Frederick William Vanderbilt

F. W. Vanderbilt, circa 1913, painted by Raymond P. R. Neilson.

Frederick William Vanderbilt (February 2, 1856 – June 29, 1938) was a member of the American Vanderbilt family. He was a director of the New York Central Railroad for 61 years, and also a director of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad and of the Chicago and North Western Railroad.

He was the grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who first created the Vanderbilt family's wealth. Upon his grandfather's death in 1877, 95% of the $100 million estate was left to his father and his three brothers ($5 million to Cornelius, and $2 million apiece to William, Frederick, and George).

In 1876, Vanderbilt graduated from Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School to which he later donated $500,000 (equivalent to $ today) in 1902. While at Yale, he joined St. Anthony Hall and paid for a new chapter house and dormitory.

Career After graduating from Yale, he joined his father at the New York Central Railroad, like his brothers, working in one department after another to gain an understanding of the railroad business. After working for many years at the railroad, he devoted his time to travel and yachting. Conqueror, , and Virginia, which he renamed Vedette after his first yacht. In January 1914 Warrior, his largest yacht, ran aground on the Colombian coast while on a Caribbean cruise. Mr and Mrs Vanderbilt were rescued, along with their guests: the Duke and Duchess of Manchester and Lord Falconer; and their servants. There was no loss of life, and Warrior was eventually salvaged.

Legacy Vanderbilt maintained residences in New York City (he lived for a while at 450 Fifth Avenue), Newport ("Rough Point"), Bar Harbor ("Sonogee"), Upper St. Regis Lake in the Adirondacks ("Pine Tree Point"), and a country palace in Hyde Park, New York ("Hyde Park") now preserved by the National Park Service as Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. He built the nearby Howard Mansion and Carriage House for his nephew Thomas H. Howard in 1896.

Vanderbilt was the owner of 10 East 40th Street in Manhattan, a prominent example of art deco architecture, until his death. He commissioned a number of campus buildings at Yale University by architect Charles C. Haight that survive to this day, from campus dormitories comprising the present-day Silliman College, to Vanderbilt Hall, Phelps Hall, the Mason, Sloane and Osborn laboratories, and his secret society, St. Anthony Hall.

Personal life In 1878, Frederick married Louise Holmes Torrance (née Anthony) (1854–1926), the daughter of Charles Lee Anthony and Catherine (née Holmes) Anthony. Louise's father was a successful dry-goods merchant in New York City. Louise had been previously married, in 1868, to Frederick's cousin Alfred Torrance, before their divorce in 1877. He was buried at Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum in New Dorp. His estate was valued at $79,845,478 (equivalent to $ today) upon his death. He left $5,200,000 to the Sheffield Scientific School, $3,900,000 to Vanderbilt University, $1,300,000 to the Salvation Army, and $650,000 to the New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor. was the chief heir of his estate, receiving his 5th Avenue home, Hyde Park home, and 25% of the residue of the estate.