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Frederick William Vanderbilt

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Frederick William Vanderbilt
Born(1856-02-02)February 2, 1856
New Dorp, NY
DiedJune 29, 1938(1938-06-29) (aged 82)
Hyde Park, New York
Resting placeMoravian Cemetery
Alma materYale University
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1878; died 1926)​
Parent(s)William Henry Vanderbilt
Maria Louisa Kissam
RelativesMargaret Van Alen (niece)
FamilyVanderbilt
F. W. Vanderbilt, circa 1913, painted by Raymond P. R. Neilson.

Frederick William Vanderbilt (February 2, 1856 – June 29, 1938) was a member of the American Vanderbilt family. He was a director of the New York Central Railroad for 61 years, and also a director of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad and of the Chicago and North Western Railroad.[1]

Early life

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Vanderbilt was born on February 2, 1856, in New Dorp, Staten Island. He was the third son of eight children born to William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885) and Maria Louisa (née Kissam) Vanderbilt (1821–1896).[2] His siblings were Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who married Alice Claypoole Gwynne; Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, who married Elliott Fitch Shepard; William Kissam Vanderbilt, who married Alva Erskine Smith and Anne Harriman Sands Rutherfurd; Emily Thorn Vanderbilt, who married William Douglas Sloane and Henry White; Florence Adele Vanderbilt, who married Hamilton McKown Twombly; Eliza Osgood Vanderbilt, who married William Seward Webb; and George Washington Vanderbilt II, who married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser.[2]

He was the grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who first created the Vanderbilt family's wealth. Upon his grandfather's death in 1877, 95% of the $100 million estate was left to his father and his three brothers ($5 million to Cornelius, and $2 million apiece to William, Frederick, and George).[3]

In 1876, Vanderbilt graduated from Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School to which he later donated $500,000 (equivalent to $17,607,692 today) in 1902.[4] While at Yale, he joined St. Anthony Hall and paid for a new chapter house and domatory.[5][6]

Career

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After graduating from Yale, he joined his father at the New York Central Railroad, like his brothers, working in one department after another to gain an understanding of the railroad business. After working for many years at the railroad, he devoted his time to travel and yachting.[7]

Vanderbilt was a director of 22 railroads, including New York Central Railroad, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, and the Chicago and North Western Railroad.[7]

Yachts

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Warrior in 1910

Vanderbilt was a member of the New York Yacht Club. In the course of his life he owned four steam yachts: Vedette,[8] Conqueror,[9][10] Warrior,[11] and Virginia, which he renamed Vedette after his first yacht.[12] In January 1914 Warrior, his largest yacht, ran aground on the Colombian coast while on a Caribbean cruise. Mr and Mrs Vanderbilt were rescued, along with their guests: the Duke and Duchess of Manchester and Lord Falconer; and their servants.[13] There was no loss of life, and Warrior was eventually salvaged.[14]

Legacy

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Vanderbilt maintained residences in New York City (he lived for a while at 450 Fifth Avenue), Newport ("Rough Point"), Bar Harbor ("Sonogee"), Upper St. Regis Lake in the Adirondacks ("Pine Tree Point"), and a country palace in Hyde Park, New York ("Hyde Park") now preserved by the National Park Service as Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. He built the nearby Howard Mansion and Carriage House for his nephew Thomas H. Howard in 1896.[15]

Vanderbilt was the owner of 10 East 40th Street in Manhattan, a prominent example of art deco architecture, until his death. He commissioned a number of campus buildings at Yale University by architect Charles C. Haight that survive to this day, from campus dormitories comprising the present-day Silliman College, to Vanderbilt Hall,[16] Phelps Hall,[17] the Mason, Sloane and Osborn laboratories,[18] and his secret society, St. Anthony Hall.[19]

Personal life

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In 1878, Frederick married Louise Holmes Torrance (née Anthony) (1854–1926), the daughter of Charles Lee Anthony and Catherine (née Holmes) Anthony. Louise's father was a successful dry-goods merchant in New York City. Louise had been previously married, in 1868, to Frederick's cousin Alfred Torrance, before their divorce in 1877.[7]

Frederick Vanderbilt died in Hyde Park, New York, on June 29, 1938.[7][1] He was buried at Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum in New Dorp.[20] His estate was valued at $79,845,478 (equivalent to $1,653,993,657 today) upon his death.[21] He left $5,200,000 to the Sheffield Scientific School,[22] $3,900,000 to Vanderbilt University, $1,300,000 to the Salvation Army, and $650,000 to the New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor.[21] After his charitable donations, his niece, Mrs. Margaret Louise Van Alen (1876–1969),[23] was the chief heir of his estate, receiving his 5th Avenue home, Hyde Park home, and 25% of the residue of the estate.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b United Press (June 30, 1938). "Frederick William Vanderbilt Dead". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2010. Frederick William Vanderbilt, 82, died Wednesday at his estate here. For 61 years he was a director of the New York Central Railroad Co. He also was a director of Pittsburgh & Lake Erie and of Chicago & North Western.
  2. ^ a b MacDowell, Dorothy Kelly (1989). Commodore Vanderbilt and his family: a biographical account of the Descendants of Cornelius and Sophia Johnson Vanderbilt. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Cornelius Vanderbilt.; A Long And Useful Life Ended" (PDF). The New York Times. January 5, 1877.
  4. ^ "$500,000 gift to Yale" (PDF). The New York Times. July 8, 1902. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  5. ^ Negus, W.H. (1900). "Delta Psi Roster". In Maxwell, W.J. (ed.). Greek Lettermen of Washington. New York City: The Umbdenstock Publishing Co. pp. 231–234.
  6. ^ "Vanderbilt gift to Sheff". The New York Times. July 9, 1913. p. 9 – via Times Machine.
  7. ^ a b c d "F. W. Vvanderbilt dies in Hyde Park" (PDF). The New York Times. 30 June 1938. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  8. ^ The American Yacht List. New York: Thomas Manning. 1886. p. 162 – via Mystic Seaport.
  9. ^ The American Yacht List. New York: Thomas Manning. 1891. p. 290 – via Mystic Seaport.
  10. ^ Lloyd's Register of American Yachts. New York: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1903. p. 68 – via Mystic Seaport.
  11. ^ Lloyd's Register of American Yachts. New York: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1906. p. 244 – via Mystic Seaport.
  12. ^ Lloyd's Register of Yachts. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1919. VED – via Internet Archive.
  13. ^ "Vanderbilts here; yacht a wreck". The New York Times. 8 February 1914. p. 3 – via Times Machine.
  14. ^ "Vanderbilt yacht saved". The Sun. New York. 10 April 1914. p. 1 – via Chronicling America.
  15. ^ Bonafide, John A (January 1993). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Howard Mansion and Carriage House". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  16. ^ Hsnparch.com Archived September 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "MSSA.library.yale.edu". Archived from the original on August 28, 2006.
  18. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "Yale's Lost Landmarks". Yale Alumni Magazine. Archived from the original on February 27, 2007.
  20. ^ "F. W. Vanderbilt Rites" (PDF). The New York Times. 2 July 1938. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  21. ^ a b "F.W. Vanderbilt Left $72,845,478" (PDF). The New York Times. 30 December 1941. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  22. ^ "F. W. Vanderbilt Aids Yale" (PDF). The New York Times. 29 October 1938. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  23. ^ "Wealthy Newport Dowager, Mrs Brugiere, Dies at 92". Nashua Telegraph. 22 January 1969. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  24. ^ "Niece is Chief Heir of F. W. Vanderbilt" (PDF). The New York Times. 14 July 1938. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
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