Cornelius Vanderbilt

Cornelius Vanderbilt's great-great-great-grandfather, Jan Aertson, emigrated from the village of De Bilt in Utrecht, Netherlands to New Amsterdam (later New York) as an indentured servant in 1650. This marked the beginning of the Vanderbilt family's presence in America.

Cornelius Vanderbilt, known as the commodore, was born on May 27, 1794 in Staten Island, New York City. He later became a prominent figure in American business and transportation.

Cornelius Vanderbilt began working with his father and gained interest in the steamboat business by driving ships. This experience eventually led him to establish his own steamship business and later transition into the railroad industry after his father's passing.

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a prominent figure in the transportation industry, making significant contributions to both the steamboat and railroad sectors. His entrepreneurial spirit and strategic business decisions played a crucial role in shaping the transportation landscape of his time.

Vanderbilt received the nickname 'The Commodore' despite his belief that Louis Goldsborough held the title of commodore.

At the age of sixteen in 1810, Cornelius Vanderbilt convinced his parents to lend him $100 to buy a sailboat and start his own ferry and freight business between Staten Island and New York City. He competed by offering lower fares and was able to repay the loan within a year, earning profits for his parents.

Vanderbilt's accumulation of wealth through his successful ventures in the shipping and railroad industries.

At the age of 19, Cornelius Vanderbilt married his first cousin, Sophia Johnson. They had 13 children together and lived in Manhattan.

Cornelius and Sophia had their first child, Phebe Jane Vanderbilt, in 1814.

In 1818, Cornelius Vanderbilt sold his sailing vessels and became a steamboat captain, partnering with Thomas Gibbons to operate a ferry service between New Brunswick, New Jersey and New York City. Their partnership offered competitive fares and became dominant on the Philadelphia-New York City route.

In 1820, Cornelius Vanderbilt's career began, marking the start of his journey as a successful businessman.

William Henry Vanderbilt, the son and successor of Cornelius Vanderbilt, assumed control of the New York Central Railroad system and continued to expand the transportation empire.

The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Thomas Gibbons, for whom Vanderbilt worked, in the case Gibbons v. Ogden. This ruling established the protection of competitive interstate commerce.

In 1826, after Gibbons died and his son refused to sell his share in the business to Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt started a rival business and forced Gibbons' son to sell.

In 1829, Cornelius Vanderbilt started his own passenger and freight service on the New York City-Peekskill Hudson River route, competing on the basis of price and eventually expanding to Albany, New York. He also extended his service to the Long Island Sound, Providence, and Connecticut areas, building a fleet of 100 steamships by the 1840s.

On November 8, 1833, Cornelius Vanderbilt was almost killed in the Hightstown rail accident on the Camden and Amboy Railroad in New Jersey.

Twenty five years after their first child, Cornelius and Sophia had their last child, George Washington Vanderbilt, in 1839.

By 1845, Cornelius Vanderbilt had established his supremacy in the steamboat industry, solidifying his position as a prominent figure in the transportation sector. His success and influence posed a challenge to his competitors.

By 1846, Cornelius Vanderbilt had become a millionaire through his strategic business decisions and control of transportation routes, particularly on the northeastern seaboard. His financial success continued to grow over the years.

In 1851, Cornelius Vanderbilt expanded his shipping business by forming the Accessory Transit Company to transport passengers from New York City to San Francisco via the Nicaraguan isthmus. This strategic move capitalized on the demand created by the California Gold Rush, showcasing Vanderbilt's business acumen.

In 1852, Vanderbilt engaged in a business battle with Joseph L. White, a partner in the Accessory Transit Company, ultimately forcing the company to purchase his ships at an inflated price.

In 1853, after becoming a millionaire, Vanderbilt took his first holiday on the yacht North Star, traveling luxuriously around Europe with his family.

In November 1855, Vanderbilt regained control of Accessory Transit Company. The same year, he faced conflict with William Walker, an American military adventurer, over the company's transit rights in Nicaragua.

In 1859, the New York Times used the term 'robber baron' to describe Cornelius Vanderbilt due to his ruthless efficiency in acquiring competing companies. This term highlighted his aggressive business tactics.

By 1860, Cornelius Vanderbilt's steamboat business had expanded significantly, controlling most of the Hudson River with a fleet of around 100 steamboats. He also ventured into the real estate business, acquiring large estates in Manhattan and Staten Island.

In 1863, Cornelius Vanderbilt acquired the New York & Harlem Railroad, marking his entry into the railroad industry. This acquisition was a pivotal moment in Vanderbilt's career as he began to focus on expanding his railroad empire.

In 1864, with $30 million in wealth, Cornelius Vanderbilt retired from his maritime ventures and transitioned into the railway business, marking a significant shift in his career focus.

In 1867, Vanderbilt's railroads experienced significant growth, contributing to the expansion of the idea of westward expansion. The railroads made transportation of goods more efficient and facilitated travel across the country in a week, leading to rapid business growth due to improved distribution.

In 1868, Cornelius Vanderbilt expanded the railroads by adding extra stations and upgrading the existing infrastructure. This led to increased efficiency in transportation, allowing for quicker delivery of coal to power plants and improved shipment of agricultural products like corn and soybeans to markets.

In August 1869, Cornelius Vanderbilt married Frank Armstrong Crawford, a distant cousin from Mobile, Alabama, who was 43 years younger than him. This marriage led to the funding of what would later become Vanderbilt University.

In 1870, Cornelius Vanderbilt combined many of his railroads to create the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, one of the largest corporations of the 19th century. This transformational move revolutionized the railroad industry by providing widespread connectivity and efficiency.

Cornelius Vanderbilt took control of numerous railroads connecting New York to Chicago, leading to the construction of Manhattan's grand central depot.

In 1874, W.C. Flagg testified to Congress criticizing Vanderbilt's monopolistic tactics, labeling him as a 'robber baron' who profited off the railroad industry at the expense of others.

Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of America's leading businessmen who revolutionized the transportation industry, passed away on January 4, 1877, in New York. At the time of his death, he had amassed a vast fortune and left a lasting legacy in the business world.

Cornelius Vanderbilt died at his estate at the age of 82 after being confined to his room for eight months due to exhaustion from various disorders.

After an unsuccessful court battle contesting his father's will, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, one of Cornelius Vanderbilt's sons, committed suicide in 1882. The legal dispute lasted over a year.

In 1889, Cornelius Vanderbilt attempted to purchase a railroad line that ran through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. However, he was deceived by Fisk and Gould, resulting in a loss of nearly nine million dollars.

The construction of the Biltmore Estate began in 1895 by Vanderbilt. The estate features a Châteauesque-style mansion, which is the largest privately owned mansion in the United States, covering an area of 178,926 square feet.

The bronze statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, created by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Moretti, was first displayed near the Parthenon replica in Centennial Park during the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. It was later moved to Vanderbilt University campus and currently stands in front of Kirkland Hall.

In 1929, a bronze statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, sculpted by Ernst Plassmann, was unveiled at Grand Central Terminal, where it still stands today.

In 1999, Cornelius Vanderbilt was honored by being inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to the railroad industry.