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After that, his son William Henry Vanderbilt acquired his father's fortune, and was the richest American until his death in 1885. The Vanderbilts' prominence lasted until the mid-20th century, when the family's 10 great Fifth Avenue mansions were torn down, and most other Vanderbilt houses were sold or turned into museums in what has been ...
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 with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into leadership positions in the inland water trade and invested in the rapidly growing railroad industry, effectively transforming the geography of the ...
Ruth Vanderbilt Twombly (April 15, 1885 – September 1, 1954) was an American philanthropist, tennis coach, socialite, [1] and heiress to the Vanderbilt family fortune. In 1931, she was the Chairman of the Peacock Ball, [ 2 ] [ 3 ] later called "the greatest charity event ever held."
In 1957, Fortune magazine developed a list of the seventy-six wealthiest Americans, which was published in many American newspapers. [6] Jean Paul Getty, when asked his reaction to being named wealthiest American and whether he was worth a billion dollars, said, "You know, if you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars" and then added, "But remember, a billion dollars isn't ...
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As heir to the family fortune, he built a 70-room, 138,300-square-foot mansion on the shores of Newport, Rhode Island, as a summer escape for his wife, Alice Vanderbilt, and their seven children.
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 less than nine years ...
In the 1880s, Alva Vanderbilt succeeded in rising to the top of New York society; Arabella Huntington–one of the richest women in America–did not. Why?