Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt (1901 - August 6, 1978) was an American socialite and philanthropist. She was one of the first women to compete in the

America's Cup The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one f ...

alongside her husband,

Harold Stirling Vanderbilt Harold Stirling Vanderbilt CBE (July 6, 1884 – July 4, 1970) was an American railroad executive, a champion yachtsman, an innovator and champion player of contract bridge, and a member of the Vanderbilt family. Early life He was born in Oakdale ...

, in 1934 and 1937.

Early life

Gertrude Conaway was born in 1901 in Philadelphia. Her father, John L. Conaway, was "a famous horseman," however he died when she was 10. Her stepfather, W. Barklie Henry, was a banker and yachtsman. Conaway grew up in Philadelphia, where she acted in

amateur theatre Amateur theatre, also known as amateur dramatics, is theatre performed by amateur actors and singers. Amateur theatre groups may stage plays, revues, musicals, light opera, pantomime or variety shows, and do so for the social activity as well as f ...

Yachting and philanthropy

Vanderbilt was one of the first women allowed to compete in the

. She was allowed aboard her husband's yachts during the 1934 America's Cup and the 1937 America's Cup. Vanderbilt served on the board of trust of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

, a private university in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, as an honorary trustee. She endowed scholarships in the English department. Vanderbilt bequeathed $1 million to the

Newport Hospital Newport Hospital is a private, nonprofit hospital located in Newport, Rhode Island. Together with The Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital, Newport Hospital is a member of the Lifespan health system. History Newport Hospital was founded in ...

, $1 million to the JFK Medical Center in

Atlantis, Florida Atlantis is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 2,142. Geography Atlantis is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which ...

, $200,000 to the Shenandoah County Memorial Hospital in

Woodstock, Virginia Woodstock is a town and the county seat of Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,212 according to the 2017 census. Woodstock comprises 3.2 square miles of incorporated area of the town, and is located along the ...

, and $100,000 to the

NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City affiliated with two Ivy League medical schools, Cornell University and Columbia University. The hospital comprises seven distinct campuses located in the New Y ...

. She also donated $1.25 million to the

Preservation Society of Newport County The Preservation Society of Newport County is a private, non-profit organization based in Newport, Rhode Island. It is Rhode Island's largest and most-visited cultural organization. The organization protects the architectural heritage of Newpor ...

, an organization to protect the architectural heritage of

Newport County, Rhode Island Newport County is one of five counties located in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, the population was 85,643. It is also one of the seven regions of Rhode Island. The county was created in 1703. Like all of the counties in ...

Personal life and death

Conaway married

on August 20, 1933 in New York City; he was 17 years older than she. They never had children. They resided in New York City and at Eastover, a property in

Manalapan, Florida Manalapan is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 406 at the 2010 United States census. History United States President Benjamin Harrison granted George H. K. Carter a homestead in 1889 on the yet unnamed lan ...

near Palm Beach designed by architect

Maurice Fatio Maurice Fatio (1897–1943) was a Swiss-born American architect. Biography Maurice Fatio was born in Geneva, Switzerland on March 18, 1897. He graduated from the Polytechnical School at the University of Zurich and studied under Swiss architec ...

. They summered at Rock Cliff, an estate in Newport, Rhode Island that they purchased in 1961. When her husband died in 1970, Vanderbilt inherited over $1 million as well as $15 million in trust funds. Vanderbilt died on August 8, 1978 in Newport, Rhode Island. Her funeral was held at Trinity Church, and she was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery,

Portsmouth, Rhode Island Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,871 at the 2020 U.S. census. Portsmouth is the second-oldest municipality in Rhode Island, after Providence; it was one of the four colonies which merged ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanderbilt, Gertrude Conaway 20th-century American philanthropists 1901 births 1978 deaths American socialites People from New York City People from Newport, Rhode Island People from Palm Beach County, Florida People from Philadelphia Philanthropists from New York (state) Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt University people