Product Details
Company
Staten Island Rail-Road Company
Certificate Type
Capital Stock
Date Issued
September 23, 1854
Canceled
Yes
Printer
Hosford & Co., New York
Signatures
Hand signed
Approximate Size
9 1/2" w x 7 1/4" h
Images
Show the exact certificate you will receive
Guaranteed Authentic
Yes
Additional Details
Signed by Jacob Vanderbilt as company President.
Historical Context
Captain Jacob Hand Vanderbilt was born on the East Shore of Staten Island on September 2nd, 1807. The Vanderbilts were of Dutch origin due to their ancestors. The area in which they lived was of the eastern shore, actually located on the west side, which is now known as Stapleton today. Jacobs’ father, Cornelius Vanderbilt, built an estate for farming.
His family supplied meat from their own cattle in their farm. The place where they obtained flour was at the Clove Mill or by the Tide Mill, which is in the South Beach area of Staten Island. During this time, there were hardly shops, doctors, and lawyers, making employment low during this time.
Jacob went to school but then he fell in love with the water, wanting to “follow the water”. When he was eighteen years old, he was raised in command of a steamboat. Whether it was adventure or business, Jacob enjoyed what he was doing, resembling in his father's footsteps, who also had a passion for the water and created a ferry-boat business. Jacob's steamboat business had conducted steamboats lines on Long Island, Connecticut, and the Hudson river.
In 1834, Jacob married Euphemia Maria Banta, who was a descendant of General Israel Putnam. Jacob and his wife had three children; He had one son and two daughters. Jacob and his family lived in a beautiful home, known as “Clove Hill”, which was located on the heights of the island. Today, we know this area as Clove Lake and Grymes Hill. He lived here after his retirement from his business.
Jacob's brother, William Henry Vanderbilt, was the president and vice president for many railroads his family created. Following in his brother's and family's footsteps, Jacob became president of the Staten Island Rail-Road and a number of steamboat lines in New York City area
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