This article details the family of Cornelius Vanderbilt. For other uses, see Vanderbilt.
The Vanderbilt family is an American family of Dutch origin that was prominent 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 philanthropy.
Cornelius Vanderbilt's descendants went on to build grand mansions on Fifth Avenue in
New York City, luxurious "summer cottages" in Newport, Rhode Island, the palatial Biltmore
House in North Carolina, and various other opulent homes.
The Vanderbilts' prominence lasted until the mid-20th century, when the family's ten great
Fifth Avenue mansions were torn down and other Vanderbilt houses were sold or turned into
museums. The family's downturn in prominence has been referred to as the 'Fall of the House
of Vanderbilt'. Despite the family's current reduction in fortune, the Vanderbilts were
one of the wealthiest American families in history.
Branches of the family are found on the United States East Coast. Sandra Topping, granddaughter
of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt and the former Margaret Emerson, had two daughters, Alexandra
Baker and Whitney Baker. Contemporary descendants include fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt,
her youngest son, journalist Anderson Cooper, musicians Joey Page and John P. Hammond, and
screenwriter James Vanderbilt. Actor Timothy Olyphant is also a descendant through the
Emily Thorn Vanderbilt branch of the family.
History
Anthony and Abraham van Salee were the ancestors of the Vanderbilts, the Whitneys, Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis, and Humphrey Bogart. They were among the earliest arrivals to 17th
century New Amsterdam. In a number of documents dating back to this period, they are both
described as "mulatto". The prominence of the family began with Cornelius Vanderbilt,
the fourth of nine children born to a Staten Island family of modest and simple means.
His great-great-great-grandfather, Jan Aertszoon or Aertson, was a Dutch farmer from the village
of De Bilt in Utrecht, Netherlands, who emigrated to the Dutch colony of New Netherland as an
indentured servant in 1650. Jan's village name was added to the Dutch "Van der" to create
"Van der Bilt" which evolved into Vanderbilt when the English took control of New Amsterdam.
The family is associated with the Dutch patrician Van der Bilt.
Cornelius Vanderbilt left school at age 11 and went on to build a shipping and railroad
empire that, during the 19th century, made him one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Starting with a single boat, he grew in size and power until he was competing with Robert
Fulton for dominance of the New York waterways. Fulton's company had established a monopoly
on trade in and out of New York harbor. 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 hired the attorney Daniel Webster to argue his case before the United States Supreme
Court. Vanderbilt won, thereby establishing America's first laws of Interstate Commerce.
The Vanderbilt family lived on Staten Island until the mid 1800s, when the Commodore built
a house on Washington Place. 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$1 million for the establishment of Vanderbilt University
in Nashville. The Commodore left the majority 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 and doubled the Vanderbilt wealth. He built the first of what would become
many grand Vanderbilt mansions on Fifth Avenue, at 640 Fifth Avenue. His first son, Cornelius
Vanderbilt II, was personally appointed by the Commodore to become the next "Head of
House." Cornelius II built the largest private home in New York, at 1 West 58th Street, containing
approximately 154 rooms, designed by George Post. His brother, William Kissam Vanderbilt,
also featured prominently in the family's affairs. He also built a magnificent home
on Fifth Avenue and would become one of the great architectural patrons of the Gilded
Age, personally hiring the architects for Grand Central Terminal. George Washington
Vanderbilt, youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt, built Biltmore, in Asheville,
North Carolina. In Newport, Rhode Island The Breakers, built for Cornelius Vanderbilt II,
and Marble House, built for William Kissam Vanderbilt, can be visited by the public.
While some of Cornelius Vanderbilt's descendants gained fame in business, others achieved prominence
in other ways: such as, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, who went down on the RMS Lusitania. His son
Alfred Jr. became a noted horse breeder and racing elder. Harold Stirling Vanderbilt 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, on three occasions. His brother "Willie K" launched
the Vanderbilt Cup for auto racing. William Henry Vanderbilt was Governor of Rhode Island.
Gloria Vanderbilt is a noted artist, designer and author; her son, Anderson Cooper, is a
television producer and personality. In 1855, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt donated
45 acres of property to the Moravian Church and cemetery at New Dorp on Staten Island,
New York. Later, his son William Henry Vanderbilt donated a further 4 acres. The Vanderbilt
Mausoleum mausoleum was designed in 1885 by architect Richard Morris Hunt. The landscape
was provided by Frederick Law Olmsted. Family connection
Cornelius Vanderbilt Phebe Jane Vanderbilt, married James M. Cross
in 1841 Norman Cross
Cornelius Vanderbilt Cross Ethelinda Cross
Ethelinda Vanderbilt, married Daniel B. Allen in 1834
William Barton Allen, married Mary Sutton in 1859
William Sullivant Vanderbilt Allen Ethelinda Vanderbilt Allen
Franklin Allen Vanderbilt Allen
Harry Allen Dexter Allen
Annie Allen
Eliza Vanderbilt, married George Archer Osgood. Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx,
New York City. Had no children. William Henry Vanderbilt, married Maria Louisa
Kissam Cornelius Vanderbilt II
William Henry Vanderbilt II Cornelius Vanderbilt III
Cornelius Vanderbilt IV Cornelius Vanderbilt V
Grace Vanderbilt
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Flora Payne Whitney
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Governor William Henry Vanderbilt III
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt II Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III
Rita L Vanderbilt James Platten Vanderbilt, married Amber Freeman
Corey Stephen Vanderbilt Deryck Gray Vanderbilt
Spencer William Macdonald Vanderbilt Candice Celia Macdonald Vanderbilt
Harrison Asher David Macdonald Vanderbilt
Serena Vanderbilt Van Ingen McCallum, married Brackenridge Costin
Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, married Rafael Feldman
Marc M Blum Vanderbilt, married Natalie Anne Cummings
Lily Amelia Vanderbilt Amanda Rose Vanderbilt
Theresa Vanderbilt Thesopolis Schropfer
Geo Washington Vanderbilt III
Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt Gloria Vanderbilt m. Pasquale DiCicco; m.
Leopold Stokowski; m. Sidney Lumet; m. Wyatt Emory Cooper.Leopold Stanislas Stokowski
Aurora Stokowski Mazzei Anthony Thomas Mazzei III
Abra Stokowski Myles Stokowski
Christopher Stokowski Carter Vanderbilt Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper
Gladys Vanderbilt, Countess Széchenyi
Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, married Elliott Fitch Shepard, Sr. in 1868
Florence Maria Louise Shepard
Edith Shepard Margaret
Alice Vanderbilt Shepard, married Dave Hennen Morris
Elliott Fitch Shepard, Jr.
William Kissam Vanderbilt Consuelo Vanderbilt m. Charles Spencer-Churchill,
9th Duke of Marlborough; m. Jacques Balsan John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough
Lady Sarah Consuelo Spencer-Churchill Lady Caroline Spencer-Churchill
John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough John David Ivor Spencer-Churchill, Earl of
Sunderland Jamie Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford
George Spencer-Churchill, Earl of Sunderland Lady Araminta Clementine Megan Spencer-Churchill
Lord Caspar Sasha Ivor Spencer-Churchill
Lady Henrietta Mary Spencer-Churchill Lord Richard Spencer-Churchill
Lord Edward Albert Charles Spencer-Churchill Lady Alexandra Elizabeth Mary Spencer-Churchill
Lady Rosemary Mildred Spencer-Churchill Lord Charles George William Colin Spencer-Churchill
Rupert John Harold Mark Spencer-Churchill Dominic Albert Charles Spencer-Churchill
Alexander David Spencer-Churchill
Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill Robert William Charles Spencer-Churchill
John Robert Spencer-Churchill Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill
William Kissam Vanderbilt II Muriel Vanderbilt
Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl
Harold Stirling Vanderbilt
Emily Thorn Vanderbilt, married William Douglas Sloane, then married Henry White
Florence Adele Sloane, married James A. Burden Jr.
William Douglas Burden Sheila Burden, married Blake Lawrence
Adele Burden Lawrence, married Louis Auchincloss
Emily Vanderbilt Sloane, married John Henry Hammond
Alice Frances Hammond, married Arthur Duckworth in 1927, then married Benny Goodman on March
20, 1942 Benjie Goodman
Rachel Goodman
John H. Hammond John P. Hammond
Adele Sloane Hammond, married John Kensett Olyphant, Jr.
Adele Olyphant Miller David Olyphant
John Vernon Bevan Olyphant Andrew Olyphant
Timothy David Olyphant Matthew Olyphant
Lila Vanderbilt Sloane, married William Bradhurst Osgood FieldWilliam Osgood Field
Frederick Vanderbilt Field Marjorie Field Wilde
Mary Augusta Field Jackson
William Douglas Sloane Malcolm Douglas Sloane
Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly, married Hamilton McKown Twombly, Sr. on Nov. 21, 1877
in New York City. They had four children. Alice Twombly, died at the age of sixteen
on the eve of her society debut. Florence Adele Twombly, married William A.
M. Burden William A.M. Burden Jr., a president of the
Museum of Modern Art; and ambassador to Belgium 1959–1961. He married Margaret Livingston
Partridge.William A.M. Burden, III, married Leslie HamiltonWill Burden
Wendy Burden, author of family memoir Dead End Gene Pool; fourth great-granddaughter
of Cornelius; two husbands: first, father of daughters; second, William "Tiger" Warren
Edward Burden
Robert Burden Hamilton Burden
Ordway Burden
Shirley Carter Burden – Authored The Vanderbilts in My Life: A Personal Memoir. Married Flobelle
Fairbanks, niece of famed actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.
Ruth Twombly. Never married. Hamilton M. Twombly, Jr., drowned in a tragic
accident at a summer camp where he was working as a camp counselor.
Frederick William Vanderbilt, married Louise Anthony Torrance. Had no children, though
a niece, Margaret Louise Post Van Alen. Eliza Osgood Vanderbilt Webb, married William
Seward Webb James Watson Webb married Electra Havemeyer
Webb, a.k.a. Mrs. James Watson Webb —; marriage February, 1910; five children,:Electra Webb
Bostwick, married to Dunbar W. Bostwick Samuel Webb
Jacob L. "Jakie" Webb Lila Vanderbilt Webb(1913-1961), married to
John Currie WilmerdingJohn Wilmerding American art historian
J. Watson Webb, Jr. Monroe Webb
Daniel R. Webb William D. Webb
Steven M. Webb
Harry Webb
Frederica Vanderbilt Webb, married Ralph Pulitzer in 1905. They divorced in 1924
Ralph Jr. Pulitzer Seward Webb Pulitzer
George Washington Vanderbilt II Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt
George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil
Emily Almira Vanderbilt, married William K. Thorn in 1849
William Knapp Thorn Carolin Thorn, married Gustav Edward Kissel
in 1884 William Thorn Kissel
William Thorn Kissel II Emeliea Grace Kissel
Alexsis Jordan Hamilton Emeliea Grace Hamilton
Michael Case Kissel Siena Kissel
Lucy Kissel Rosalie Kissel
Jeannette Thorn Kissel, married Sir Richard Arthur Pease, 2nd Baronet of Hammersknott
Aline Thorn Pease Kenneth Peter Lyle Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape
Fergus James Kenneth Mackay, Viscount Glenapp
Sophia Johnson Vanderbilt, married Daniel Torrance in 1849
Alfred Torrance Marie Torrance
Maria Louisa Vanderbilt married Horace Clark, then married Robert Niven
Frances Lavinia Vanderbilt Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, was diagnosed
with epilepsy and committed suicide in 1882 George W. Vanderbilt
Mary Alicia Vanderbilt, married State Senator Nicholas B. La Bau, then married Mr. Berger
Edith La Bau, married Edward Tiffany Dyer
Catherine Juliette Vanderbilt married Mr. Barker, then married Mr. LaFitte
George Washington Vanderbilt, died during the Civil War
Family connection The following list includes etiquette guru
Amy Vanderbilt although it is believed she descended from either an uncle or brother
of Cornelius Vanderbilt and is therefore not an official descendant-member of this family.
As well as Illegitimate grand child Deryck Gray-Vanderbilt of Alfred Vanderbilt . The
list also includes Josiah Hornblower [2], a distant cousin of the Vanderbilt and Whitney
family who was featured in the 2003 documentary Born Rich. In addition the list shows Alfred
G. Vanderbilt's daughter Rita L. Vanderbilt. By birth
Frederick Vanderbilt Field Amy Vanderbilt
Alfred G. Vanderbilt II George Washington Vanderbilt III
Gloria Vanderbilt George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil
William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil Alfred Vanderbilt
Caroline Elizabeth Vanderbilt Robert Thomas Vanderbilt
Michael D Vanderbilt Rita L Vanderbilt
Victoria Emerson Vanderbilt Elizabeth Victoria Vanderbilt
Thomas Percy Cornelius Vanderbilt Zachary Theodore Driver Vanderbilt
Joshia Hornblower Michael D Vanderbilt II
William J. Driver Vanderbilt Nikolas Vanderbilt
Ethan Vanderbilt-Marquis Corey Stephen Vanderbilt
Caitlin Ginn Weiss Christopher Alexei Vanderbilt
Sasha Virginia Weiss Erik Vanderbilt Edwards
Synnie Vanderbilt Markus Taylor Rivas-Vanderilt
Matthew Robert Calin Vanderbilt Mackenzie Cecilia Vanderbilt
Alexandra Charlotte Simone Vanderbilt Joseph Phillip Page, III
Parker Denton Ryan Adam Driver
Christian Noah Vanderbilt David Pierre Vanderbilt
Angelina Emmeralt Vanderbilt Nathalie Emmeralt Vanderbilt
Curtis Vanderbilt Courtney Vanderbilt
Matthew W. Edwards Victor Vanderbilt
Spencer W. Macdonald Vanderbilt Jayson Alexander Driver
Candice B. Vanderbilt Maria Vanderbilt
Brandyn T. Vanderbilt Amanda Jane Driver
Lillian Vanderbilt Betina Vanderbilt
Marisol Vanderbilt Jean Vanderbilt
Elle Vanderbilt Harrison D. Macdonald Vanderbilt
Bradley S. Vanderbilt Grant Carlton Vanderbilt
Marissa Vanderbilt See also
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt
Rockefeller family Rothschild family
Dupont family References
Vanderbilt, Arthur T., II. Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt. New York:
Morrow. ISBN 0-688-07279-8. Further reading
Cornelius Vanderbilt