Alice Claypoole Gwynne

Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt (; November 11, 1845 – April 24, 1934) was the wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and reigned as the matriarch of the Vanderbilt family for over 60 years.

She was a granddaughter of Henry Collins Flagg, a former mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, and a great-great-granddaughter of Major Ebenezer Flagg, who served in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment during the American Revolution and was killed during the Battle of Pine's Bridge in 1781. Her maternal uncles were George Whiting Flagg, a painter, and Jared Bradley Flagg, a real estate developer and also a painter. Through Jared Flagg, she was a first cousin of architect Ernest Flagg.

Alice was from an old Rhode Island family and among her ancestors was Roger Williams, who founded the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and Samuel Ward Sr., a former Rhode Island Governor. Many Flagg family members are buried in Newport's Island Cemetery.

Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt (1869–1874), who died young. Gertrude Vanderbilt (1875–1942), who married Harry Payne Whitney. She was an artist who founded the Whitney Museum. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877–1915), a businessman who died aboard the RMS Lusitania. Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880–1925), an avid equestrian. Gladys Moore Vanderbilt (1886–1965), who married Count László Széchenyi.

Later life Alice Vanderbilt's husband died of a cerebral hemorrhage on September 12, 1899, in their New York home at 1 West 57th Street. His estate at the time of his death was appraised at $72,999,867 (equivalent to $ in dollars), $20 million of which was in real estate.

Alice lived another 35 years until her death on April 22, 1934, in her home at 857 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where she had moved after the 1926 sale of the 57th Street mansion (which was then demolished).

Estate and Trust Litigation The Executors of the Will of Cornelius Vanderbilt II had set aside $7,000,000 from his Estate for the Trust Fund to pay the $250,000 annuity provided for Alice under her husband's Will. By 1928, the trust had accumulated surplus income exceeding that amount, and in 1929 the Surrogate's Court of New York ruled that $2,005,015.39 in surplus income and excess principal should instead be treated as part of her husband's residuary estate. As her late husband's residuary estate had been left to her deceased son Alfred, the Court ordered that the funds be paid to Alfred's Executors; his residuary estate had been left to his two younger sons Alfred and George Vanderbilt.

At her death in 1934, Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt's gross estate was valued at $10,120,907.17, with a net estate of $9,354,587.85 after deductions, including the value of the funds held within the Trust given to her under the terms of Cornelius' Will, valued at $5,935,572.07. Her will provided for a range of bequests to her family:

From the Trust Fund Established in her Husband's Will: $150,000 to her daughter Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney $500,000 to split evenly between the children of her late son Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt: Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. William Henry Vanderbilt III George Washington Vanderbilt III The remaining balance of the Trust Capital ($5,285,572) to: One-third (approximately $1,762,000) to the children of deceased son Reginald: Cathleen Vanderbilt and Gloria Vanderbilt (approximately $881,000 each) Two-thirds (approximately $3,524,000) to her daughter Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi

From her remaining estate, Alice also provided for: $100,000 to her widowed daughter-in-law Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt $100,000 each to her sons-in-law, Harry Payne Whitney and Count László Széchenyi $50,000 to her granddaughter Countess Alice Széchenyi (daughter of Gladys) $50,000 to Alice Vanderbilt Morris $100,000 to her sister Cettie Gwynne Shepherd $50,000 to her niece Maud Gwynne Harran $50,000 to the Society of St. Johnland, Long Island (Sunbeam Cottage) $80,000 to Newport Hospital for the Cornelius Vanderbilt Pavilion $50,000 to St. Bartholomew's Church, New York City The Gwynne Building, Cincinnati to her son Cornelius Vanderbilt III Her Manhattan Townhouse, 857 Fifth Avenue, and its furnishings to her daughter Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi

Real estate Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II and her daughters, Gladys and Gertrude, having tea in the library at The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island (William Bruce Ellis Ranken, 1932) Alice was responsible for constructing several massive family houses, including the enlargement of 1 West 57th Street, making it the largest private residence ever built in an American city at the time. She also played a role in constructing The Breakers in Newport.

In 1914, she was responsible for the construction of the Gwynne Building in Cincinnati, Ohio, site of the first shop of Procter & Gamble and later the company's headquarters.

Through her youngest son Reginald, Alice was the grandmother of Cathleen Vanderbilt and Gloria Vanderbilt, the socialite and fashion designer, and the great-grandmother of news anchor Anderson Hays Cooper and his late brother, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper.