VANDERBILT, CORNELIUS, 1794-1877; b. N. Y.; of Dutch ancestry. He received but little education, and while a boy earned a by carrying passengers and produce in a small boat (periauger) between New York and Staten Island, where he lived. The war of 1812 gave him an opportunity of enlarging his business by supplying the govern ment posts with provisions; and he saved sufficient money to purchase a schooner and engage in the coasting trade. In 1817 he ran a steamboat from New York to New Brunswick, N. J., in connection with the passenger traffic with Philadelphia; and under Iris able management a line of steamboats was the result of this enterprise, which became very profitable. About the year 1830 he was building and running steamboats on his own account, and rapidly accumulating wealth. In 1851 he founded a steamship line frau New York to California by the Nicaragua route, and was president of the company engaged in this enterprise. In connection with this line he succeeded in warping the steamboat Central America up the San Juan river, and through the Castillo rapids, placing her in lake Nicaragua for the transportation of passengers and freight; a feat which had been deemed impossible. Mr. Vanderbilt's extended connection with steam boats and steamships gave !din the soubriquet of the " commodore," a title which clung to him till his death. In 1853 he built the steamer North Star, on which he took his family for a trip to Europe. Two years later he founded an independent line of steam ships to Havre, and built the Arid and Vanderbilt for this route. In 1862 he presented
the Vanderbilt, which cost $800,000, to the U. S. government, for use during the war; an act for which he received the thanks of congress, while a gold medal was struck in his limier• and duly presented to him. Mr. Vanderbilt turned his attention to the rail road business in 1857, himself with the Harlem railroad, to which he advanced large sums of money, and of which he became president. He next undertook to re-organize the Hudson River railroad; purchased St. John's park in New York for $1,000,000, and erected there a freight depot; and by his skillful and energetic manage ment of these two lines soon placed them on a firm financial basis. In 1868 he became president of the New York Central railroad; which, in the following year, he consoli dated with the Hudson River road, and formed of these two, with their connections, the most important trunk line in the country. He eventually laid four tracks on the line of thin great system, thus enabling the transportation of grain from the AY. on a scale other wise impossible. Mr. Vanderbilt grew to be considered the foremost railroad magnate in America. his wealth had accumulated to a vast extent. and was dispensed liberally. Ile founded, in 1873, the Vanderbilt university at Nashville, Tenn., at a cost of more than $1,000,000. He was simple and unostentatious in his manners, fond of horses, and of the game of whist; devoted to magnificent operations in the direction of increasing the possibilities of American commerce.