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William A. V. Cecil

William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil (August 17, 1928 – October 31, 2017) was an English-American businessman. He was the owner of the Biltmore Estate through his company, The Biltmore Company.

William A. V. Cecil
Born
William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil

(1928-08-17)August 17, 1928
Asheville, North Carolina
DiedOctober 31, 2017(2017-10-31) (aged 89)
Asheville, North Carolina
NationalityAmerican
EducationHarvard University
OccupationBusinessman
SpouseMary Lee Ryan
Children2
Parent(s)John Francis Amherst Cecil
Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt
RelativesGeorge Henry Vanderbilt Cecil (brother)
George Washington Vanderbilt II (maternal grandfather)
Edith Stuyvesant Gerry (maternal grandmother)
Lord William Cecil (paternal grandfather)
Mary Cecil, 2nd Baroness Amherst of Hackney (paternal grandmother)
William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter (paternal great-grandfather)

Biography

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William A. V. Cecil was the younger son of Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1900–1976) and English-born aristocrat John Francis Amherst Cecil (1890-1954). He was the grandson of George Washington Vanderbilt II and Lord William Cecil, the great-grandson of William Henry Vanderbilt and William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter. His maternal great-great grandfather was railroad and steamship baron, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. His mother left the family back at the Biltmore Estate in 1932, later divorcing her husband in 1934. Cecil and his older brother were educated in England and Switzerland while his father managed the estate. He served in the British Navy near the end of World War II.[1]

He left England in 1949 to attend Harvard University, graduating in 1952 ahead of his class.[2] Later, he worked in finance in New York City, where he met his future wife, Mary Lee Ryan.

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.[3][4]

Personal life

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Cecil married Mary Lee Ryan, known as "Mimi", in 1957 in New York City. She was a maternal first cousin of First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, both being granddaughters of James T. Lee.[5]

Cecil and his wife had two children:

  • William A.V. Cecil, married Virginia Cecil and had issue.[6] He serves as President and CEO of The Biltmore Company today. His wife Virginia oversees the equestrian center at the estate and is on the Biltmore board of directors.[7]
  • Diana Cecil, married George Pickering and had issue.[8]

Death

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Cecil died at home in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 31, 2017, aged 89. His death occurred 2 weeks before his wife's death.[citation needed]

Ancestry

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References

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  1. ^ Covington, Howard E. (2007). Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon (1st ed.). Hoboken (New Jersey): Wiley. ISBN 978-0471758181.
  2. ^ "Answer Man: Biltmore's Bill Cecil narrowly avoided being shot down by Nazis?". Asheville Citizen Times. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Biltmore Equestrian Center". biltmore.com. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  4. ^ Covington, Howard E. (2007). Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon (1st ed.). Hoboken (New Jersey): Wiley. ISBN 978-0471758181.
  5. ^ "NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK NOMINATION: BILTMORE ESTATE" (PDF). nps.gov. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  6. ^ William A.V. Cecil, Vanderbilt's grandson and Biltmore owner, dead at 89, citizen-times.com; accessed October 31, 2017.
  7. ^ "The Biltmore Equestrian Center". biltmore.com. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  8. ^ William A.V. Cecil, Vanderbilt's grandson and Biltmore owner, dead at 89, citizen-times.com; accessed October 31, 2017.
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  • About Us, biltmore.com; accessed October 31, 2017.
 

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