Cornelius Vanderbilt Vanderbilt was born to a poor family and quit school at the age of 11 to work for his Father who was a boater. When he turned 16 he persuaded his mother to give him a $100 dollar loan for a boat to start his business. He opened a transport and freight service Between New York and Staten Island for eighteen cents a trip. He repaid the loan with an $1,000 dollars. Vanderbilt later received a government …showed first 75 words of 405 total…

…showed last 75 words of 405 total…gained control of the New York railroad that connected New York and Chicago. He founded Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee, and gave $50,000 to the Church of Strangers. Upon His death he was the richest man in The United States. He left his fortune of 95 million dollars to his son William Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is remembered for his remark,” the public be damned,” when asked by a reporter whether railroads should be run for the public benefit.