New-York tribune., 1877-01-05
TIE GREAT FINANCIER'S LIFE
vANDrpnIJT,S EARLY STRUGGLES.

Lons and with them came the culture which belongs
Tn the second generation he had only to invest them
wisely and they were doubled and trebled; he did
what great hnd-owrers have done for centuries
Stewart WAS an embodiment of the genius OF tfaue;
he prospercd inst as merchants have done III 'ehce
Amsterdam and London. Vanderbilt was as cautious
as the landowner, and as industrious as the mer-
chant; he began bv carrying farmers to marker III
his sloop: he worked night and day ho laid by ms
savings: he built hundred steam vessels, aud
hecame ono of the masters of the railroad system OF
the continent He grew rich through the cumulative
force-tbe tremendous pressure of CAPITAL FROM
first to last he brought every dollar to bear nh te
weight of his millions was felt by every industry Oh
tho continent.
Energy and thrift were the heritage of the iiol-
land stock from which Cornelius Vanderbilt si'ranV.
His father had small farm on Staten Island. near
thp Quarantine ground and ike all the landowners
of the Island carried prodnce To the cry markers.
The problem of transportation was very simple
one in those DAYS. Transit was neither qhi'K h"r
cheap and there was neither competition nor mo-
nopolv. Nearly every market gardener was ms own
boatman and deliyc,cd his produce in New-Yorl'
when and where he pleased There was, however
pnbic demand for some regular means of commune
cation and this weII-fo-do farmrr fell INTO the habit
of carving his neighbors vegetables and sofes and
finally ran his boat regularly during warm weather,
leaving the island in the morning and returning III
tbe evening This was the origin of the Staten
Island ferry The farmer-ferTyman was liberal to
fault and the prosperity of the family was manly
due to his wife, who rs prudent as ne was III
cautions. Once when her husbands ahairs were
seriously embarrassed and the farm was about 10
pass out of his hands, she produced $1,000 from her
private store and paid his debts Owing to the
fathers industry and the mothcrs judicous manage
ment the family were in comfortable circumstances.
BIRTHPLACE.
There were nine children, the eldest being Corne-
lins. lie was born on the 27th of May, 1871. on
staten Island There are several houses in staple
ton which are pointed ont rs the place Of his
birth one or two in the center of the island. and at
least two in Port Richrnond. sister of Mr. Wander
biIt. now living in T0mpkmsye, says very de-
cdcdly that hc was born in a little house in Port
Richmond, now belonging to DR.. Harrison of that
place who has since rcmodcled it, 50 that scarcely
trace of the oh structure can he found IN the new.
II is undisputed however, that in his very early
chIlhnod his parents removed with the family to
Staplron. into house on Bay-St.. fronting on the
water which was burned several years aco.
Here the children grew mp. CorncliHs left
home early but still continued 10 live in
Siapleion. After the death Of his father, his
mother removed with one unmarried daughter
TO another house close -, which IS stlll
standing. The year of his first marriage Cor
mcljus took rooms in this house. and lived there
short time while waiting for the completion Of his
own home The house stands a knoll at some
distance from the street and is part OF the Wander
bilt estate. It's a modest dwelling, story and
half. with dnrmer windows, and piazza running
along its entire front II sll has old fashioned
air owing TO 4 whim of tine Commodore, who has
never allowed il 10 be rcnOdeed in the slightest
particular. Near tins early home stands n more
modern house, which Mr. Vanderbilt erected for
Summer resort daring hil middle life. The house Is
conspicuous by reason Of its elevated position and
The large pillars in its front aud still comfortable
thonYh if can never have been an elegant home. Mr.
Vanderbilt has owned great deal OF real estate on
Staten Island but in 1869 h. transferred most of it
to his son. ii is said that mt one time the cntr'
island was the property of one Of the ancestors OF
The Vanderbilt family, who purchased it for the
! sum of $500. Whether this he trJe or not, the
family have always been Identified with the island.
BOYHOOD
This was genuine boy, strong and healthy, fond
of outdoor life hating the air of a school-room,
! good Oarsman, iine swimmer, and an excellent
! borsrman The only books which he used at school
were the Testament and q spelling-bOo.; hc learned
| TO read. write and cipher; but not ruch more He
worked on the farm, sailed his fathers boats, and
was pa..lonai.ly fond of horseback riding. in his
old age he used to boast that when lac only six
years old he hal driven racc-horsa at iIil speed
There was little slave boy in the family barely two
wears older than himself. About eighteen months
! agp a co0rcd Methodist preacher Of advanced age
called upon the Commodore and reminded him of the
break-uccl races which they had had seventy five
| years before.
Even in his boyhood he began TO manifest that
| heat of all American qualities grit He turned
neither TO right nor to lift. but kept straight on,
| and accomplished whatever he undertook. At an
early age he determined to have boat and to earn
| his living. His mother argued the point with him
| and attrmptcd to dis4uadr him, but lie was bent
| upou leaving the farm lie even threatened TO run
| away and 90 10 sea- Finally, by way OF conprO-
mise he tered to p'ow, harrow. and plant m eight
| acre lot if his mother would lend him a hundred
| dollars whcrcwith TO bay a boat. II then lacked
| 81 days of his 17ih year. She told him that lie
| should have the money if the job were done before
his birthday. He set to work vigorously, but soon
| found that he had undertaken too much. Then the
native shTewdncss Of his character came 10 light.
He had not aqrccd to do the work alone. and hence
was free TO call to his aid small troop Of Lis play
fellows whe wer, glad TO oblige him. The combIua-
ton was formed, and the field was narrowed and
planted on tie appointed morning-the iIst triumph
If his genius for organization.
yCORNEIL TIE BOATMAN
with the money in hand he ran TO the nearest vii
Iaee. bought a boat, aud set sail for home. On the
way ne struck sunken wreck the boat began to
| fill. and he was forced to run it ashore. 80 mi-
propt ous n beginning seemed 10 justify his
mothers apprchensiOns; but il only stimulate d his
| persistcncy. During the next three Summers lie
| earned three Thousand dollars. What he made
during the day and bali of EIs night earnings went