Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-12-09

49,
some RecoIlectioas of Him in New
Haven-HIs Impaired Health In
Late Years-His stock I'm the Con.
solidated Road-A Former New Ha-
ven society Belle the Wife of the
Great Money Kings Eldest Son
Miss Gwynn. a Granddaughter OF
the Late Mayor FIagg-A SON of MR.
Vanderbilt Who Was at Yale.
The news of the sudden death of William
H. Vanderbilt reached this city late yester-
day afternoon and was at first discredited,
but subsequent reports soon confirmed the
sad intelligence. AR. Vanderbilt was not
unknown in New Haven, having been here
on several occasions attending annual meet
ings of the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford railroad company, of which he had been
director for years past. He had also many
times passed through here on the cars when
bound for Newport or the mountains, and
his presence on board the cars was generally
known at the depot, causing general STAN
pede of people in the depot at the time to
get glimpse of the great railroad magnate
and money king. The late Mr.. Vanderbilt
was a large owner of the stock of the Con-
solidated road, but not as large an owner
therein as some other gentlemen are indl-
vidually. He owned fifteen hundred shares
of the stock of the road. This stock he in
herited from his father, the commodore, and
never owned a share more or a share less
than that figure. At the present valuation
of the stock of this road fifteen hundred
shares are worth little over $3OO,OO
Commodore Vanderbilt also attended many
of the annual meetings of the New York
road, which meetings are always held in New
Haven Mr.. Vanderbilt's health had not
been good for a number of years past, and
he was obliged to submit some time ago to
several severe and dangerous surgical opera
tions, as newspaper readers will recollect.
For some months past his death had been
quite delicate. In his younger manhood his
farming experiences had made him sturdy
and robust, but the care of a vast property.
with the attendant perplexities and the vast
responsibilities devolving upon him, had
Slapped the foundations of his constitutional
vigor. We learn from a leading gentleman
of New Haven, who has had many social and
business interviews with Mr.. Vanderbilt, va
rious interesting matters concerning the de-
ceased. Mr.. Vanderbilt's health had been
such for several years as to require of him a
care as to diet amounting to abstemiousness,
and he rarely touched even a glass of wine
and limited his smoking to small figure.
One of the last business acts of the deceased
was the transfer last Saturday of his Staten
Island property to his son George,
who is a student and lover
of books, gentleman of educa-
ton and quiet tastes who usually accom-
panied his father on his European trips.
Another fact of interest is that the wife of
Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt, the eldest son of
the late William H. Vanderbilt, was form
erly New Haven g1r1 and figured in her
teens in leading New Haven society circles.
She was Miss Gwynn and was a very pretty,
vivacious and charming young lady, well re-
membered here by her society mates.
She was a granddaughter of ex-
Mayor Flagg and resided for several
years with her grandfather at the Mayor
Flagg residence, which we believe is still stand
ing on Water street. Her mother, Mrs.
Gwynn, also resided at the time at Mayor
Flagg's Her husband received SO ZOO, 000
by the will of his grandfather, Commodore
Vanderbilt, and by the death of William II.
Vanderbilt Mr.. and Mrs. Cornelius Wander
bilt, it may be assumed, will become
exceedingly wealthy and the former
New Haven society belle becomes
elevated to a still loftier social po-
sition, one of the first in America. Mr..
Cornelius Vanderbilt is a gentleman most
highly esteemed and takes a decided interest
in measures and Institutions of Importance
for the elevation of humanity. Also Fred
erick g. Vanderbilt, son of the late Will
liam H. Vanderbilt, is in some degree related
to New Haven, having been a member of the
Sheffield Scientific school, from which he
graduated in 1875.