Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/20

VANDAMME. came at the age of twenty-two a brigadier-gen- eral in the Army of the North. He fought in Bel- gium under Jourdan and on the Rhine, became general of division in 1799, and distinguished himself at Austerlitz (1805). In the following year he was placed in command of the Wilrttem- berg troops, and in this capacity occupied Sjilesia in 1806-07, and took part in the Austrian cam- paign of 1809. In 1812 he commanded the forces in Westphalia, but. owing to dissensions with King Jerome, was removed. After the battle of Dresden (1813) he was intrusted by Napoleon with the pursuit of the Allies, but at Kulm (Au- gust 29-30) was surrounded and compelled to capitulate with 10,000 men. During the Hundred Days he was created a peer by Xapolcon (he had been made count in 1808). and fought at Ligny and Wavre. He was banished after the second restoration and lived for some time in America. He died in his native town.

VAN'DERBILT, (1794-1877). An American capitalist and financier, born near Stapleton, Staten Island. N. Y. He had prac- tically no schooling. At the age of sixteen he es- tablished a ferry between Staten Island and New York for passengers and farm products. At eighteen he ow-ned or controlled three boats, and from that time on his interests in shipping rap- idly increased. In 1813 he married and settled in New Y'ork City. He rapidly acquired a consid- erable fleet of river and harbor boats, and in 1817 built and became captain of the first steam- boat running betw-een New York and New Bruns- wick. N. J. A company was organized of which he obtained in 1824 a controlling interest. In 1827 he leased the New York and Elizabeth Ferry and made it a paying investment. In 1829 he began the construction of a fleet of steamboats to compete with the existing Hudson River and Long Island Sound lines. Gi'adually he obtained control of the important competing lines, estab- lished new lines out of New York to Boston and other coast points, and started a new line on the Delaw'are River. Subsequently his fleet became the largest of the sort in the world, and led to their owner being popularly known as 'the Com- modore.' In 1851 he established a steamship and transfer line to California by way of Lake Nic- aragua, which successfully competed with the existing Panama route. During the Crimeau War he established a transatlantic line between New York and Havre. About the time of the out- break of the Civil War. having accumulated a fortune of upward of $10,000,000 in the steam- boat business, he gradually began to withdraw from that anil transfer his capital to railroads, the great possibilities of whose develoi)mcnt ap- pealed to him. He had become president of the New York and Harlem Railroad as early as 1857, and in 1804 he obtained control also of the Hud- son River Railroad, the stock of which ha<l fallen to a low figure, wiu'ked it in conjunction with the Harlem line, and soon placed it on a paying basis. In 18fi7 he obtained control of the New York Central Railroad, was elected its yirpsident. and in 1809 consolidated with it the jludson River road. Eventually he completed his plan of a through trunk line from New "'ork to Cliicago by securing the Lake Shore, Canada Southern, and Michigan Central roads. Every line that came into his hands was placed on a sound financial basis, and continually improved in service and equipment. At his death his fortune, estimated at about .$100,000,000, was left largely to his son, William H. Vanderbilt. A bequest of .$1,000,1)00 was made for founding Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tenn.

VANDERBILT, Cornelius (1843-99). An American financier and capitalist, son of .lliam H. Vanderliilt and grandson of 'Commodore' Cor- nelius Vanderbilt. He was born at New Dorp, Staten Island, and was privatelj' educated. Alter serving as a banking clerk in New York, he en- tered the brokerage house of Kissam Brothers. In 1865 he entered the service of the New York and Harlem Railroad, of which he was treasurer from 1867 to 1877. In the latter year, upon his father succeeding 'Commodore' Vanderbilt as president of the New York Central Railroad, he became its first vice-president, in which position he had almost complete control of the finances of the road. In 1878 he became treasurer of the Michigan Central Railroad and vice-president and treasurer of the Canadian Southern. Sub- sequently he was for several years president of both of the last mentioned roads, besides being president of the New' Y'ork and Harlem, and after 1886 chairman of the board of directors of the New Y'ork Central Railroad. At the same time he was a director in more than thirty-four differ- ent railway corporations. He gave largely to educational and religious institutions, among which were Vanderbilt University, Yale Univer- sity, and the Cathedral of Saint John the Di- vine in New Y'ork City.

VANDERBILT, William Henry (1821-85). An American capitalist and financier, the son of 'Commodore' Cornelius Vanderbilt (q.v.), born in New Brunswick, N. J. He was educated at the Columbia College Grammar School, and at the age of eighteen became a b.anking clerk in New Y'ork City. A few years later failing health com- pelled him to retire to a farm on Staten Island. He was appointed receiver of the Staten Island Railroad, which had fallen into diflSculties, and in two years cleared it from debt, connected it with New Y'ork by a new ferry line, and as a result was chosen its president. Thenceforth his father made him a partner in all his large railroad ami financial transactions, and manager of the vari- ous railroad interests he acquired. The son be- came vice-president of the New' Y'ork and Harlem Railroad in 1864. and in the next year vice-presi- dent of the New York Central and Hudson River lines. At his father's <lcath in 1877 he succeeded him as president of the latter road, and inider his able and skillful management the control was completed of the Michigan Central. Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, Canada Southern, and Chicago and Northw'estern systems. Subsequently the 'Nickel Plate" and West Shore roads were ac- quired. He gave largely dviring his lifetime to Vanderbilt University, the College of Physicians and Surgeons (Columbia University), and other educational and philanlhropic institutions.

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY. A coedicati(iiial inslitition of learning a( Nashville. Tenn., founded in 1872 as the Central University of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was changed to its prcscnl name in 1873 in honor of Cornelius Vanderbilt. who made i(s estaldishment possible hy a gift of .$1,000,000. The university began work in 1875 with four departments, aca-