William Henry Vanderbilt
William Henry Vanderbilt | |
|---|---|
Vanderbilt in 1882 | |
| Born | May 8, 1821 |
| Died | December 8, 1885 (aged 64) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Burial place | Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum, Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Columbia College (1841) |
| Occupation(s) | Owner of the New York Central Railroad and other railroads. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Maria Louisa Kissam (m. 1841) |
| Children | Cornelius Vanderbilt II Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard Allen Vanderbilt William Kissam Vanderbilt Emily Thorn Vanderbilt Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly Frederick William Vanderbilt Eliza Osgood Vanderbilt Webb George Washington Vanderbilt II |
| Parent(s) | Cornelius Vanderbilt Sophia Johnson |
| Relatives | See Vanderbilt family |
| Signature | |
William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was an American businessman Known as "Billy", he was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. Vanderbilt became the richest American after he took over his father's fortune in 1877 until his own death in 1885, passing on a substantial part of the fortune to his wife and children, particularly to his sons Cornelius II and William. He inherited nearly $100 million from his father. The fortune had doubled when he died fewer than nine years later.