Steven Wood Collins's Blog: The Writing of Steven Wood Collins - Author of "Puramore - The Lute of Pythagoras" - The Patricians: Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt (1794 - 1877) - Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Founder of Vanderbilt University - Author's 4th Cousin 6x Removed

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The Patricians: Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt (1794 - 1877) - Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Founder of Vanderbilt University - Author's 4th Cousin 6x Removed

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Cornelius displayed an aptitude for entrepreneurship early in life. After dropping out of school at the age of 11, he started a ferry boat service between Lower Manhattan and Staten Island at the age of 16. From owning and operating his first basic ferry vessel, a periauger, he built a shipping and railroad empire second-to-none in the world.

At the time of his death his net worth was equivalent, in 2007 dollars, to $143 billion, making him the second richest man in American history behind John D. Rockefeller. In comparison, Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helu is currently ranked as the world's wealthiest man with a personal net worth of only $69 billion. The total value of the Commodore's estate represented 1/87th of the U.S. GDP in 1877; or an equivalent of $173.5 billion at that ratio in current nominal dollars.

Historians continue to characterise him, Andrew Carnegie, Leland Stanfordt, Jay Gould, Charles Crocker, John Jacob Astor and John D. Rockefeller as "robber barons". Yet the tycoons of that era actually served an exceedingly salutary function in driving the rapid growth of the fledgling American economy during the Industrial Age. Moreover, there were many times that the American economy would have stalled, perhaps altogether, had they not provided direly needed financial assistance and guidance to the U.S. government during crucial economic downturns.

He endowed Vanderbilt University, which was aptly named after him, with $1 million in 1873. Today, the university ranks 17th among all national universities, according to a U.S. News & World Report report issued in 2012.

Consuelo Vanderbilt, the Commodore's great granddaughter, married Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, in 1895. The couple produced two sons (John Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford, and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill). Marlborough was the first cousin of Prime Minister Sir Winston Spencer-Churchill.

Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt
Birth 27 May 1794 in Staten Island, Richmond, New York, United States
Death 4 Jan 1877 in Staten Island, Richmond, New York, United States

4th cousin 6x removed SPRAGUE-BARLETT-TRIPP-OUTWATER-COLLINS
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/630129...

5th cousin 6x removed HENDRICKS-FONDA-BRICKERS-TERHUNE-BANTA-BRINKERHOFF-OUTWATER-COLLINS
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

6th cousin 6x removed SPRAGUE-HOLLAND-SIMMONS-COLLINS
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

15th cousin 5x removed HAND-STRATTON-BANCROFT-BONYTON-MILTON-FITZHUGH-WILLOUGHBY-LE STRANGE-FITZALAN-MOWBRAY-HOWARD-WOOD
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

maternal grandfather of wife of 7th cousin 5x removed CLARK-COLLINS-BURRITT-HOWARD-WOOD
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

29th cousin 3x removed HAND-STRATTON-BANCROFT-BONYTHON-MELTON-GODOLPHIN-TRENOUTH-BASSET-FLEMING-CHAMPERNON-ROHANT-RICHMOND-CORNOUAILLE-PORHOET-ROHAN-LANDRY-BOURG-CYR-BRULE
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

1st cousin 9x removed of 6th cousin 12x removed SPRAGUE-COLT-ERLINGTON-ECHINGHAM-WEST-WARENNE-MOWBRAY-HOWARD-WOOD
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

great grandfather of wife of 25th cousin 2x removed SPENCER CHURCHILL-SPENCER-HARCOURT-HOLLAND-SIMMONS-COLLINS
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

25th cousin 6x removed SPRAGUE-COLT-ERLINGHAM-ECHINGHAM-WEST-PERCY-NEVILLE-CLAVERING-LA ZOUCHE-PORHOET-ROHAN-LANDRY-BOURG-CYR-BRULE
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

28th cousin 7x removed HAND-STRATTON-STAUNTON-BELVOIR-SENLIS-HUNTINGDON-LENS-NORMANDY-BRETAGNE-PORHOET-ROHAN-LANDRY-BOURG-CYR-BRULE
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

3rd great grand nephew of husband of 20th cousin 7x removed HAND-WRIGHT-GREENE-SPENCER-HARCOURT-HOLLAND-SIMMONS-COLLINS
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/465887...

husband of 5th cousin 5x removed JOHNSON-VANDERBILT-SPRAGUE-BARLETT-TRIPP-OUTWATER-COLLINS
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/630129...

WikiTree http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Vanderbi...

FAB PEDIGREE
http://fabpedigree.com/s068/f164281.htm

Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corneliu...