New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-09
MR. VANDERBILTS CAREER.
FROM FARMING TO BUYING RAILWAYS.

Commodore
NAV g 1921 a little more than seven years after MS
fathers marriage His mother was Sophia Johnson inc
aoncttor nj n Staten Island farmer. She took no
,oconsidcr lbe part in laying the foundations lot tue
future great wealth of the family Three generations
at least have attesed the stuIdncss OF the NandrD
The stock is Dutch and for more than century IL mas
aourshed with extraordinary yisor on Staten Island
where aiorcus outdoor lie. fan liar intercourse WIN
tbo elements acquaintance with hardship In various
forms not only developed the characteristic TRAITS Vi
thrtness and industry into second ha'ure' ou' "i'o
furnished an admirable equipment In tue shape oi
rugged bodies, simple habits, strong Wits ana ciear
perceptons In the transmission OF these traits Aere
seems 10 have been. me8suraOy ct least SORT o. n"V
ral oneration of the law OF pIimOgcnitnre me tom
modore was eldest William H. was an eiuost SON
and his natural successor, at least III t-e ac'i\o ~
stratiou of the great railway system Win "hicn 'e
family name is associated will he Corneals' also All
eldest SON Who for years has occupied the relation
toward his father In business ai"rs ''"' "' ~ ~
to the Commodore.
The Cnmmodorcs father was farmer VINO as carry Us
1894 the year in which the Commodore was oofll was
one OF the Thriving OF the thea small ana siiie
community that inhabited staten Island ne o"h'u
and titled tract OF land the quarantine SrOuhu anu
carried his uroduce TO New-YOrk in bis own sao"aI
His son Cornelius big sturdy lad full OF vitality"
leader OF the island boys IN athletic ieas'a Strung
swimmer bold sailor. daring rider and passionate lover
Of horses and dangerous adventures His spirit could
was INT rudi.nenary and the agricultural life 10 which
he was born had too little OF spice in to satisfy him.
How lie iOed enough money to buy sal'p"at Ill
order to hegin business his own account now I'M
willingly his parents gave their consent to tue under'aK
ing doing 50 only to prevent him from running away to
sea- and how from that modest start E lie he became
the we ATHEIST steamboat in the world aud the
king of railway men, Old and more than told
tale.
Wien he had laid away $500 Of his own earnings he
obtained mothers consent TO marry Sophia Johnson
a second cousin, who lived at Port Richmond ana the
marriage took place IN December. 1913 Five children
were born to the young bOanan and his wife within the
first seven years of their married life the fifth being the
boy who forthwith became his fathers pet child ana
who remained his Billy for fy-siX years Three
years before ne was horn his father abandoned the
sailing Of peraugers and sloops about the harhor Of
Nav York in which business he had engaged for
nearly years AMI 10 the surprise ut his friends ana
the delight of his rivals became the captain OF sna
steamboat plying between New-fork City ana New
Brunswick " J. The surprise OF his fcends WAS only
natural He had already established reputation as
daring, intrepid and successful sailor, was owner
of some OF the stanchest and neetest small craft
in the harbOr, had begun 10 extend his operations
to modest cOastng trade. ana was regularly
laying aside 5000 year % add 10 Il cash capital
that then amounted TO $4,000. All this he abandoned
10 enter the service Ihcmas Gibbons at salary OF
$1,000 year. BUTT wasOnly an early illustration OF that
mental as well physical force which later made him
master In every enterprise in which bo embarked HIS
quick brain already foresaw the outcome OF the struggle
between canvas and steam and lie then gave up sailing
for steamboatug just forty later he exchanged
the steamboats, for railways. The change was OF sigu
canoe In this sketch ii led TO the removal OF
Captain Vanderbilt and his family to New-Brunswick
At that time the line OF travel between New
York and Philadelphia lay through NcT-BrunswicS.
the trip made in three stages Passengers went 10
New Brunswick by steamboat; there they stayed
TnRE IL, ftHp
coach for Trenton, whence another boat carried
them down the Delaware River TO FLi!a-
delpnla The popularity Of Gibbonss line was, there
fore dependent In degree upon the excellence o. Inc
accommodations provided for the passengers at the
tavern controlled by the line in NewBranswick. The
tavern had been failure for some time, and when MI
Gibbons the services OF Captain Vanderbilt 10
run his steamboat lie offered ha also the hotel free OF
rent provided lie would take charge OF It. The offer was
accepted and tho Captains frugal vie, although DuT
dened with the of rapidly increasing family I'M
dertook the management of The hotel ana soon made II
source Of income to her husband as well A. his employer
Tie old CommOlUres admiration for womanhood was
divided Oe his mother aud Ia vic, ahd DoA AAH
won the love- admiration AMI respect thIt he gave 4'h
by their contrib only the happiness oi hs
life but also to its in w0HdiY sense. HIS
mother was OF keen foresight aud rare energy
whom 1t j. related thar Olct WIeI hcE Aus'iEu ma
involved himssf in unfortunate Transaction and
there was dau ger that the would be sold she eur
prsed him by counting out IN; 5000 necessary 10 ply
the debt in small gold pieces from her private store
Years afierward, her nal risen 10 De
the owner Of hundred boats, she lived ~ c!ub 'Wcrcd
eOttaze overlooking the oi Ills early struggles AID
victories aud It WAS TO permit tntt son 10 zee MS
mother that his team yich the North tar, Wa stopped
on tue way 10 city when returning from the mein-
CRADLE voyage TO ~ Petersburg and other European
ports in 1854. she died al the Of eehiy-scycn
years and left individual estate OF $4,000 she "nO
had been sophia Johnson, and WAS wiling 10 share the
lot Of the young when his fortune summed
up in sailboat and 500 In cash. ana ready
later to do an equal OF the breadcarnng Dy tax
ing upon herself tho Of an nn, kept
an equal share OF the miiiionairos admiration. ana 1t
was not without a bright light IN his eye and a fresh
ring i'm his voice that the ComO lore, usually harsh AID
unsympathec, was to boast IN his later days hat
lis wife was the finest woman OF her Ggc III tine
United states
The sons BOYHOOD AND MARRIAGE
william II. Vanderbilt born In the inn al New
Brunswick and forIiue years after his birth the Con-
modore continued IA ths sservice Of Thomas Gibbons,
building up business that capitalist AMI preparing
the way for his owl c1resr Man yLIle his son grew
no with the f. educational algJnt isss that country
town afforded. After the family removed % New-NOrk
an opportunity was afforded tho boy to add 10
those advantages bat only moderate use was
made OF The Commodore was little
inclined to attach Importance to mere book learning,
"a rt,,f.I ,s. .s.aur