Cornelius Vanderbilt III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornelius Vanderbilt III
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Vanderbilt III, circa 1915–1918
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| Born | September 5, 1873 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | March 1, 1942 (aged 68) Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
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| Resting place | Moravian Cemetery Staten Island, New York |
| Other names | Neily Vanderbilt |
| Education | Yale University |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Grace Graham Wilson
(m. 1896) |
| Children | Cornelius Vanderbilt IV Grace Vanderbilt |
| Parent(s) | Cornelius Vanderbilt II Alice Claypoole Gwynne |
Brigadier General Cornelius "Neily" Vanderbilt III (born September 5, 1873 – died March 1, 1942) was an American military officer, inventor, engineer, and a big fan of yachts. He was a member of the famous Vanderbilt family.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cornelius Vanderbilt III was born in New York City. His parents were Cornelius Vanderbilt II and Alice Claypoole Gwynne. He studied at home with private tutors and later went to St. Paul's School. After that, he attended Yale University, graduating in 1895.
In August 1896, he married Grace Graham Wilson. She was the youngest child of a New York banker named Richard Thornton Wilson Sr.. His father did not approve of this marriage. Because of this, his father decided not to leave him much money in his will.
Cornelius stayed at Yale until 1899. He earned more degrees, including one in mechanical engineering. He was very interested in the technical side of his family's railroad business.
Family and Inheritance
When his father passed away in 1899, Cornelius received $500,000 in cash. He also got income from a $1 million trust fund (money managed for him). Most of his father's $70 million fortune went to Cornelius's brother, Alfred. Alfred then gave Cornelius $6 million.
It took 27 years after his father's death for Cornelius to make up with his mother. Cornelius and his wife, Grace, stayed married until he died. They had two children: Cornelius IV (1898–1974) and Grace (1899–1964).
Inventing and Business Interests
Neily Vanderbilt loved to invent things, especially mechanical devices. He received patents for over thirty inventions that made locomotives and freight cars better. Some of these inventions earned him a lot of money.
One important invention was a special firebox for locomotives. It helped trains use fuel much more efficiently. He also invented a new type of tank car for carrying oil and a different kind of locomotive tender (the car that carries fuel and water for the engine).
When he traveled to London and Paris, he saw their subway systems. He thought New York City could use something similar. He worked with August Belmont Jr. to create the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. This company built New York City's very first subway system.
In 1906, he became a member of the Rhode Island Society of the Cincinnati. This was because he was a descendant of Surgeon Henry Collins Flagg, who served in the Continental Army.
Love for Yachting
Like other members of the Vanderbilt family, Cornelius enjoyed yachting. It was a way for him to relax from his busy life. He was on the boards of directors for many big American companies.
He was part of a group that built the yacht Reliance. This was the largest racing yacht ever, with a crew of 70 people. It successfully defended the America's Cup in 1903.
From 1906 to 1908, he was the leader (commodore) of the New York Yacht Club. In 1910, he sailed his own 65-foot boat, Aurora, to victory. They won the King Edward VII Cup race in Newport, Rhode Island.
Before World War I, Vanderbilt owned a yacht called the North Star. He and his family traveled around Europe on it. They hosted important guests like King Edward VII, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Czar Nicholas II. In 1914, when World War I started, the British government took the North Star. They used it as a hospital ship. They promised to return it after the war. The ship was damaged and later used for trading with China.
On April 29, 1930, Vanderbilt's yacht, the Winchester, caught fire after an explosion. Luckily, no one was hurt. But the owner's and guest suites had $500,000 worth of damage.
Military Service
In 1901, Cornelius Vanderbilt III became a second lieutenant in the 12th Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard. He stayed in the National Guard for 33 years. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1902. He also served as an aide to the Governor of New York. He continued to rise through the ranks, becoming a captain in 1907 and a lieutenant colonel in 1912.
In June 1916, Vanderbilt and most of the National Guard were called to serve on the Mexican border. When the United States joined World War I in April 1917, Vanderbilt was promoted to colonel. He commanded the 22nd Engineer Regiment. This regiment later became the 102nd Engineer Regiment. It was part of the 27th Division, made up of New York National Guard units. The 27th Division went to France in 1918.
In July 1918, shortly after arriving in France, Vanderbilt was promoted to brigadier general. He then returned to the United States. He was assigned to Camp Lewis in Washington state. He commanded the 25th Brigade there. He was discharged from the Army in January 1919.
Military Awards
For his service during World War I, General Vanderbilt received several awards:
- The Distinguished Service Medal from the U.S. Army.
- The New York State Conspicuous Service Cross.
- He was made a commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium.
- He was awarded Belgium's Croix de Guerre.
- The French government made him a Commander of the Legion of Honor.
- He also received the Mexican Border Service Medal and the World War I Victory Medal.
His Distinguished Service Medal citation said he showed "marked qualities of leadership" and developed "a high state of military efficiency" in his command.
After the War
After World War I, Vanderbilt remained active in the New York National Guard. He commanded the 77th Division of the Organized Reserve Corps for several years.
Life After the War
After World War I, Vanderbilt and his wife often visited Europe. They became friends with many members of European royal families. These included former Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, King Albert I of Belgium, Crown Prince Olav of Norway, Queen Marie of Romania, Reza Pahlavi of Iran, and every British monarch since Queen Victoria.
Homes
In 1914, Vanderbilt inherited a large house at 640 Fifth Avenue in New York City. This mansion was built in 1880 by his uncle William Henry Vanderbilt. It was one of two "Twin Mansions" that looked exactly alike. This became his main home for the rest of his life. He sold the mansion in 1940 to the Astor family. However, he and his family continued to live there for three years after his death in 1942. His wife, Grace, lived there until 1944. She then moved to the William Starr Miller House, which is now the Neue Galerie.
Vanderbilt also had a summer home in Newport, Rhode Island, called Beaulieu. It was designed by Calvert Vaux. This mansion is on Bellevue Avenue, next to the Marble House, which belonged to Vanderbilt's uncle William K. Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt's wife kept Beaulieu as her summer home until she died. It was then sold to Ambassador Wiley T. Buchanan, Jr..
Death
Brigadier General Cornelius Vanderbilt III died on his yacht in 1942. He was vacationing in Miami Beach, Florida, when he had a cerebral hemorrhage (a type of stroke).
Grace Vanderbilt passed away on January 7, 1953. She was buried with her husband in the Vanderbilt family tomb. This tomb is in the Moravian Cemetery in New Dorp on Staten Island, New York.
Military Ranks
- 2nd Lieutenant, 12th Infantry, New York National Guard - September 20, 1901
- 1st Lieutenant - December 2, 1902
- Captain - June 11, 1907
- Lieutenant Colonel (Inspector General) - June 1, 1912
- Colonel (Commanding officer, 22nd Engineers) - December 4, 1916
- Colonel (Commanding officer, 102nd Engineers), National Army - October 1, 1917
- Brigadier General, National Army - July 12, 1918
- Left active service - January 3, 1919
