Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt (January 30, 1794 – July 17, 1871) was an American businessman from New York City and a member of the Roosevelt family.
Roosevelt was born in New York City, the son of James Jacobus Roosevelt and Maria Van Schaack, and the last full-blooded Dutch Roosevelt of his line. He attended Columbia College but academic life did not suit him, and he did not graduate. However, he was adept at business; an importer of hardware and plate glass, he became his father's partner, inherited a large fortune, and was one of the five richest men in New York City. He was one of the founders of the Chemical Bank of New York City, which later became Chase. He died in Oyster Bay, New York.
He married Margaret Barnhill (1799–1861) and had six children, five of whom reached adulthood: Silas Weir, James Alfred, Cornelius Van Schaack, Jr., Robert Barnhill (1829–1906), and Theodore (1831–1878), the father of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
Famous quotes containing the word roosevelt:
“The old parties are husks, with no real soul within either, divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden and privilege-controlled, each a jumble of incongruous elements, and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly on what should be said on the vital issues of the day.”
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)