William Henry Vanderbilt | |
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| Born | May 8, 1821 |
| Died | December 8, 1885 (aged 64) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Burial place | Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum, Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Columbia College (1841) |
| Occupation(s) | Owner of the New York Central Railroad and other railroads. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Maria Louisa Kissam (m. 1841) |
| Children | Cornelius II, Margaret, Allen, William, Emily, Florence, Frederick, Eliza, and George II |
| Parent(s) | Cornelius Vanderbilt Sophia Johnson |
| Relatives | See Vanderbilt family |
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William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was an American businessman [1] Known as "Billy," he was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. 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 later.