Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt II | |
---|---|
Born |
London, England |
September 22, 1912
Died | November 12, 1999 Brookville, New York United States |
(aged 87)
Resting place | Vanderbilt Mausoleum, Staten Island, New York |
Residence | Long Island, New York |
Education |
St. Paul's School Yale University |
Occupation | Thoroughbred racehorse / racetrack owner |
Spouse(s) |
Manuela Hudson (m. 1938–44) Jeanne Murray (m. 1945–56) Jean Harvey (m. 1957–75) |
Children | F1: Wendy (b. 1944) F2: Heidi (b. 1948), Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III (b. 1949) F3: Nicholas Harvey (1958–1984), Victoria Emerson (b. 1959), Michael Dagget (b. 1967) |
Parent(s) |
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Margaret Emerson |
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Jr. (September 22, 1912 – November 12, 1999) was a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family, a son of the first Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, who died a hero in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. His mother, Margaret Emerson (daughter of the Bromo-Seltzer inventor Isaac E Emerson), was one of America's wealthiest women and most sought-after hostesses, operating at least seven large estates around the country. His grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, had been one of America's most revered businessman; his great-grandfather, William Henry Vanderbilt had been the richest man in the world. "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt started the family fortune in shipping and railroads as the founder of the New York Central Railroad and builder of Grand Central Terminal in New York.
Of American parents, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Jr. was born in London, England. His mother, Margaret Emerson, gave him a 600-acre (2.4 km²) horse farm in Glyndon Maryland called Sagamore Farm for his 21st birthday, and it was in Thoroughbred horse racing that he made his mark. The Vanderbilt family had by then given up control of most of their former railroad interests. Alfred G. Vanderbilt was President of Belmont Racetrack in New York and was the principal owner and president of Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.