The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-15
THE VANDERBILT FAMILY.
The Appearance, Mode of Life and Char
acteristics of the Daughters.
Thoroughly Domestic People as Rule-The
Signing Of the Will-Getting an Idea of the
F0rtune-Anecdotes of the Dead Man.
New York World.

FOrtune-AnecdoteS of the Dead Man.
New York World.
The death of William Fl. Vanderbilt naturally
brings the women of his family into prominence,
especially his widow and daughters, and the
wives of his sons, the latter Of whom now in
herit wealth that makes them more powerful
than the majority of the crowned heads of
Europe. Mrs. w. Fl. Vanderbilt, the widow,
while not small woman, is still rather slight of
figure has dark hair, as yet hardly tinged with
gray, dark hazel eyes, and very sweet and re-
fined expression. Thoroughly domestic in her
tastes and devoted to her husband, children and
grandchildren, she has never cared for society,
and it has been only on account of her your gest
daughter Miss Leila, now Mrs. Seward Webb,
that she has entertained at all during the past
five years. She is exceedingly simple in her
mode of life. rising early, breakfasting with her
family and then devoting several hours to
her household duties, afterwards visiting her
grandchildren, or having them brought to see her.
In the afternoon she generally drives in the Park.
accompanied by one of her daughters, or her
George, and after quiet family dinner chats
with her family and then retires. She is very
regular in her attendance at church, and very
faithful to her church duties. One beautiful
trait of her character is her constancy to her
friends She has an especial affection for the
friends of her early married life and at the re-
ceptions she has held during the winter cards
have been as regularly sent to her old Staten
Island acquaintances-many of them farmers
as to her more fashionable city friends. She
has always made it her duty to see that her hus-
bands relatives who were in poor circumstances
should be well remembered on every festal occa-
sion. Her own immediate relatives all in
comfortable circumstances. While Mrs. Van
derbilts name does not appear prominently in
the list of managers of the leading charities, yet
she contributes largely to them in a very quiet
manner, always accompanying such contribu-
tions with the request that her name be not
mentioned. While her circle of former ac1uaint
ances is necessarily a large one, yet compare
lively few persons know her intimately, but
these speak of her in the highest terms an ex-
emplary wife, mother and woman.
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who will now prob
ably become the head of the family, was Miss
Alice Gwinn, young lady who. with her sister,
occupied a prominent position in Cincinnati So
ciety previous to her marriage. Mrs. Vanderbilt
is very petite with rather pretty but not exactly
handsome features She is also exceedingly do
nestle in her tastes and devoted to her family
of boys, but. until she went into mourning last
winter for a relative. was present at all the
larger balls of the winter season. Unaffected
and simple in manner, she yet has much quiet
dignity. She has the best taste in dress of any
of the women in the Vanderbilt family. Some
of her ball costumes worn in late years were re-
markedly effective and handsome. She enters
into all her husbands charitable work with the
most hearty good will. Her residence at the
corner of Fifty seventh street and Fifth avenue
is one of the most artistically decorated houses
in the city, largely the result of Mrs. Wander
bits taste and direction.
A very different type Of woman from her
mother-in- law and sister-in-law is Mrs. William
K. Vanderbilt, the wife of the second son. She
was married to Mr.. Vanderbilt in 1875. and was
formerly Miss Alvah Smith, a daughter of Mr..
Smith, of Mobile. who lived with his family
many years in Paris She and her sister, Miss
Amide, Miss Jennie-now Mrs. Ferdinand
Yznaga-and Miss Minnie Smith, now in Paris.
were prominent bellies in New York society. She
is tall and slight, neither blond G nor brunette,
her hair slightly grayisb, although still young
woman. She is gifted with very fine conversa-
tional powers. being quick at repartee and sar-
castle at times, which has had rather the ten
dency to make her somewhat feared in society,
to which she is devoted. She felt her husbands
financial reverses, which made it necessary for
her to retire for time from their leading posi-
ton, very keenly. Her intimacy with Lady
Vaudeville. formerly Miss Consuela Yznaga, has
been of long standing, resulting in the latters
making her visit of year lately, during which
time at Lady Mandevilles suggestion, her
famous fancy dress ball was given Mrs. Van
derbilt dresses chiefly in black, which best
adorns her face and figure. She has three chill
dren is a good hostess and delights in entertain
ing. She is fond of admiration, and is, in fact,
thorough woman of the world in every par
ticular.
Mrs Frederick W. Vanderbilt, the wife of the
third son, is the youngest of the daughters-in-
law. She was Miss Anthony. of Rhode Island,
a relative of the late Senator Anthony. She
first married a nephew of VIM Fl. Vanderhilts.
MIR. VIM. Terrence, from whom she obtained a
divorce on the grounds of desertion, after
brief welded life Of six months, and year after
ward married Mr. Frederick Vanderbilt much
against the wishes Of his father and mother, who
not reconciled for some time to the match
They however. grew to be worry fond of Mrs
Vanderbilt and three years ago, at the compile
ton of the Fifth avenue palace, the now dead
millionaire presented the young couple with his
former residence at Fifth avenue and Fortieth
street Mrs. Frederick Vanderbilt is fond of So
ciety, but her husbands aversion to it does not
permit her to go out to any extent.
The eldest of Mr.. Vanderbilts daughters is
Mrs. Elliott F. Shepard, formerly Miss Margaret
Vanderbilt She is tall and dark, and, while
not handsome, has very sweet face. She has
large family and inherits her mothers do
nestle tastes, going into society very little
except to dinners, which her husbands
professional position makes necessary. She
dresses quietly and in good taste Mrs. Will.
lam d. Sloane formerly Miss Emily Vanderbilt
now the wife of one of the members of the large
carpet firm. lives with her husband and family
in the upper one of the two Fifth avenue pal
aces She was married about twelve years ago.
and is very happy in her domestic relations
having several young children, to whom she is
very devoted. She is tail and frail-lookng
with light hair, slightly reddish in tinge Mrs.
Sloane's chief diversion is the opera, and she
may be seen in her fathers box at the Metropol-
itan Opera house almost every night OF the sea-
son.
A brunette, and of medium height is Mrs
Hamilton Nick Twombly, formerly Miss Flor
ence Vanderbilt and the wife of Mr.. Wander
bits favorite son-iE-law. By many persons
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