanderbilt mansions on
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 ...
, at 640 Fifth Avenue. William Henry appointed his first son,
Cornelius Vanderbilt II Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (November 27, 1843 – September 12, 1899) was an American socialite and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. Noted forebears He was the favorite grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbil ...
, as the next "Head of House". Cornelius II built the largest private home in New York, at 1 West 57th Street, containing approximately 154 rooms, designed by George B. Post. He also built The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. Cornelius II's 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 ...
, also featured prominently in the family's affairs. He also built a home on Fifth Avenue and would become one of the great architectural patrons of the
Gilded Age In History of the United States, United States history, the Gilded Age is the period from about the late 1870s to the late 1890s, which occurred between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was named by 1920s historians after Mar ...
, hiring the architects for (the third, and surviving)
Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal station, terminal located at 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York Ci ...
. He also built Marble House at 596 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. George Washington Vanderbilt II, the 4th and youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt and youngest brother of Cornelius II, hired architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect
Frederick Law Olmsted Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, Social criticism, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the U ...
to construct
Biltmore Estate Biltmore Estate is a historic house museum and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina, United States. The main residence, Biltmore House (or Biltmore Mansion), is a Châteauesque-style mansion built for George Washington Vanderbilt II ...
on near Asheville, North Carolina. The 250 room mansion, with of floor space, is the largest house in the United States. While some of Cornelius Vanderbilt's descendants gained fame in business, others achieved prominence in other ways: * Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915), was a passenger on the RMS ''Lusitania'' and died when it sank. * Alfred's eldest son, from his first marriage, William Henry Vanderbilt III was Governor of Rhode Island. * Alfred's second son Alfred Jr. became a noted horse breeder and racing elder. * William Kissam Vanderbilt's son Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (1884–1970) gained fame as a sportsman. He invented the contract form of bridge and won the most coveted prize in yacht racing, the
America's Cup The America's Cup is a sailing competition and the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy (known ...
, on three occasions. * Harold's brother William Kissam "Willie K" Vanderbilt II launched the
Vanderbilt Cup The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing. History An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held on October 8 on a course set out in Nassau County, New York, Nass ...
for
auto racing Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...
. * Cornelius Vanderbilt II's granddaughter
Gloria Vanderbilt Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (February 20, 1924 – June 17, 2019) was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. During the 1930s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother, ...
(1924–2019) was a noted artist, designer, actress, author, and business woman. * Gloria's son, Anderson Cooper, is a Peabody Award and Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, and television producer and personality. * Cornelius Vanderbilt II's daughter Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney was a sculptor, art patron and collector, and founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art. In 1855, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt donated of property to the Moravian Church and Cemetery at New Dorp on
Staten Island 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 ...
, New York. Later, his son William Henry Vanderbilt donated a further . The Vanderbilt Family Mausoleum was designed in 1885 by
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
Richard Morris Hunt and landscaped by
Frederick Law Olmsted Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, Social criticism, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the U ...
.


Vanderbilt family tree

*
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 ...
(1794–1877) ** William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885) ***
Cornelius Vanderbilt II Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (November 27, 1843 – September 12, 1899) was an American socialite and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. Noted forebears He was the favorite grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbil ...
(1843–1899) **** Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt (1869–1874) **** William Henry Vanderbilt II (1870–1892) **** Cornelius Vanderbilt III (1873–1942) ***** Cornelius Vanderbilt IV (1898–1974) **** Gertrude Vanderbilt (1875–1942) ***** Flora Payne Whitney (1897–1986) ****** Pamela Tower (1921–2013) ******* John LeBoutillier (born 1953) ****** Whitney Tower (1923–1999) ****** Flora Miller Biddle (born 1928) *****Barbara Whitney (1903–1983) ***** Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (1899–1992) **** Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915) ***** Governor William Henry Vanderbilt III (1901–1981) ***** Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (1912–1999) ****** Heidi Vanderbilt (1948–2021) ****** Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III (born 1949) ******* James Platten Vanderbilt (born 1975) ***** George Washington Vanderbilt III (1914–1961) **** Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880–1925) ***** Cathleen Vanderbilt (1904–1944) ***** Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (1924–2019) ****** Leopold Stanislaus "Stan" Stokowski (born 1950) ****** Christopher Stokowski (born 1952) ****** Carter Vanderbilt Cooper (1965–1988) ****** Anderson Hays Cooper (born 1967) ******* Wyatt Morgan Cooper (born 2020) ******* Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper (born 2022) **** Gladys Moore Vanderbilt (1886–1965) ***** Countess Cornelia "Gilia" Széchényi (1908–1958) ***** Countess Alice "Ai" Széchényi (1911–1974) ***** Countess Gladys Széchényi (1913–1978) ****** Christopher Denys Stormont Finch-Hatton, 16th Earl of Winchilsea (1936–1999) ******* Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea (born 1967) ******** Tobias Finch-Hatton, Viscount Maidstone (born 1998) ***** Countess Sylvia Anita Gabriel Denise Irene Marie "Sylvie" Széchényi (1918–1998) ***** Countess Ferdinandine "Bubby" Széchényi (1923–2016) *** Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt (1845–1924) **** Florence Shepard (1869–1869) **** Maria Louise Shepard (1870–1948) **** Edith Shepard (1872–1954) **** Margaret Shepard (1873–1895) **** Alice Louise Vanderbilt Shepard (1874–1950) ***** Dave Hennen Morris Jr. (1900–1975) ***** Louise Morris (1901–1976) ***** Lawrence Morris (1903–1967) ***** Noel Morris (1904–1928) ***** Emily Hammond Morris (1907–1995) ***** Alice Vanderbilt Morris (1911–1986) **** Elliott Fitch Shepard Jr. (1876–1927) ***
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 ...
(1849–1920) **** Consuelo Vanderbilt (1877–1964) ***** John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972) ****** John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough (1926–2014) ******* Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 1955) ******** George John Godolphin Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (born 1992) ******* Lady Henrietta Mary Spencer-Churchill (born 1958) ****** Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (born 1929) ***** Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill (1898–1956) ****
William Kissam Vanderbilt II William Kissam Vanderbilt II (October 26, 1878 – January 8, 1944) was an American motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman, and a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family. Early life He was born on October 26, 1878, in New York City, the secon ...
(1878–1944) ***** Muriel Vanderbilt (1900–1972) **** Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (1884–1970) *** Emily Thorn Vanderbilt (1850–1946) **** Florence Adele Sloane (1873–1960) ***** James A. Burden III (1897–1979) ***** William Douglas Burden (1898–1978) ****** Katharine Sage Burden (born 1927) ******* Katharine Sage Sohier (born 1954) ****** Andrew White Burden (born 1935) ******* William Douglas Burden III (born 1965) **** Emily Vanderbilt Sloane (1874–1970) ***** Adele Sloane Hammond (1902–1998) ****** John Vernon Bevan Olyphant (born 1941) ******* Timothy David Olyphant (born 1968) ***** John Henry Hammond Jr. (1910–1987) ****** John Paul Hammond (born 1942) **** Lila Vanderbilt Sloane (1878–1934) ***** Frederick Vanderbilt Field (1905–2000) *** Florence Adele Vanderbilt (1854–1952) **** Alice Twombly (1879–1896) **** Florence Vanderbilt Twombly (1881–1969) ***** Alice Twombly Burden (1905–1905) ***** William Armistead Moale Burden (1906–1984) ***** Shirley Carter Burden (1908–1989) ****** Shirley Carter Burden Jr. (1941–1996) **** Ruth Twombly (1884–1954) **** Hamilton McKown Twombly Jr. (1887–1906) *** Frederick William Vanderbilt (1856–1938) *** Eliza "Lila" Osgood Vanderbilt (1860–1936) **** James Watson Webb II (1884–1960) ***** Lila Vanderbilt Webb (1913–1961) ****** John Currie Wilmerding Jr. (1938-2024) ***** James Watson Webb III (1916–2000) **** William Seward Webb Jr. (1887–1956) **** Vanderbilt Seward Webb (1891–1956) *** George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862–1914) **** Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1900–1976) ***** George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil (1925–2020) ***** William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil (1928–2017) ** Emily Almira Vanderbilt (1823–1896) *** William Knapp Thorn (1851–1911) *** Caroline Roberts Thorn (1858–1949) **** Jeannette Thorn Kissel (1889–1957) ***** Aline Thorn Pease (1919-2010) ****** Kenneth Peter Lyle Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape (born 1943) ***** Richard Thorn Pease, 3rd Baronet (1922–2021) ****** Richard Peter Pease, 4th Baronet (born 1958) ******
Nichola Pease Nichola Pease (born 3 April 1961) is a British fund manager. According to The '' Sunday Times Rich List'' in 2019, Pease and her then husband Crispin Odey were worth £775 million. Early life Nichola Pease was born in April 1961. Her father, ...
(born 1961) ***** Derrick Alix Pease (1927–1998) ****** Jonathan Edward Pease (born 1952) ** Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt (1830–1882)


Cornelius Vanderbilt and his descendants (by year of birth)

#
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 ...
(1794–1877), 1st generation # William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885), 2nd generation, son of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt (1830–1882), 2nd generation, son of Cornelius Vanderbilt #
Cornelius Vanderbilt II Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (November 27, 1843 – September 12, 1899) was an American socialite and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. Noted forebears He was the favorite grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbil ...
(1843–1899), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt (1845–1924), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt #
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 ...
(1849–1920), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Emily Thorn Vanderbilt (1850–1946), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # William Knapp Thorn (1851–1911), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Florence Adele Vanderbilt (1854–1952), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Frederick William Vanderbilt (1856–1938), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Eliza "Lila" Osgood Vanderbilt (1860–1936), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862–1914), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Cornelius Vanderbilt III (1873–1942), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Emily Vanderbilt Sloane (1874–1970), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Alice Louise Vanderbilt Shepard (1874–1950), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Gertrude Vanderbilt (1875–1942), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Elliott Fitch Shepard Jr. (1876–1927), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Consuelo Vanderbilt (1877–1964), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt #
William Kissam Vanderbilt II William Kissam Vanderbilt II (October 26, 1878 – January 8, 1944) was an American motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman, and a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family. Early life He was born on October 26, 1878, in New York City, the secon ...
(1878–1944), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880–1925), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # James Watson Webb II (1884–1960), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (1884–1970), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Gladys Moore Vanderbilt (1886–1965), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Flora Payne Whitney (1897–1986), 5th generation, great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Cornelius Vanderbilt IV (1898–1974), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # William Douglas Burden (1898–1978), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill (1898–1956), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (1899–1992), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Muriel Vanderbilt (1900–1972), 5th generation, great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1900–1976), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Governor William Henry Vanderbilt III (1901–1981) # Mary Cathleen Vanderbilt (1904–1944) # Frederick Vanderbilt Field (1905–2000) # William Armistead Moale Burden II (1906–1984) # Shirley Carter Burden (1908–1989), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # John Henry Hammond Jr. (1910–1987), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (1912–1999), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # George Washington Vanderbilt III (1914–1961), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt # James Watson Webb III (1916–2000) # Sir Richard Thorn Pease, 3rd Baronet (1922–2021) # Whitney Tower (1923–1999) # Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (1924–2019) # George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil (1925–2020) # John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough (1926–2014), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil (1928–2017) # Flora Miller Biddle (born 1928) # Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (born 1929) # Christopher Denys Stormont Finch-Hatton, 16th Earl of Winchilsea (1936–1999), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # John Wilmerding (born 1938), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Shirley Carter Burden Jr. (1941–1996), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # John Paul Hammond (born 1942), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Kenneth Peter Lyle Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape (born 1943), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Heidi Vanderbilt (1948–2021), 6th generation # Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III, 6th generation # Jonathan Edward Pease (born 1952), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # John LeBoutillier (born 1953), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Sage Sohier (born 1954), 7th generation (4 × great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 1955), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Sir Richard Peter Pease, 4th Baronet (born 1958), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Lady Henrietta Mary Spencer-Churchill (born 1958), 7th generation (4 × great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt) #
Nichola Pease Nichola Pease (born 3 April 1961) is a British fund manager. According to The '' Sunday Times Rich List'' in 2019, Pease and her then husband Crispin Odey were worth £775 million. Early life Nichola Pease was born in April 1961. Her father, ...
(born 1961), 6th generation (3 × great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # William Douglas Burden III (born 1965), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Anderson Hays Cooper (born 1967), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea (born 1967), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # Timothy David Olyphant (born 1968), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # James Platten Vanderbilt (born 1975), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt) # George John Godolphin Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (born 1992), 8th generation (5 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)


Other Vanderbilt descendants, but not of Cornelius Vanderbilt

# Amy Vanderbilt (1908–1974) — believed to be a descended from either a brother or a cousin of Cornelius Vanderbilt


Spouses of descendants of Cornelius Vanderbilt (by year of birth)

# Horace F. Clark (1815–1873): 1st husband of Maria Louisa Vanderbilt # Nicholas B. La Bau (1823–1873): 1st husband of Mary Alicia Vanderbilt # Elliott Fitch Shepard (1833–1893): husband of Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard # Frank Armstrong Crawford Vanderbilt (1839–1885): 2nd wife of
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 ...
# William Douglas Sloane (1844–1915): 1st husband of Emily Thorn Vanderbilt # Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt (1845–1934): wife of
Cornelius Vanderbilt II Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (November 27, 1843 – September 12, 1899) was an American socialite and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. Noted forebears He was the favorite grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbil ...
# Hamilton McKown Twombly (1849–1910): husband of Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly # Henry White (1850–1927): 2nd husband of Emily Thorn Vanderbilt #
William Seward Webb William Seward Webb (January 31, 1851 – October 29, 1926) was a businessman, and inspector general of the Vermont militia with the rank of colonel. He was a founder and former president of the Sons of the American Revolution. Early life Webb ...
(1851–1926): husband of Eliza Osgood Vanderbilt Webb # Alva Belmont (1853–1933): 1st wife of
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 ...
# Louise Vanderbilt (1854–1926): wife of Frederick William Vanderbilt # Anne Harriman Vanderbilt (1861–1940): 2nd wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt # Richard M. Tobin (1866–1952): 2nd husband of Florence Adele Sloane # William Jay Schieffelin (1866–1955): husband of Maria Louise Shepard, eldest daughter of Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard # Jacques Balsan (1868–1956): 2nd husband of Consuelo Vanderbilt # Grace Vanderbilt (1870–1953): wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt III # James A. Burden Jr. (1871–1932): 1st husband of Florence Adele Sloane # Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871–1934): 1st husband of Consuelo Vanderbilt # Dave Hennen Morris (1872–1944): husband of
Alice Vanderbilt Morris Alice Vanderbilt Shepard Morris (December 7, 1874 – August 15, 1950) was a member of the Vanderbilt family. She co-founded the International Auxiliary Language Association (IALA). Early life Alice was born on December 7, 1874, in New York Cit ...
# Harry Payne Whitney (1872–1930): husband of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney # Edith Stuyvesant Gerry (1873–1958): wife of George Washington Vanderbilt II # Virginia Fair Vanderbilt (1875–1935): 1st wife of
William Kissam Vanderbilt II William Kissam Vanderbilt II (October 26, 1878 – January 8, 1944) was an American motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman, and a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family. Early life He was born on October 26, 1878, in New York City, the secon ...
# George G. McMurtry (1876–1958): 4th husband of Teresa Sarah Margaret Fabbri #
László Széchenyi Count László Széchenyi de Sárvár-Felsővidék (18 February 1879 – 5 July 1938) was an Austro Hungarian military officer, Imperial Chamberlain, diplomat and venture capitalist. His great-uncle was Count István Széchenyi. László Széche ...
(1879–1938): husband of Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi # Ralph Pulitzer (1879–1939): 1st husband of Frederica Vanderbilt Webb # Leopold Stokowski (1882–1977): 2nd husband of
Gloria Vanderbilt Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (February 20, 1924 – June 17, 2019) was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. During the 1930s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother, ...
# Electra Havemeyer Webb (1888–1960): wife of James Watson Webb II # Frederick Osborn (1889–1981): husband of Margaret Louisa Schieffelin # John Francis Amherst Cecil (1890–1954): 1st husband of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt # Vivian Francis Bulkeley-Johnson (1891–1968): 2nd husband of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt # Aileen Osborn Webb (1892–1979): wife of Vanderbilt Webb # Frederic Cameron Church Jr. (1897–1983): 1st husband of Muriel Vanderbilt # John J. Emery (1898–1976): 2nd husband of Adele Sloane Hammond # Jack Speiden (1900–1970): 2nd husband of Rachel Hammond # Arthur Duckworth (1901–1986): 1st husband of Alice Frances Hammond # Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt (1901–1978): wife of Harold Stirling Vanderbilt # Marie Norton Harriman (1903–1970): 1st wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney # Charles Bosanquet (1903–1986): husband of Barbara Schieffelin # Earl E. T. Smith (1903–1991): 1st husband of Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl # Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt (1904–1965): 2nd wife of Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt # Dunbar Bostwick (1908–2006): husband of Electra Webb # George W. Headley (1908–1985): 3rd husband of Barbara Vanderbilt Whitney # Eleanor Searle (1908–2002): 3rd wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney # Pat DiCicco (1909–1978): 1st husband of Gloria Vanderbilt #
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...
(1909–1986): 2nd husband of Alice Frances Hammond #
Edward P. Morgan Edward Paddock Morgan (June 23, 1910 – January 27, 1993) was an American journalist and writer who reported for newspapers, radio, and television media services including American Broadcasting Company, ABC, CBS networks, and the Public Broadcas ...
(1910–1993): 2nd husband of Katharine Sage Burden # Christopher Finch-Hatton, 15th Earl of Winchilsea (1911–1950): 1st husband of Countess Gladys Széchényi # Edwin F. Russell (1914–2001): 1st husband of Lady Sarah Consuelo Spencer-Churchill # Laura Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1915–1990): 2nd wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough #
Louis Auchincloss Louis Stanton Auchincloss (; September 27, 1917 – January 26, 2010)Holcomb B. Noble and Charles McGrath''The New York Times''. Retrieved on January 27, 2010. was an American lawyer, novelist, historian, and essayist. He is best known as a novel ...
(1917–2010): husband of Adele Burden Lawrence # Kenneth James William Mackay, 3rd Earl of Inchcape (1917–1994): 2nd husband of Aline Thorn Pease # Jeanne Lourdes Murray (1919–2013): wife of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. # Orin Lehman (1920–2008): husband of Wendy Vanderbilt # Edwin D. Morgan (1921–2001): 1st husband of Nancy Marie Whitney # Charles Scribner IV (1921–1995): husband of Jeanette "Joan" Kissel Sunderland # Stanley Schachter (1922–1997): husband of Sophia Duckworth #
Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...
(1924–2011): 3rd husband of Gloria Vanderbilt # Marylou Whitney (1925–2019): 4th wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney # Wyatt Emory Cooper (1927–1978): 4th husband of Gloria Vanderbilt # Tina Onassis Niarchos (1929–1974): 2nd wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough #Mary Lee Ryan (1931–2017): wife of William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil; a first cousin of
First Lady of the United States First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is a title typically held by the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never been Code of law, codified or offici ...
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...
. # Rosalba Neri (born 1939): 3rd wife of Henry Cooke Cushing IV # Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (born 1943): 3rd wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough # Amanda Burden (born 1944): 1st wife of Carter Burden # Neil Balfour (born 1944): 3rd husband of Serena Mary Churchill Russell # James Toback (born 1944): 1st husband of Consuelo Sarah Churchill Vanderbilt Russell # David Rosengarten (born 1950): husband of Constance Crimmins Childs #
John Silvester Varley John Silvester Varley (born 1 April 1956) is an English banker who was the group chief executive of Barclays from 2004 to 2011. Early life John Silvester Varley was born in Warwick. His father, Philip, was a solicitor in Coventry. Varley was e ...
(born 1956): husband of Carolyn Thorn Pease #
Crispin Odey Robin Crispin William Odey (born January 1959)O'Hannelly, Padraig"Investment Greats: Crispin Odey" Motley Fool, 2 October 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2012. is a British hedge fund manager and founder of Odey Asset Management. In June 2023, the '' ...
(born 1959): husband of
Nichola Pease Nichola Pease (born 3 April 1961) is a British fund manager. According to The '' Sunday Times Rich List'' in 2019, Pease and her then husband Crispin Odey were worth £775 million. Early life Nichola Pease was born in April 1961. Her father, ...
#Edla Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (born 1968): 2nd wife of James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough


Network


Associates

The following is a list of figures closely aligned with or subordinate to the Vanderbilt family. * George G. Barnard * Horace Henry Baxter * August Belmont Jr. * Samuel R. Callaway * Chauncey Depew * Melville E. Ingalls * Leonard Jerome * Oroondates Mauran * Holland Nimmons McTyeire * Richard Morris Hunt * Augustus Schell * Richard Schell * Carl A. Schenck * T. F. Secor * Winnaretta Singer * Alfred Holland Smith * Amasa Stone * Hamilton McKown Twombly


Businesses

The following is a list of companies in which the Vanderbilt family have held a controlling or otherwise significant interest. * Allaire Iron Works * Beech Creek Railroad * Big Four Railroad * The Biltmore Company * Biltmore Farms * Boston and Albany Railroad * Canada Southern Railway * Chesapeake and Ohio Railway * Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley & Pittsburgh Railroad * Fort Wayne and Jackson Railroad *
General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...
*''Gloria Concepts'' * Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Company *
Interborough Rapid Transit Company The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was the private operator of New York City's original underground subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT ...
* Lake Erie and Western Railroad * Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway *
Michigan Central Railroad The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was originally chartered in 1832 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in th ...
*
Mohawk and Malone Railway The Mohawk and Malone Railway was a railroad that ran from the New York Central Railroad's main line at Herkimer north to Malone, crossing the northern Adirondacks at Tupper Lake Junction, just north of Tupper Lake. The road's founder, Dr. Will ...
*''Mythology Entertainment'' *
New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected New York metropolitan area, gr ...
*
New York and Putnam Railroad The New York and Putnam Railroad, nicknamed the Old Put, was a railroad line that opened in 1881 between the Bronx and Brewster in New York State. In 1894, it was acquired by the New York Central system along with the nearby Hudson River Ra ...
* New York State Railways * Nickel Plate Road *
Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of O ...
* Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad * Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad * Rutland Railroad *
Staten Island Ferry The Staten Island Ferry is a fare-free passenger ferry route operated by the New York City Department of Transportation. The ferry's single route runs through New York Harbor between the Boroughs of New York City, New York City boroughs of Manh ...
*
Staten Island Railway The Staten Island Railway (SIR) is a rapid transit, railroad line in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Staten Island. It is owned by the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority (SIRTOA), a subsidiary of the Metropol ...
* Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway * Vanderbilt Hotel * West Shore Railroad *
Western Union The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Denver, Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the co ...


Philanthropy & Miscellaneous Nonprofit Organizations

* American Women's War Relief Fund * Biltmore Forest School * Council on African Affairs * Foch Hospital *
International Auxiliary Language Association The International Auxiliary Language Association, Inc. (IALA) was an American organisation founded in 1924 to "promote widespread study, discussion and publicity of all questions involved in the establishment of an auxiliary language, together wi ...
* The Jockey Club *''Margaret Louisa Home'' *''Parents' League of New York'' * Sleepy Hollow Country Club * Sloane Hospital for Women *
Vanderbilt Cup The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing. History An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held on October 8 on a course set out in Nassau County, New York, Nass ...
* Vanderbilt Gallery (American Fine Arts Society) * Vanderbilt Clinic (Presbyterian Hospital) * Vanderbilt Museum *
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...


Buildings, estates & historic sites

* 1 West 57th Street *
Biltmore Estate Biltmore Estate is a historic house museum and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina, United States. The main residence, Biltmore House (or Biltmore Mansion), is a Châteauesque-style mansion built for George Washington Vanderbilt II ...
* Blenheim Palace * The Breakers * Cathedral of All Souls (Asheville, North Carolina) * Cornelius Vanderbilt II House * Eagle's Nest * Elm Court * Florham * Haras du Quesnay * Howard Mansion and Carriage House' * Hyde Park Mansion *
Idle Hour Idle Hour is a former Vanderbilt estate that is located in Oakdale on Long Island in Suffolk County, New York. It was completed in 1901 for William Kissam Vanderbilt. Once part of Dowling College, the mansion is one of the largest houses in ...
* Marble House * Petit Chateau * Pine Tree Point * Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel * Rough Point * Sagamore Farm * Scarborough Presbyterian Church * Shelburne Farms * Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum * Vanderbilt Triple Palace * Woodlea


See also

*
Vanderbilt (surname) Vanderbilt is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Amy Vanderbilt (1908–1974), American authority on etiquette, distant relative of the Vanderbilt family *Arthur T. Vanderbilt (1888–1957), noted American attorney, legal educator ...
* Nate Archibald (Gossip Girl), fictional Vanderbilt descendant *
Du Pont family The du Pont family () or Du Pont family is a prominent family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739–1817), a French minor aristocrat. Currently residing in the U.S. states of Delaware and Pennsylvania, the Du Ponts have been ...
*
Rockefeller family The Rockefeller family ( ) is an American Industrial sector, industrial, political, and List of banking families, banking family that owns one of the world's largest fortunes. The fortune was made in the History of the petroleum industry in th ...
*
Rothschild family The Rothschild family ( , ) is a wealthy Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Jewish noble banking family originally from Frankfurt. The family's documented history starts in 16th-century Frankfurt; its name is derived from the family house, Rothschild, ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanderbilt Family American railway entrepreneurs American families of Dutch ancestry American families of Spanish ancestry Business families of the United States Family trees Episcopalian families Dutch families Families of Dutch ancestry