George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil (February 27, 1925 – October 19, 2020) was an American businessman who was the owner and chairman of Biltmore Farms.

Biography

George was the first of two sons born to

John Francis Amherst Cecil John Francis Amherst Cecil (30 June 1890 – 22 October 1954) was the first secretary of the British Embassy, Washington, known for his marriage to Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt. Early life John Francis Amherst Cecil was born on 30 June 1890 in ...

(1890–1954) and

Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt Cecil Bulkely-Johnson Goodsir (August 22, 1900 – February 7, 1976) was an American born heiress and member of the Vanderbilt family who inherited the Biltmore Estate. She was known for her eccentric behavior. Ear ...

(1900–1976) and was the grandson of

George Washington Vanderbilt II George Washington Vanderbilt II (November 14, 1862 – March 6, 1914) was an art collector and member of the prominent Vanderbilt family, which amassed a huge fortune through steamboats, railroads, and various business enterprises. He commission ...

, the founder of the Biltmore Estate. He was educated in Europe, attended the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, and served in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Upon the death of his mother, Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt, George was given the choice of taking over Biltmore Farms (the family dairy) or the Estate. Leaving the estate for his younger brother

William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil (August 17, 1928 – October 31, 2017) was the operator of the Biltmore Estate through his company, The Biltmore Company. Biography Early life William Cecil was the younger son of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbil ...

, George chose to take ownership of Biltmore Farms which, at the time, was much more profitable. Biltmore Farms had continued to grow under George's management, transforming it into a profitable real estate business that serves the

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous ci ...

area.

Personal life

Cecil was a direct descendant of both

William Henry Vanderbilt William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. Vanderbi ...

and, on his father's side, William Cecil, the chief adviser to

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

in the 16th century, through his grandparents, Lord William Cecil and

Mary Rothes Margaret Cecil, Baroness Amherst of Hackney Mary Rothes Margaret Cecil, 2nd Baroness Amherst of Hackney, (''née'' Mary Rothes Margaret Tyssen-Amherst; 25 April 1857 – 21 December 1919) was a British hereditary peer, charity worker, amateur archaeologist and ornithologist. Thirty-two ...

. He married Nancy Owen Cecil and together they had six children: John ("Jack") F. A. V. Cecil, Edith Ann Cecil, Catherine Cecil Taylor, Margaret Cecil Sinnott, Louisa Cecil Harrison, and Christopher Cecil. His elder son, John F. A. V. Cecil, is currently the president of Biltmore Farms. Cecil was born at

Biltmore House Biltmore Estate is a historic house museum and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina. Biltmore House (or Biltmore Mansion), the main residence, is a Châteauesque-style mansion built for George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 an ...

in Asheville, North Carolina. He died in October 2020 at the age of 95. His wife Nancy predeceased him.

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cecil, George Henry Vanderbilt 1925 births 2020 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople American people of Dutch descent American people of English descent George Henry Vanderbilt George Henry Vanderbilt Military personnel from North Carolina People from Asheville, North Carolina Royal Navy personnel of World War II George Henry Vanderbilt George Henry Vanderbilt

Biography

Personal life

Ancestry

See also

References