Cornelius Vanderbilt - Biography, Children & Facts - History Mother of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt Cecil How did Cornelia Vanderbilt die? - Answers Some of the most touching photographs are the ones she took of her husband and daughter. She was the fourth child of Colonel and Mrs. George Warren Dresser, who was a descendant of the last Dutch governor of New York. She became the first woman president of the State Agricultural Society. When her father was alive, the estate encompassed 125,000 acres. The society page of the Asheville Citizen newspaper the next day presented a view of the range of costumes: Japanese geisha girls, Gypsies, Pioret and Piorettes, Chinese coolies, pirates, Dutch girls, Sultans and Red Cross nurses. The paper also gave nod to Rachel Strong, a close friend of Cornelia, who traveled in from Cleveland, Ohio, reporting she was charming as an oriental dancing girl, her frock being among the most gorgeous.. Upon William's death, the Vanderbilt fortune was passed down to his children. Of the 2,224 people on board, 1,514 died. Biltmore House, the main residence, is a Chteauesque-style mansion built for George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United States, at 178,926 sq ft (16,622.8 m2) of floor space (135,280 square feet of living area). He eventually married a Norwegian woman in his early 20s, and together, they settled on a farm. Edith Vanderbilt - Biltmore Her brother-in-law Rev. On the Estate, she took maternity baskets to women who just given birth to make sure they had everything they needed. German forces shot down the plane over the Bay of Biscay. Discover Biltmores rare and beautiful objets dartfurnishings, paintings, tapestries, and more. d leader of the Jennings gang of outlaws, for assault with intent to kill, resulted in verdict of guilty, lie was immediately placed on t >; Talks on ; Anglo-American Belations. Afternoon tea on the Loggia, May 1903. [1] Known as "Billy," he was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. Volunteering for the Red Cross, continuing her husbands efforts to create Pisgah National Forest, and becoming the first female president of the North Carolina Agricultural Society, Edith used her position for the good of her adopted state, and the nation at large.