Cornelius Vanderbilt
#71,586 Most Popular
About
Nicknamed the Commodore. He amassed an enormous fortune through shipping and railroads.
Before Fame
He dropped out of school at age 11 to work for his father's ferry business.
Trivia
He was a renowned philanthropist and used part of his fortune to start a famous university that bore his name.
Family Life
His son William Henry Vanderbilt greatly expanded the empire and added to the millions earned by his father. He married Sophia Johnson in 1813 and he had another son named George Washington Vanderbilt II.
Associated With
He hired the great orator Daniel Webster to defend him in the Supreme Court against monopoly charges.
