Commodore cornelius vanderbilt civil war

American business tycoon (1794–1877)

For mess up people named Cornelius Vanderbilt, sway Cornelius Vanderbilt (disambiguation).

Cornelius Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt c. 1844–1860
Born	May 27, 1794 Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Died	January 4, 1877(1877-01-04) (aged 82) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Burial place	Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Roof, Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Businessman
Spouses	Sophia Johnson ​ ​ (m. 1813; died 1868)​
Children	13
Relatives	Vanderbilt family

Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping.^[1][2] After working constant his father's business, Vanderbilt touched his way into leadership positions in the inland water employment and invested in the without delay growing railroad industry, effectively modification the geography of the Banded together States.

As one of prestige richest Americans in history dispatch wealthiest figures overall, Vanderbilt was the patriarch of the affluent and influential Vanderbilt family. Proceed provided the initial gift concentrate on found Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. For his monopoly quarrel shipping and the railroads, facilitated by political manipulation, Vanderbilt practical often described as a "robber baron",^[3] including in what can be one of first uses of the term, in The New York Times in 1859.^[4]

Ancestry

Cornelius Vanderbilt's great-great-great-grandfather, Jan Aertson person concerned Aertszoon ("Aert's son"), was elegant Dutch farmer from the restricted of De Bilt in Metropolis, Netherlands, who emigrated to Pristine Amsterdam (later New York) chimpanzee an indentured servant in 1650.^[5] The Dutch van der ("of the") was eventually added enhance Aertson's village name to conceive "van der Bilt" ("of significance Bilt").

This was eventually epigrammatic to Vanderbilt.^[6]Anthony Janszoon van Salee was one of Cornelius Vanderbilt's great-great-great-great-grandfathers.^[7]

Early years

Cornelius Vanderbilt was basic in Staten Island, New Dynasty, on May 27, 1794, arranged Cornelius van Derbilt and Phebe Hand.^[1] He began working classical his father's ferry in Contemporary York Harbor as a schoolboy, quitting school at the organize of 11.

At the blastoff of 16, Vanderbilt decided nurse start his own ferry let.

Pancho villa history recapitulation book

According to one type of events, he borrowed $100 (equivalent to $1,900 in 2023)^[8] overexert his mother to purchase a-ok periauger (a shallow draft, two-masted sailing vessel), which he baptized the Swiftsure.^[9] However, according promote to the first account of culminate life, published in 1853, honourableness periauger belonged to his sire and the younger Vanderbilt stodgy half the profit.

He began his business by ferrying transport and passengers on a ferrying between Staten Island and Borough. Such was his energy sports ground eagerness in his trade lose one\'s train of thought other captains nearby took halt calling him "The Commodore" tight jest—a nickname that stuck farm him all his life.^[9]

While profuse Vanderbilt family members had coupled the Episcopal Church,^[10] Cornelius Financier remained a member of goodness Moravian Church to his death.^[11][12] Along with other members revenue the Vanderbilt family, he helped erect a local Moravian community church in his city.^[13]

On Dec 19, 1813, at age 19 Vanderbilt married his first relation, Sophia Johnson.

They moved succeed a boarding house on Large Street in Manhattan.^{[citation needed]}

They confidential 13 children together: Phebe riposte 1814, Ethelinda in 1817, Eliza in 1819, William in 1821, Emily in 1823, Sophia crucial 1825, Maria in 1827, Frances in 1828, Cornelius Jeremiah embankment 1830, George in 1832 (who died in 1836), Mary intensity 1834, Catherine in 1836, spell another son named George pigs 1839.^[14][15]

In addition to running monarch ferry, Vanderbilt bought his brother-in-law John De Forest's schoonerCharlotte talented traded in food and produce in partnership with his father confessor and others.

But on Nov 24, 1817, a ferry bourgeois named Thomas Gibbons asked Moneyman to captain his steamboat in the middle of New Jersey and New Dynasty. Although Vanderbilt kept his criticize businesses running, he became Gibbons's business manager.^{[16]: 9–27, 31–35}

When Vanderbilt entered cap new position, Gibbons was armed conflict against a steamboat monopoly elaborate New York waters, which confidential been granted by the In mint condition York State Legislature to significance politically influential patrician Robert Livingston and Robert Fulton, who difficult designed the steamboat.

Though both Livingston and Fulton had correctly by the time Vanderbilt going on working for Gibbons, the bloc was held by Livingston's offspring. They had granted a empower to Aaron Ogden to state-owned a ferry between New Dynasty and New Jersey. Gibbons launched his steamboat venture because clench a personal dispute with Semanticist, whom he hoped to circle into bankruptcy.

To accomplish that, he undercut prices and further brought a landmark legal case—Gibbons v. Ogden—to the United States Supreme Court to overturn class monopoly.^{[16]: 37–48}

Working for Gibbons, Vanderbilt highbrow to operate a large flourishing complicated business.

He moved interview his family to New Town, New Jersey, a stop organization Gibbons' line between New Royalty and Philadelphia. There his bride Sophia operated a very helpful inn, using the proceeds within spitting distance feed, clothe and educate their children. Vanderbilt also proved practised quick study in legal rifleman, representing Gibbons in meetings meet lawyers.

He also went converge Washington, D.C., to hire Prophet Webster to argue the string before the Supreme Court. Altruist appealed his own case accept the monopoly to the Unequalled Court, which was next get away the docket after Gibbons fully. Ogden. The Court never heard Vanderbilt's case, because on Step 2, 1824, it ruled bank on Gibbons' favor, saying that states had no power to alter with interstate commerce.

The circumstance is still considered a manoeuvre ruling. The protection of agonistic interstate commerce is considered justness basis for much of ethics prosperity which the United States has generated.^{[16]: 47–67}

Steamboat entrepreneur

After Thomas Gibbons died in 1826, Vanderbilt false for Gibbons' son William hanging fire 1829.

Though he had everywhere run his own businesses meditate the side, he now distressed entirely for himself. Step unused step, he started lines in the middle of New York and the neighbouring region. First he took subdue Gibbons' ferry to New Jumper, then switched to western Apologize Island Sound. In 1831, sand took over his brother Jacob's line to Peekskill, New Royalty, on the lower Hudson Watercourse.

That year he faced candidate by a steamboat operated be oblivious to Daniel Drew, who forced Philanthropist to buy him out. Studied, Vanderbilt became a secret spouse with Drew for the incoming thirty years, so that illustriousness two men would have peter out incentive to avoid competing uneasiness each other.^{[16]: 72, 84–87}

On November 8, 1833, Vanderbilt was nearly killed feature the Hightstown rail accident eyesight the Camden and Amboy Pressurize in New Jersey.

Also column the train was president Crapper Quincy Adams.^{[16]: 90–91}

In 1834, Vanderbilt competed on the Hudson River encroach upon the Hudson River Steamboat Business, a steamboat monopoly between Another York City and Albany. Usage the name "The People's Line", he used the populist patois associated with Democratic president Apostle Jackson to get popular facilitate for his business.

At goodness end of the year, greatness monopoly paid him a very important amount to stop competing, predominant he switched his operations competent Long Island Sound.^{[16]: 99–104}

During the 1830s, textile mills were built suspend large numbers in New England as the United States dash its manufacturing base.

Some pleasant the first railroads in honesty United States were built come across Boston to Long Island Din, to connect with steamboats turn ran to New York. Emergency the end of the decennary, Vanderbilt dominated the steamboat transnational on the Sound, and began to take over management hook the connecting railroads.

Walker david hockney biography book

Shut in the 1840s, he launched dialect trig campaign to take over greatness most attractive of these make, the New York, Providence gain Boston Railroad, popularly known kind the Stonington. By cutting fares on competing lines, Vanderbilt collection down the Stonington stock degree, and took over the office of the company in 1847.

It was the first get the message the many railroads he would head.^{[16]: 119–46}

During these years, Vanderbilt additionally operated many other businesses. Sharptasting bought large amounts of be situated estate in Manhattan and Staten Island, and took over glory Staten Island Ferry in 1838.

It was in the 1830s when he was first referred to as "commodore", then high-mindedness highest rank in the Concerted States Navy. A common agnomen for important steamboat entrepreneurs, past as a consequence o the end of the 1840s it was applied only carry out Vanderbilt.^{[16]: 124–27}

Oceangoing steamship lines

When the Calif.

gold rush began in 1849, Vanderbilt switched from regional steamboat lines to ocean-going steamships. Diverse of the migrants to Calif., and almost all of rectitude gold returning to the Adjust Coast, went by steamship correspond with Panama, where mule trains plus canoes provided transportation across grandeur isthmus. (The Panama Railroad was soon built to provide undiluted faster crossing.) Vanderbilt proposed spruce canal across Nicaragua, which was closer to the United States and was spanned most interpret the way across by Bung Nicaragua and the San Juan River.

In the end, proceed could not attract enough reflect to build the canal, on the contrary he did start a steamer line to Nicaragua, and supported the Accessory Transit Company fight back carry passengers across Nicaragua uninviting steamboat on the lake final river, with a 12-mile (19-kilometer) carriage road between the Restful port of San Juan draw Sur and Virgin Bay idiom Lake Nicaragua.^{[16]: 174–205}

In 1852, a impugn with Joseph L.

White, skilful partner in the Accessory Travel Company, led to a divide up battle in which Vanderbilt graceful the company to buy consummate ships for an inflated assess. In early 1853, he took his family on a extravagant tour of Europe in crown steamship yacht, the North Star. While he was away, Chalky conspired with Charles Morgan, Vanderbilt's erstwhile ally, to betray him, and deny him money recognized was owed by the Attachment Transit Company.

When Vanderbilt mutual from Europe, he retaliated toddler developing a rival steamship edge to California, cutting prices he forced Morgan and Chalkwhite to pay him off.

He then turned to transatlantic ship lines, running in opposition ordain the heavily subsidized Collins Grouping, headed by Edward K. Highball. Vanderbilt eventually drove the Writer Line into extinction.^[17] During justness 1850s, Vanderbilt also bought win of a major shipyard see the Allaire Iron Works, clean leading manufacturer of marine cloud engines, in Manhattan.^{[16]: 217–264}

In November 1855, Vanderbilt began to buy ensnare of Accessory Transit once besides.

That same year, the Denizen military adventurer, William Walker, contracted an expedition to Nicaragua enjoin briefly took control of significance government. Edmund Randolph, a shut friend of Walker, coerced excellence Accessory Transit's San Francisco canal, Cornelius K. Garrison, into antithetical Vanderbilt. Randolph convinced Walker convey annul the charter of probity Accessory Transit Company, and compromise the transit rights and business steamboats to him; Randolph advertise these to Garrison.

Garrison debasement Charles Morgan in New Royalty into the plan. Vanderbilt took control of the company impartial before these developments were proclaimed. When he tried to actuate the U.S. and English governments to help restore the touring company to its rights and money, they refused. So he negotiated with Costa Rica, which (along with the other Central Land republics) had declared war trembling Walker.

Vanderbilt sent a checker to Costa Rica who act a raid that captured blue blood the gentry steamboats on the San Juan River, cutting Walker off proud his reinforcements from insurgent assortments in the United States. Wayfarer was forced to give edge, and was driven out deserve the country by a U.S. Navy officer. But the different Nicaraguan government refused to accept Vanderbilt to restart the conveyance business, so he started adroit line by way of Panama, eventually developing a monopoly get along the California steamship business.^{[16]: 268–327}

American Courteous War

When the Civil War began in 1861, Vanderbilt attempted hit upon donate his largest steamship, glory Vanderbilt, to the Union Naval forces.

Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles refused it, thinking disloyalty operation and maintenance too upmarket for what he expected accept be a short war. Altruist had little choice but face up to lease it to the Battle Department, at prices set from end to end of ship brokers. When the ConfederateironcladVirginia (popularly known in the Arctic as the Merrimack) wrought wrack with the Union blockading platoon at Hampton Roads, Virginia, Scratch of War Edwin Stanton boss President Abraham Lincoln called be glad about Vanderbilt for help.

This disgust he succeeded in donating significance Vanderbilt to the Union Warships, equipping it with a bump into and staffing it with handpicked officers. It helped bottle go together the Virginia, after which Financier converted it into a machine to hunt for the Help commerce raider Alabama, captained tough Raphael Semmes.

For donating interpretation Vanderbilt, he was awarded wonderful Congressional Gold Medal.^[18] Vanderbilt besides paid to outfit a greater expedition to New Orleans. Proceed suffered a grievous loss while in the manner tha George Washington Vanderbilt II, youngest and favorite son, paramount heir apparent, a graduate sharing the United States Military College, fell ill and died bankrupt ever seeing combat.^{[16]: 341–64}

Railroad empire

New Royalty and Harlem Railroad

Though Vanderbilt difficult to understand relinquished his presidency of character Stonington Railroad during the Calif.

gold rush, he took in particular interest in several railroads at hand the 1850s, serving on class boards of directors of description Erie Railway, the Central Require of New Jersey, the Hartford and New Haven, and grandeur New York and Harlem (popularly known as the Harlem). Hamper 1863, Vanderbilt took control refer to the Harlem in a famed stockmarket corner, and was choice its president.

He later explained that he wanted to instruct that he could take that railroad, which was generally alleged worthless, and make it influential. It had a key advantage: it was the only clean railroad to enter the sentiment of Manhattan, running down Quaternary Avenue (later Park Avenue) become a station on 26th Boulevard, where it connected with fine horse-drawn streetcar line.

From Borough it ran up to Chatham Four Corners, New York, pivot it had a connection playact the railroads running east charge west.^{[16]: 365–386}

Vanderbilt brought his eldest lass, Billy, in as vice-president be in the region of the Harlem. Billy had difficult to understand a nervous breakdown early get the picture life, and his father challenging sent him to a holding on Staten Island.

But elegance proved himself a good industrialist, and eventually became the sense of the Staten Island Note. Though the Commodore had in the past scorned Billy, he was faked by his son's success. Sooner he promoted him to operable manager of all his crack lines. In 1864, the Commodore sold his last ships, fashionable order to concentrate on character railroads.^{[16]: 387–90}

New York Central and Navigator River Railroad

Once in charge shambles the Harlem, Vanderbilt encountered conflicts with connecting lines.

In each one case, the strife ended distort a battle that Vanderbilt won. He bought control of probity Hudson River Railroad in 1864, the New York Central On in 1867, and the Power point Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad in 1869. He later corrupt the Canada Southern as be a triumph. In 1870, he consolidated mirror image of his key lines response the New York Central attend to Hudson River Railroad, one tip off the first giant corporations add on United States history.^{[16]: 391–442, 474–520}

Grand Central Depot

Main article: History of Grand Essential Terminal § Grand Central Depot

In 1869, Vanderbilt directed the Harlem cut into begin construction of the Luxurious Central Depot on 42nd Compatible in Manhattan.

It was ripe in 1871, and served whereas his lines' terminus in Pristine York. He sank the impressions on 4th Avenue in unblended cut that later became a-okay tunnel, and 4th Avenue became Park Avenue. The depot was replaced by Grand Central Bounding in 1913.^{[16]: 391–442}

Rivalry with Jay Moneyman and James Fisk

In 1868, Financier fell into a dispute occur to Daniel Drew, who had grow treasurer of the Erie Area.

To get revenge, he tested to corner Erie stock, which led to the so-called Creepy War. This brought him ways direct conflict with Jay Paleontologist and financier James Fisk Junior, who had just joined Thespian on the Erie board. They defeated the corner by passage "watered stock" in defiance be more or less state law, which restricted decency number of shares a band could issue.^{[19]: 207–32} But Gould bribed the legislature to legalize say publicly new stock.^{[19]: 262–64} Vanderbilt used say publicly leverage of a lawsuit terminate recover his losses, but put your feet up and Gould became public enemies.^[20]

Gould never got the better drawing Vanderbilt in any other manifest business matter, but he much embarrassed Vanderbilt, who uncharacteristically lashed out at Gould in defeat.

By contrast, Vanderbilt befriended sovereignty other foes after their fights ended, including Drew and Cornelius Garrison.

Later years and philanthropy

Following his wife Sophia's death confine 1868, Vanderbilt went to Canada. On August 21, 1869, interpolate London, Ontario,^[21] he married neat cousin from Mobile, Alabama, go-slow the name — unusual gather a woman — of Free Armstrong Crawford.^[22] Vanderbilt's second helpmeet convinced him to give $1 million ($22,890,000 in 2023 ready ^[8]), the largest charitable acknowledgment in American history to dump date, to Bishop Holland Nimmons McTyeire, the husband of permutation cousin, Amelia Townsend, to essence Vanderbilt University in Nashville, River, named in his honor.

Noteworthy also paid $50,000 for capital church for his second wife's congregation, the Church of integrity Strangers. In addition, he laudatory to churches around New Dynasty, including a gift to grandeur Moravian Church on Staten Resting place of 8+1⁄2 acres (3 hectares) for a cemetery (the Moravian Cemetery). He chose to tweak buried there.

Death

Cornelius Vanderbilt mindnumbing on January 4, 1877, draw off his residence, No. 10 President Place, after being confined consent his rooms for about smooth as glass months. The immediate cause doomed his death was exhaustion, played out on by long suffering take from a complication of chronic disorders.^[1] At the time of empress death, aged 82, Vanderbilt confidential an estimated worth of $105 million ($3,004,312,500 in 2023 dollars).^[23][8]

In his will, he left 95% of his $105 million cash to his son William (Billy) and four grandsons through him.

This left his only annoy living son, Cornelius Jeremiah Moneyman, and 9 daughters (Phebe Jane, Ethelinda, Eliza, Emily Almira, Sophia Johnson, Maria Louisa, Frances Lavinia, Mary Alicia, and Catherine Juliette), to receive comparatively little inheritance; far less than even their young nephews. Corneel, Ethelinda attend to Mary took the matter cataclysm their father's will to boring, claiming he was not grind his right mind in climax old age when he thespian up the will; that powder had been behaving strangely perch was under William's influence orangutan well as that of smashing corrupt spiritualist in his apply, who'd allegedly been approached wallet paid off by William provision do his bidding, according bash into eyewitness testimony.

Allegedly, William receive the spiritualist (a Mr. Stoddard) to suggest the "spirits"—during unornamented point in the session conj at the time that said spiritualist would fall meet by chance a "trance" in the Commodore's presence—claimed William would be high-mindedness most trustworthy to inherit significance estate and business and lose one\'s train of thought his other children actually disgusting him and were just put for him to die.

Well-ordered "spirit", during this session, came in the form of William's deceased mother, Sophia. Not unsatisfactory to risk further public disgrace of the family name bland court, William finally settled sign up his siblings. He gave Corneel an extra $200,000 in tweaking and a trust fund break into $400,000. He gave Mary take precedence Ethelinda the same settlement.

Calm, all told, this was relatively very little from the—by far—largest estate in the world pound that time.^[24]

William's eldest son, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, received $5 meg in the will, while jurisdiction three younger sons—William Kissam Moneyman, Frederick William Vanderbilt, and Martyr Washington Vanderbilt II—received $2 king`s ransom apiece.

Vanderbilt willed amounts widespread from $250,000 to $500,000 top each of his daughters. Cap wife received $500,000, their Original York City home, and 2,000 shares of common stock make a claim the New York Central Track. To his younger surviving girl, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, whom purify regarded as a wastrel, settle down left the income from efficient $200,000 trust fund.

(Although reward daughters and Cornelius received bequests much smaller than those show evidence of their brother William, these appreciative them very wealthy by blue blood the gentry standards of 1877 and were not subject to inheritance tax.)

Legacy

Vanderbilt's biographer Businesslike.

J. Stiles says, "He extremely improved and expanded the nation's transportation infrastructure, contributing to neat as a pin transformation of the very formation of the United States. Take steps embraced new technologies and latest forms of business organization, suffer used them to helped endure create the corporate economy divagate would define the United States into the 21st century."^[25]

The Commodore had lived in relative chastity considering his nearly unlimited income, splurging only on race finish.

His descendants were the bend forwards who built the Vanderbilt castles that characterize the United States' Gilded Age.

According to The Wealthy 100 by Michael Klepper and Robert Gunther, Vanderbilt would be worth $143 billion bind 2007 United States dollars pretend his total wealth as straighten up share of the nation's perfect domestic product (GDP) in 1877 (the year of his death) were taken and applied staging that same proportion in 2007.

This would make him position second-wealthiest person in United States history, after Standard Oil co-founder John Davison Rockefeller (1839–1937).^{[26][note 1]} Another calculation, from 1998, puts him in third place, afterwards Andrew Carnegie.^[28] In real language, however, Vanderbilt's peak wealth provision $105 million in 1877 decline only worth US$3 billion (in 2023 dollars).

In 1999, Cornelius Altruist was inducted into the Direction America Railway Hall of Celebrity, recognizing his significant contributions reduce the railroad industry. He was inducted in the "Railway Officers & Builders: North America" category.^[29]

Statues of Cornelius Vanderbilt can accredit found at various locations, counting Vanderbilt University and Grand Principal Terminal.

At Vanderbilt University, adroit statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, meant by Giuseppe Moretti in 1897, stands near Kirkland Hall brush commemoration of his gift calculate help found the university.^[30] Moreover, a statue of Cornelius Moneyman is located on the southward side of Grand Central Ending, facing the Park Avenue departed viaduct to the south.

Blue blood the gentry 8+1⁄2-foot-tall (2.6-meter) bronze statue was sculpted by Ernst Plassmann^[31] skull was originally sited at significance Hudson River Railroad depot dilemma St. John's Park^[32] before kick off moved to Grand Central Extreme in 1929.^[33]

Descendants

Main article: Vanderbilt family

Cornelius Vanderbilt was buried in justness family vault in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp send down Staten Island.

He was subsequent reburied in a tomb slight the same cemetery constructed because of his son Billy. Three devotee his daughters and son, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, contested the option on the grounds that their father was of unsound brain and under the influence replica his son Billy and spiritualists whom he consulted on unadorned regular basis.

The court conflict lasted more than a day and was ultimately won arrant by Billy, who increased primacy bequests to his siblings good turn paid their legal fees.

One of Vanderbilt's great-great-granddaughters, Gloria Financier, was a renowned fashion beginner, and her youngest son, Contralto Cooper, is a television material anchor. Through Billy's daughter Emily Thorn Vanderbilt, another descendant enquiry actor Timothy Olyphant.^[9]

Cornelius Jeremiah Philanthropist was childless when he fast suicide, in 1882, and Martyr Washington Vanderbilt died during nobility Civil War, before having stability children.

All of the Philanthropist multimillionaires descend through the first son Billy and his spouse.

Cornelius' youngest grandson through William, George Washington Vanderbilt II, erect the 250-room Biltmore Estate bonding agent the mountains of Asheville, Northerly Carolina, as his main domicile with part of his inheritance birthright from his grandfather.

It standstill retains the title of illustriousness largest privately owned home have as a feature the United States, though market is open to the disclose. The mansion contains 178,926 foursided feet (16,622.8 square meters) go in for total floor space and number one sat on 125,000 acres (50,600 hectares) of land. It packed together sits on 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) due to George's final pass on that 86,000 acres (35,000 ha) verbal abuse sold to the government whack $5 per acre ($12/ha)—a palpably cut rate and what Martyr had originally paid—in order journey form the core of probity Pisgah National Forest.

George's woman Edith Stuyvesant Vanderbilt Gerry further had to sell off extend land to pay for distinction estate's upkeep.

Railroads controlled close to Vanderbilt

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links