Vanderbilt family facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vanderbilt family
Cornelius Vanderbilt William Kissam Vanderbilt William Henry Vanderbilt III
Current region	United States East Coast
Earlier spellings	Van der Bilt, van Derbilt
Etymology	Van der Bilt ("from de Bilt")
Place of origin	De Bilt, Netherlands
Connected families	Cecil family Whitney family House of Széchenyi Spencer family Havemeyer family Finch-Hatton Family
Estate(s)	Vanderbilt houses

The Vanderbilt family is an American family that became very famous and powerful during a time called the Gilded Age. Their success started with Cornelius Vanderbilt's huge businesses in shipping and railroads. Over time, the family also got involved in many other industries and gave a lot of money to good causes. Cornelius Vanderbilt's children and grandchildren built amazing mansions in Fifth Avenue in New York City. They also created fancy "summer homes" in Newport, Rhode Island, the huge Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, and many other beautiful homes.

The Vanderbilts were once the richest family in the United States. Cornelius Vanderbilt was the richest person in America until he passed away in 1877. After him, his son William Henry Vanderbilt took over his father's fortune and was the richest American until his death in 1885. The Vanderbilt family stayed famous and powerful until the middle of the 1900s. Around that time, many of their big mansions in New York City were taken down. Most of their other homes were sold or became museums. This period is sometimes called the "decline of the Vanderbilt family's power."

Today, some famous people who are part of the Vanderbilt family live on the United States East Coast. These include American art historian John Wilmerding, journalist Anderson Cooper (son of Gloria Vanderbilt), actor Timothy Olyphant, musician John P. Hammond, screenwriter James Vanderbilt, and the Duke of Marlborough James Spencer-Churchill.

The Vanderbilt Family: A Story of Wealth and Influence

How the Vanderbilt Family Began

Cornelius Vanderbilt, the founder of the Vanderbilt business dynasty.

The first person in the Vanderbilt family was Jan Aertszoon (1620–1705). He was a Dutch farmer from a village called De Bilt in the province of Utrecht, Netherlands. He moved to the Dutch colony of New Netherland in 1650. He worked for the Van Kouwenhoven family for a set period to pay for his journey. The name of Jan's village, "De Bilt," was combined with the Dutch word "van" (meaning "from"). This created "Van der Bilt", which later became "Vanderbilt" when the English took control of New Amsterdam (now Manhattan).

His great-great-great-grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt, started the Vanderbilt family's rise to power. He was the fourth of nine children. He grew up on Staten Island, New York, in a family that didn't have a lot of money. His ancestors were among the first people to arrive in 17th-century New Amsterdam, coming from diverse backgrounds. Cornelius Vanderbilt stopped going to school when he was 11 years old. He went on to build huge businesses in shipping and railroads. These ventures made him one of the wealthiest men in the world during the 1800s.

Cornelius Vanderbilt: The "Commodore"

Cornelius Vanderbilt started with just one commercial boat. He used it to cross from Staten Island to Manhattan. He grew his fleet of boats until he was competing with Robert Fulton for control of the New York waterways. His energy and eagerness earned him the nickname "Commodore." This was a United States Navy title for a captain leading a small group of ships. Fulton's company had a monopoly (meaning they were the only ones allowed) on trade in and out of New York Harbor. Vanderbilt, who was based in New Jersey at the time, didn't follow these rules. He sailed in and out of the harbor with a flag that said, "New Jersey Must Be Free!" He also hired a lawyer named Daniel Webster to take his case to the highest court in the country, the United States Supreme Court. Vanderbilt won, which helped create important rules for trade between different states.

While many Vanderbilt family members joined the Episcopal Church, Cornelius Vanderbilt remained a member of the Moravian Church until he passed away. The Vanderbilt family lived on Staten Island until the mid-1800s. That's when the Commodore built a house on Washington Place in what is now Greenwich Village. He always lived in a fairly modest home himself. However, other family members would use their wealth to build magnificent mansions. Shortly before his death in 1877, Vanderbilt gave US$1 million to help start Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Expanding the Empire: William Henry Vanderbilt

The Commodore left most of his huge fortune to his oldest son, William Henry Vanderbilt. William Henry lived only eight years longer than his father. In that time, he made his father's businesses even more successful. He expanded the New York Central Railroad and doubled the family's money. He was the only heir who managed to increase the Vanderbilt fortune. He built the first of many grand Vanderbilt mansions on Fifth Avenue, located at 640 Fifth Avenue. William Henry chose his first son, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, to lead the family businesses next.

Building Grand Homes and Legacies

Cornelius Vanderbilt II built the biggest private home in New York. It was located at 1 West 57th Street and had about 154 rooms. It was designed by George B. Post. He also built The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island.

Cornelius II's brother, William Kissam Vanderbilt, was also very important in the family's affairs. He also built a home on Fifth Avenue. He became one of the great supporters of beautiful buildings during the Gilded Age. He hired the architects for the third and still-standing Grand Central Terminal. He also built Marble House at 596 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island.

George Washington Vanderbilt II was the fourth and youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt. He was also the youngest brother of Cornelius II. He hired architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to build Biltmore Estate. This estate covered 125,000 acres (51,000 ha) near Asheville, North Carolina. The mansion has 250 rooms and 175,856 sq ft (16,337.5 m2) of floor space. It is the largest house in the States.

Famous Descendants and Their Contributions

While some of Cornelius Vanderbilt's descendants became famous in business, others achieved prominence in different ways:

• Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915) was a passenger on the RMS Lusitania and passed away when the ship sank.
• Alfred's oldest son, William Henry Vanderbilt III, became the Governor of Rhode Island.
• Alfred's second son, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr., became famous for breeding horses and was a respected figure in horse racing.
• William Kissam Vanderbilt's son, Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (1884–1970), became famous as a sportsman. He created the contract form of bridge (a card game) and won the most famous prize in yacht racing, the America's Cup, three times.
• Harold's brother, William Kissam "Willie K" Vanderbilt II, started the Vanderbilt Cup for auto racing.
• Cornelius Vanderbilt II's granddaughter, Gloria Vanderbilt (1924–2019), was a famous artist, designer, actress, writer, and businesswoman.
• Gloria's son, Anderson Cooper, is a well-known journalist, writer, and TV personality who has won many awards.
• Cornelius Vanderbilt II's daughter, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, was a sculptor, supported artists, collected art, and started the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Family Burial Place

In 1855, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt gave 45 acres (18 ha) of land to the Moravian Church and Cemetery at New Dorp on Staten Island, New York. Later, his son William Henry Vanderbilt gave another 4 acres (1.6 ha). The family's special burial place, the Vanderbilt Family Mausoleum, was designed in 1885 by architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted.

Vanderbilt Family Tree

Key Members of the Vanderbilt Family

1. Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794–1877), 1st generation
2. William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885), 2nd generation, son of Cornelius Vanderbilt
3. Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt (1830–1882), 2nd generation, son of Cornelius Vanderbilt
4. Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1843–1899), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
5. Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt (1845–1924), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
6. William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849–1920), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
7. Emily Thorn Vanderbilt (1850–1946), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
8. William Knapp Thorn (1851–1911), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
9. Florence Adele Vanderbilt (1854–1952), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
10. Frederick William Vanderbilt (1856–1938), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
11. Eliza "Lila" Osgood Vanderbilt (1860–1936), 3rd generation, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
12. George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862–1914), 3rd generation, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
13. Cornelius Vanderbilt III (1873–1942), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
14. Emily Vanderbilt Sloane (1874–1970), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
15. Alice Louise Vanderbilt Shepard (1874–1950), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
16. Gertrude Vanderbilt (1875–1942), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
17. Elliott Fitch Shepard Jr. (1876–1927), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
18. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
19. Consuelo Vanderbilt (1877–1964), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
20. William Kissam Vanderbilt II (1878–1944), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
21. Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880–1925), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
22. James Watson Webb II (1884–1960), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
23. Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (1884–1970), 4th generation, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
24. Gladys Moore Vanderbilt (1886–1965), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
25. Flora Payne Whitney (1897–1986), 5th generation, great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
26. John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
27. Cornelius Vanderbilt IV (1898–1974), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
28. William Douglas Burden (1898–1978), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
29. Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill (1898–1956), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
30. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (1899–1992), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
31. Muriel Vanderbilt (1900–1972), 5th generation, great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
32. Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1900–1976), 4th generation, great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt
33. Governor William Henry Vanderbilt III (1901–1981)
34. Mary Cathleen Vanderbilt (1904–1944)
35. Frederick Vanderbilt Field (1905–2000)
36. William Armistead Moale Burden II (1906–1984)
37. Shirley Carter Burden (1908–1989), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
38. John Henry Hammond Jr. (1910–1987), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
39. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (1912–1999), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
40. George Washington Vanderbilt III (1914–1961), 5th generation, great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
41. James Watson Webb III (1916–2000)
42. Sir Richard Thorn Pease, 3rd Baronet (1922–2021)
43. Whitney Tower (1923–1999)
44. Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (1924–2019)
45. George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil (1925–2020)
46. John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough (1926–2014), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
47. William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil (1928–2017)
48. Flora Miller Biddle (born 1928)
49. Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (born 1929)
50. Christopher Denys Stormont Finch-Hatton, 16th Earl of Winchilsea (1936–1999), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
51. John Wilmerding (born 1938), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
52. Shirley Carter Burden Jr. (1941–1996), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
53. John Paul Hammond (born 1942), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
54. Kenneth Peter Lyle Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape (born 1943), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
55. Heidi Vanderbilt (1948–2021), 6th generation
56. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III, 6th generation
57. Jonathan Edward Pease (born 1952), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
58. John LeBoutillier (born 1953), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
59. Sage Sohier (born 1954), 7th generation (4 × great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
60. Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 1955), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
61. Sir Richard Peter Pease, 4th Baronet (born 1958), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
62. Lady Henrietta Mary Spencer-Churchill (born 1958), 7th generation (4 × great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
63. Nichola Pease (born 1961), 6th generation (3 × great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
64. William Douglas Burden III (born 1965), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
65. Anderson Hays Cooper (born 1967), 6th generation (3 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
66. Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea (born 1967), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
67. Timothy David Olyphant (born 1968), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
68. James Platten Vanderbilt (born 1975), 7th generation (4 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)
69. George John Godolphin Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (born 1992), 8th generation (5 × great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt)

Other Vanderbilt Relatives

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

Spouses Who Joined the Vanderbilt Family

1. Horace F. Clark (1815–1873): 1st husband of Maria Louisa Vanderbilt
2. Nicholas B. La Bau (1823–1873): 1st husband of Mary Alicia Vanderbilt
3. Elliott Fitch Shepard (1833–1893): husband of Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard
4. Frank Armstrong Crawford Vanderbilt (1839–1885): 2nd wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt
5. William Douglas Sloane (1844–1915): 1st husband of Emily Thorn Vanderbilt
6. Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt (1845–1934): wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II
7. Hamilton McKown Twombly (1849–1910): husband of Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly
8. Henry White (1850–1927): 2nd husband of Emily Thorn Vanderbilt
9. William Seward Webb (1851–1926): husband of Eliza Osgood Vanderbilt Webb
10. Alva Belmont (1853–1933): 1st wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt
11. Louise Vanderbilt (1854–1926): wife of Frederick William Vanderbilt
12. Anne Harriman Vanderbilt (1861–1940): 2nd wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt
13. Richard M. Tobin (1866–1952): 2nd husband of Florence Adele Sloane
14. William Jay Schieffelin (1866–1955): husband of Maria Louise Shepard, eldest daughter of Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard
15. Jacques Balsan (1868–1956): 2nd husband of Consuelo Vanderbilt
16. Grace Vanderbilt (1870–1953): wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt III
17. James A. Burden Jr. (1871–1932): 1st husband of Florence Adele Sloane
18. Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871–1934): 1st husband of Consuelo Vanderbilt
19. Dave Hennen Morris (1872–1944): husband of Alice Vanderbilt Morris
20. Harry Payne Whitney (1872–1930): husband of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
21. Edith Stuyvesant Gerry (1873–1958): wife of George Washington Vanderbilt II
22. Virginia Fair Vanderbilt (1875–1935): 1st wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt II
23. George G. McMurtry (1876–1958): 4th husband of Teresa Sarah Margaret Fabbri
24. László Széchenyi (1879–1938): husband of Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi
25. Ralph Pulitzer (1879–1939): 1st husband of Frederica Vanderbilt Webb
26. Leopold Stokowski (1882–1977): 2nd husband of Gloria Vanderbilt
27. Electra Havemeyer Webb (1888–1960): wife of James Watson Webb II
28. Frederick Osborn (1889–1981): husband of Margaret Louisa Schieffelin
29. John Francis Amherst Cecil (1890–1954): 1st husband of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt
30. Vivian Francis Bulkeley-Johnson (1891–1968): 2nd husband of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt
31. Aileen Osborn Webb (1892–1979): wife of Vanderbilt Webb
32. Frederic Cameron Church Jr. (1897–1983): 1st husband of Muriel Vanderbilt
33. John J. Emery (1898–1976): 2nd husband of Adele Sloane Hammond
34. Jack Speiden (1900–1970): 2nd husband of Rachel Hammond
35. Arthur Duckworth (1901–1986): 1st husband of Alice Frances Hammond
36. Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt (1901–1978): wife of Harold Stirling Vanderbilt
37. Marie Norton Harriman (1903–1970): 1st wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
38. Charles Bosanquet (1903–1986): husband of Barbara Schieffelin
39. Earl E. T. Smith (1903–1991): 1st husband of Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl
40. Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt (1904–1965): 2nd wife of Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt
41. Dunbar Bostwick (1908–2006): husband of Electra Webb
42. George W. Headley (1908–1985): 3rd husband of Barbara Vanderbilt Whitney
43. Eleanor Searle (1908–2002): 3rd wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
44. Pat DiCicco (1909–1978): 1st husband of Gloria Vanderbilt
45. Benny Goodman (1909–1986): 2nd husband of Alice Frances Hammond
46. Edward P. Morgan (1910–1993): 2nd husband of Katharine Sage Burden
47. Christopher Finch-Hatton, 15th Earl of Winchilsea (1911–1950): 1st husband of Countess Gladys Széchényi
48. Edwin F. Russell (1914–2001): 1st husband of Lady Sarah Consuelo Spencer-Churchill
49. Laura Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1915–1990): 2nd wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough
50. Louis Auchincloss (1917–2010): husband of Adele Burden Lawrence
51. Kenneth James William Mackay, 3rd Earl of Inchcape (1917–1994): 2nd husband of Aline Thorn Pease
52. Jeanne Lourdes Murray (1919–2013): wife of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr.
53. Orin Lehman (1920–2008): husband of Wendy Vanderbilt
54. Edwin D. Morgan (1921–2001): 1st husband of Nancy Marie Whitney
55. Charles Scribner IV (1921–1995): husband of Jeanette "Joan" Kissel Sunderland
56. Stanley Schachter (1922–1997): husband of Sophia Duckworth
57. Sidney Lumet (1924–2011): 3rd husband of Gloria Vanderbilt
58. Marylou Whitney (1925–2019): 4th wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
59. Wyatt Emory Cooper (1927–1978): 4th husband of Gloria Vanderbilt
60. Tina Onassis Niarchos (1929–1974): 2nd wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough
61. Mary Lee Ryan (1931–2017): wife of William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil; a first cousin of First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
62. Rosalba Neri (born 1939): 3rd wife of Henry Cooke Cushing IV
63. Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (born 1943): 3rd wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough
64. Amanda Burden (born 1944): 1st wife of Carter Burden
65. Neil Balfour (born 1944): 3rd husband of Serena Mary Churchill Russell
66. James Toback (born 1944): 1st husband of Consuelo Sarah Churchill Vanderbilt Russell
67. David Rosengarten (born 1950): husband of Constance Crimmins Childs
68. John Silvester Varley (born 1956): husband of Carolyn Thorn Pease
69. Crispin Odey (born 1959): husband of Nichola Pease
70. Edla Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (born 1968): 2nd wife of James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough

Vanderbilt Family Connections

Important Associates

The following people were closely connected to or worked for the Vanderbilt family.

Businesses Owned or Influenced

Here are some companies where the Vanderbilt family had a major interest or control.

Giving Back: Philanthropy and Nonprofits

The Vanderbilt family also supported many good causes and organizations.

Vanderbilt Homes and Historic Places

See Also

In Spanish: Familia Vanderbilt para niños

• Vanderbilt (surname)
• Nate Archibald (Gossip Girl), fictional Vanderbilt descendant
• Du Pont family
• Rockefeller family
• Rothschild family

Images for kids

• 

  Going to the Opera, an 1874 portrait of W.H. Vanderbilt's family in their 459 5th Avenue mansion by Seymour Joseph Guy

• 

  The Breakers, built in 1892–1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, Newport, Rhode Island

• 

  Frederick William Vanderbilt's home, now known as the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Hyde Park, New York.

• 

  The Vanderbilt mausoleum at the Moravian Cemetery in New Dorp, Staten Island, New York