~ 1794 - 1877
Cornelius Vanderbilt was an American business magnate and philanthropist born on May 27, 1794, in Staten Island, New York. He made his fortune in the shipping and railroad industries, becoming one of the wealthiest individuals of his time and a key figure in the development of the transportation infrastructure in the United States. Vanderbilt is best known for founding the Vanderbilt University and for his significant contributions to the expansion of the American railway system.