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.

William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil
Born	August 17, 1928 Asheville, North Carolina
Died	October 31, 2017 (aged 89) Asheville, North Carolina
Nationality	American
Education	Harvard University
Occupation	Businessman
Spouse(s)	Mary Lee Ryan
Children	2
Parent(s)	John Francis Amherst Cecil Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt
Relatives	George Washington Vanderbilt II (grandfather) Edith Stuyvesant Gerry (grandmother)

Biography

Early life

William Cecil was the younger son of John Francis Amherst Cecil (1890–1954) and Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1900–1976). He was the grandson of George Washington Vanderbilt II, and the great-grandson of William Henry Vanderbilt. His great great grandfather was railroad and steamship baron, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt.

William A. V. Cecil was a direct descendant of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, through his grandparents, Lord William Cecil and Mary Rothes Margaret Cecil, Baroness Amherst of Hackney. Cecil, an English statesman, was chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State (1550–53 and 1558–72) and Lord High Treasurer from 1572.

Career

Cecil was a graduate of Harvard University. Upon the death of his mother, he inherited the Biltmore Estate once his elder brother, George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil, chose to take charge of the family dairy (known as Biltmore Farms) which was much more profitable at the time. He successfully transformed Biltmore into a popular North Carolina tourist attraction and built a profitable winery on the grounds.

Personal life

Cecil's widow, Mary Lee Ryan, was a first cousin of First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, as their mothers, Janet Norton Lee and Marion Merritt Lee, were sisters.[1]

Cecil's son, Bill Cecil Jr., serves as President and CEO of The Biltmore Company today. His daughter-in-law, Virginia Cecil, oversees the equestrian center at the estate and is on the Biltmore board of directors.[2]

Death

Cecil died at home in his native Asheville, North Carolina, on October 31, 2017, aged 89. His death occurred 2 weeks before his wife. He is survived by his two children: William A. V. Cecil Jr. and Diana (née Cecil) Pickering.[3]

Ancestry

Ancestors of William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil

16. Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter 8. William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter 17. Isabella Poyntz 4. Lord William Cecil 18. Thomas Pakenham, 2nd Earl of Longford 9. Lady Georgina Pakenham 19. Lady Georgiana Emma Charlotte Lygon 2. Hon. John Francis Amherst Cecil 20. William George Daniel-Tyssen 10. William Tyssen-Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney 21. Mary Fountaine 5. Mary Tyssen-Amherst, 2nd Baroness Amherst of Hackney 22. Adm. Robert Mitford 11. Margaret Susan Mitford 23. Margaret Dunsmore 1. William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil 24. Cornelius Vanderbilt 12. William Henry Vanderbilt 25. Sophia Johnson 6. George Washington Vanderbilt II 26. Rev. Samuel Kissam 13. Maria Louisa Kissam 27. Margaret Hamilton Adams 3. Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt 28. George Andrew Dresser 14. Maj. George Warren Dresser 29. Hannah Brown 7. Edith Stuyvesant Dresser 30. Daniel LeRoy 15. Susan Fish LeRoy 31. Susan Elizabeth Fish

References

1. "NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK NOMINATION: BILTMORE ESTATE" (PDF). nps.gov. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
2. "The Biltmore Equestrian Center". biltmore.com. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
3. William A.V. Cecil, Vanderbilt's grandson and Biltmore owner, dead at 89, citizen-times.com; accessed October 31, 2017.

External links

• About Us, biltmore.com; accessed October 31, 2017.