William Henry Vanderbilt III

William Henry Vanderbilt III (November 24, 1901April 14, 1981) was an American politician who served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1939 to 1941, and a member of the wealthy and socially prominent Vanderbilt family. Early life Vanderbilt was born in New York City on November 24, 1901. He was the son of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt and Ellen "Elsie" French. Vanderbilt's father was a great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who founded the family fortune in railroads and shipping. William Vanderbilt's parents divorced in 1908, and through his father's second marriage he had two half-brothers, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr., and George Washington Vanderbilt III. In 1915, his father perished in the sinking of the . Education Vanderbilt was educated at St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island (Class of 1919) and the Evans School in Mesa, Arizona. He attended Princeton University but dropped out during his first year. In 1940, Vanderbilt received an honorary LL.D. from Bates College. Career