Jim Downey, age 14, of McAllen, Tex., for his question:
WHO WAS THE FIRST FAMOUS AMERICAN VANDERBILT?
Vanderbilt is the name of a prominent and famous American family. The first members made fortunes in steamboat and railroad transportation. It all started with Cornelius Vanderbilt, who at the age of 16 borrowed $100 from his mother in 1812 and bought a sailboat.
Young Vanderbilt used the single sailboat as a ferry between his birthplace in Staten Island, N.Y., and New York City. It wasn't long until he added more boats and soon his company was worth $100 million.
From sailboats Vanderbilt advanced to steamboats and at the age of 50 he added railroads to his transportation empire. The Vanderbilt system grew to include the New York Central, the Hudson River Railroad and the Lake Shore and Michigan Central.
After Vanderbilt donated $1 million to Central University in Nashville, Tenn., the school in 1874 changed its name to Vanderbilt University in honor of the philanthropist.
Cornelius' son was named William Henry. He succeeded his father as president of the New York Central and added other railroads to the Vanderbilt system. He inherited $85 million and left $200 million.
Cornelius Vanderbilt II was the eldest son of William, and the grandson of the first Cornelius. After an education from private tutors, he went to work in the family business. He was a director of more than 30 railroads.
William Henry's second son was William Kissam Vanderbilt. After a European education, he became director of 14 railroads besides other industrial companies.
The third and youngest son of William Henry was George Washington Vanderbilt, who was noted for his many gifts to various schools and for his fabulous estate called Biltmore on 120,000 acres of land in Asheville, N.C.
Cornelius Vanderbilt III was the son of Cornelius II. He became a brigadier general in the U.S. Army as well as a director of banks and railroads.
Cornelius Vanderbilt III lived from 1862 until 1914.
Something more about that first Cornelius who started his business career at the age of 16: By the time he was 18 years old in 1812, he owned a fleet of schooners that hauled both freight and passengers around Manhattan.
By 1829, when he was 35, he added his first steamship. Quickly he expanded his transportation system. He was able to lower his rates and improve his ships and operations. Soon he controlled much of the Hudson River trade. When his rivals paid him to take his traffic elsewhere, he set up routes that stretched from Long Island to Providence and Boston.
By 1846 he was tremendously wealthy. He was called Commodore by almost everyone.
In 1851, when the California gold rush was at its peak, Vanderbilt operated a land and sea line from San Francisco to New York. Four years latex he expanded his line to Europe.