William Kissam Vanderbilt I
1849–1920 (age 71)
Heir/Businessman
Biography
William Kissam Vanderbilt I expanded the family's railroad interests into a transportation empire, serving as a director of the New York Central and investing in transatlantic shipping while lending his name to the Vanderbilt Cup auto races.
He was a patron of the arts, gifting significant works to the Metropolitan Museum and supporting hospitals and universities, and he rests with relatives at the Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum.