Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
A scion of two colossal American fortunes who channeled his inheritance into ventures spanning Hollywood glamour, horse racing, and public service.
1899–1992 (age 93)·American businessman·Birthday: February 20·The Lost Generation
Biography
Born into the Vanderbilt and Whitney dynasties, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney could have lived a life of pure leisure. Instead, he became a restless builder, using his wealth as a tool for creation. He co-founded Pan American World Airways, bringing global air travel to the masses, and later produced Hollywood films like 'Gone with the Wind.' His true passions, however, were the turf and the open sky; he bred champion racehorses and served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. Whitney moved through the 20th century as a patron of American industry and culture, a man who treated his inherited privilege not as an endpoint, but as a launchpad for a remarkably varied and engaged life.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Cornelius was born in 1899, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cornelius Was Born
The biggest hits of 1899
Cornelius's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1899Born
President: William McKinley
1904Started school
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Became a teenager
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Could drive
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could vote
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Turned 21
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1929Turned 30
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 40
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 50
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 60
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 70
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 80
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1992Died at 93
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
Key Achievements
- Co-founded Pan American Airways with Juan Trippe in 1927, pioneering international commercial air travel.
- Served as the producer for the classic 1939 film 'Gone with the Wind,' which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
- Bred and raced thoroughbreds, winning the 1928 Kentucky Derby with Reigh Count and the 1945 Preakness Stakes with Polynesian.
Did You Know?
He was the first person to be inducted into both the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.
Whitney served as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 1947 to 1949.
He wrote several books, including an autobiography titled 'High Peaks'.
“The only real satisfaction is in building something that lasts.”
