Cornelia Stuyvesant (Vanderbilt) Goodsir (1900 - 1976)

Born 22 Aug 1900 in Asheville, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John Francis Amherst Cecil — married 29 Apr 1924 (to 1934) in Asheville, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States

Wife of Vivian Bulkeley-Johnson — married about 1949 in Kensington, London, England, United Kingdom

Wife of William Robert Goodsir — married about Sep 1972 in Maldon, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Died 7 Feb 1976 at age 75 in Churchill, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

The only child of George Washington Vanderbilt & Edith Stuyvesant Dresser, Cornelia was born on 22 August 1900 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Upon her father's death in 1914, Cornelia inherited the estate. Her mother sold approximately 86,000 acres of the property to the United States Forest Service. This became the core of Pisgah National Forest.

For her high school education, Cornelia attended Madeira School. She was also privately tutored & attended the Univeristy of North Carolina for about a year. She received an annuity of $2,000,000 when she reached the age of 21. And she received her full inheritance of $5,000,000 from her father when she was 25.

Cornelia married three times throughout her life. Her first marriage was on 29 April 1924 to British arictocrat Hon. John Francis Amherst Cecil, who was then the first secretary of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. John was also a descendant of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, English statesman & chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I during most of her reign. Nationally renowned organist, Charles Henry Galloway played the organ at Cornelia & John's wedding, which took place at All Soul's Church in Biltmore Village, North Carolina. The Cecil's divorced in 1934.

Cornelia & John were the parents of 2 children; both sons:

1. George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil (1925-2020)
2. William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil (1928-2017)

Cornelia was reportedly finding life too dull by around 1932 &, leaving her husband to manage Biltmore, she moved to New York City where she briefly studied art. She moved to Paris a few months later where she divorced John in 1934, dyed her hair bright pink, & changed her name to Nilcha. She never returned to Biltmore or the United States after 1934.

She moved to London sometime later & met & married Captain Vivian Francis Bulkeley-Johnson in October 1949. Captain Bulkeley-Johnson was the aide-de-camp to the 9th Duke of Devonshire when he was the Governor General of Canada from 1916 to 1918 & also served in the offices of the Imperial War Cabinet in World War I & in the Air Ministry. Cornelia & Bulkeley-Johnson remained married until his death on 14 February 1968.

Cornelia met & fell in love with who was to be her third husband, William Robert Goodsir, one evening as she was having dinner with British artist Edward Adamson in London. Goodsir, who was 26 years younger than Cornelia, was their waiter. Cornelia & William were married in September 1972.

Cornelia was a friend & supporter of Adamson, who was the pioneer of art therapy. She also tried, unsuccessfully, to fund his post at Netherne Hospital.

Cornelia passed away on 7 February 1976 in Oxford, England; aged 75. She was cremated & her ashes were placed at a church near her home, Mount Farm, in Churchill, Oxfordshire, England. When her husband, William Goodsir, died in 1984, her ashes were placed on his casket & buried with him at St. Peter's Churchyard in South Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland.

Appeared in the 1905 New York Census in Manhattan, New York City. The household included: Geo age 42; Edith age 32; Cornelia age 4.

Appeared in the 1920 U. S. Census in New York City, New York. The household included: Edith S. age 42; Cornilia age 19; William Donohue age 38, occupation houseman; Emma Storey age 21, occupation maid; Emily Curtis age 29, occupation maid; Mary E. Walker age 36, occupation cook; Charles Spier age 47, occupation valet; Bridget Donohue age 28, occupation maid.

Appeared in the 1930 U. S. Census in Washington, D. C. The household included: John F. A. Cecil age 40, no occupation; Cornelia V. age 29; George H. age 5; William age 1.

Cornelia died on 7 February 1976 at The Mount, Churchill, Oxfordshire and their estate passed probate on 6 December 1976 in London.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Probate: "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995"
   Original data: Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1904 #20576487 (accessed 3 February 2024)
   Cornelia Mary Goodsir probate on 6 Dec 1976 in London. Died 7 Feb 1976 in Churchill Oxon.

• "New York State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPFR-BSR : 8 March 2021), Cornelia Vanderbilt in household of Geo Vanderbilt, Manhattan, A.D. 27, E.D. 19, New York, New York; citing p. 32, line 11, various county clerk offices, New York; FHL microfilm 1,433,109.

• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSS-8TBY : 10 March 2021), John F Amherst Cecil and Cornelia S Vanderbilt, 29 Apr 1924; citing Buncombe, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJBP-ZZJ : 2 February 2021), Cornilia Vanderbilt in entry for Edith S Vanderbilt, 1920.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMKY-HJX : accessed 27 December 2017), Cornelia V Cecil in household of John F A Cecil, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 192, sheet 31A, line 27, family , NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 297; FHL microfilm 2,340,032.

• Cornelia Vanderbilt at Wikipedia

• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGC-7B9L : 10 May 2023), Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt, ; Burial, , , Orkney Islands, Scotland, St. Peter's Church and Churchyard; citing Find A Grave: Memorial #119723523, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.