Alice Claypoole Gwynne

Alice Claypoole Gwynne Vanderbilt (1845-1934), wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and reigned as the dowager Mrs. Vanderbilt for over 60 years.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was the daughter of Abraham Gwynne, a lawyer, and Rachel Flagg. Alice Claypoole Gwynne met the pious Vanderbilt while teaching Sunday school at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church. They married there in 1867. She and her husband had four sons and three daughters.

*Alice Vanderbilt (1869-1874)
*William (1870-1892)
*Cornelius III (1873-1942)
*Gertrude (1875-1942)
*Alfred (1877-1915)
*Reginald (1880-1925), maternal grandfather of journalist Anderson Cooper
*Gladys (1886-1965)

Alice was responsible for the enlargement of 1 W. 57th Street, making it the largest private residence to ever be built in an American city, as well as the Breakers Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1914, she was responsible for the construction of the Gwynne Building of Cincinnati Ohio, site of the first shop of Procter & Gamble, later the company's headquarters.

Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt died on Staten Island at the age of 89 in 1934. Her will stated the Breakers be left to her daughter Gladys Moore Vanderbilt Széchenyi.