Timothy Olyphant (b. 1968), actor, is a descendant of the Vanderbilts, at one time, the richest family in the world.
For more details on his life and ancestry see my article Ancestry of Timothy Olyphant (b. 1968), actor on Knol.
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This article is part of my series "Celebrity Family Trees"
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1 Timothy Olyphant
Timothy David Olyphant was born 20 May 1968 in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of Bevan Olyphant and his wife Katherine. At the age of two the family moved to Modesto, California. He graduated from Fred C Beyer High School in Modesto in 1986.
Secondary Sources for 1
2 Bevan Olyphant
John Vernon Bevan Olyphant was born 25 Apr 1941 in New York City. Age 8 he is listed on a Ship's Passengers List coming with his family from Puerto Cortez to New York City, evidently a vacation.
Bevan obtained an athletic scholarship to the University of Arizona, where he played tennis. While at college, he pledged Phi Gamma Delta. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1963 with a B.S. in Geological Engineering. He married Katherine in 1965 and they had three sons : Andrew Olyphant, actor Timothy Olyphant, and Matthew Olyphant. She may be the "Katherine Gideon Wright" who shows up in this search.
He is named "J V Bevan" in his father's 1973 obituary in the New York Times. Bevan worked for Gallo Wines for 17 years, retiring in 1990. As "John Olyphant" he lived at 9207 Rodden Road in Oakdale, California (U.S. Public Records Index V2), which is reasonably close to Gallo. Bevan then went to work on the family's "Biscuit Mountain Ranch". He married again to a woman named Sally, and they lived in Tucson, Arizona in 2006 when that year he was inducted in the Phi Gamma Delta Hall of Fame at the U of A. He is also known as "J V Bevan Olyphant".
Primary Sources for 2
4 John K Olyphant Jr
John K Olyphant Jr was born 2 Oct 1895 in New York City, the son of John Kenneth Olyphant and his wife Nancy "Nannie". He married Adele Hammond in 1926 or 1927, probably in New York City where they both had been born. In 1927 they were living at 383 Park Avenue in Manhattan. But the next year in 1928 they had moved to 103 East 72nd Street in Manhattan, where they are still living together in 1933, 1937 and 1950. In the 1930 Census they own their house which he lists as worth $57,000, they had one child and four servants. In 1942 he lists this as his address on his WWII Draft Registration Card, where he also states that he is employed by the Central Hanover Bank and Trust Company at 70 Broadway in Manhattan.
John K Olyphant Jr died 5 Oct 1973 "at his home in Dongan Hills", Staten Island, New York City, according to his obituary which ran in the New York Times the following day. His obit tells us that he had joined the Central Hanover Bank and Trust Company in 1930, after having been for eleven years at the Guaranty Trust Company. In 1942, he was named to head the banking division, and in 1950 he was appointed vice chairman of the board, from which position he retired in 1960.
Primary Sources for 4
- 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 59 East 54th Street, Manhattan : "J Kenneth Olyphant, 47, married once, 23 years ago, NY/NY/RI, merchant; Nannie, wife, 44, married once, 23 years ago, mother of 3, 3 living, PA/PA/PA; Anna, daughter, 22, NY; John, son, 14, NY; Jeannette, daughter, 13, NY; and five servants"
- 1920 U.S. Federal Census, 145 East 49th Street, Manhattan: "Fannie Olyphant, 54, widow, PA/PA/PA; John, son, 24, NY/PA/PA, works for Frost Company (?); Jeannette, daughter, 13, NY/PA/PA; Annie Sugar, servant, Ireland"
- California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957
- 1930 U.S. Federal Census, 103 East 72nd Street, Manhattan: "John K Olyphant, NY/NY/PA, Vice President of Bank; Adele H, NY/KY/NY"
- U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
- "John Olyphant Jr, Hanover Bank Aide", obituary, New York Times, 6 Oct 1973, p26
- "Adele Hammond Olyphant Emery", obituary, New York Times, 6 Nov 1998
5 Adele Hammond
Adele Hammond was born 26 Sep 1902 in New York City. She married John K Olyphant Jr in 1926 or 1927, probably in New York City where they both had been born. In Dec 1928, she is named as "Mrs John Olyphant of this city" in her sister Rachel's marriage announcement. Adele's younger sister Alice married jazz musician Benny Goodman.
In 1933 and in 1937 John and Adele are living at 103 East 72nd Street in Manhattan. She is named as "Mrs John K Olyphant Jr" in the obituary of her mother in 1970. She is named as "Adele S" in the obituary of John dated 1973. Adele died 6 Nov 1998 when her own obituary ran in the New York Times.
Primary Sources for 5
- "Notable Weddings in the Holidays", New York Times, 23 Dec 1928, pg 96 : "... Rachel Hammond, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs John Henry Hammond... Miss Hammond is fifth in descent from Commodore Vanderbilt... Miss Hammond is a granddaughter of General John Henry Hammond, who was Chief of Staff for General John Sherman during the Civil War. She is also a granddaughter of the late William Douglas Sloane, and of the present Mrs. Henry White, widow of the American Ambassador to France in the administrations of Presidents Roosevelt and Taft. Ogden H Hammond, the American Ambassador to Spain, who arrived last week from Madrid, is her uncle. Miss Hammond has three sisters ... Mrs John Olyphant of this city...."
- California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957
- 1930 U.S. Federal Census, 103 East 72nd Street, Manhattan
- "John Olyphant Jr, Hanover Bank Aide", obituary, New York Times, 6 Oct 1973, p26
- "Adele Hammond Olyphant Emery", obituary, New York Times, 6 Nov 1998
10 John Henry Hammond
John Henry Hammond was born in 1871. He married Lila Emily Sloane. According to his wife Emily's obituary, he was a "lawyer, banker and corporation director". He died in 1949.
Primary Sources for 10
- "Notable Weddings in the Holidays", New York Times, 23 Dec 1928, pg 96 : "... Rachel Hammond, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs John Henry Hammond... Miss Hammond is fifth in descent from Commodore Vanderbilt... Miss Hammond is a granddaughter of General John Henry Hammond, who was Chief of Staff for General John Sherman during the Civil War. She is also a granddaughter of the late William Douglas Sloane, and of the present Mrs. Henry White, widow of the American Ambassador to France in the administrations of Presidents Roosevelt and Taft. Ogden H Hammond, the American Ambassador to Spain, who arrived last week from Madrid, is her uncle. Miss Hammond has three sisters ... Mrs John Olyphant of this city...."
11 Lila Emily Sloane
Lila Emily Sloane was born 17 Sep 1874 in New York City, the daughter of William Douglas Sloane and his wife Emily Thorn Vanderbilt. She married John Henry Hammond. In 1914, she founded the Parents League of New York for which she served as president. She was president for forty-three years of the Three Arts Club at 340 West 85th Street, a residence for women studying music, painting and drama. Emily died 22 Feb 1970 "in her home at 136 East 64th Street", New York City, when her obituary appeared in the New York Times. Survivors were a son John Hammond, a jazz historian, four daughters, Mrs John M Franklin, Mrs John K Olyphant Jr, Mrs Benny Goodman, and Mrs Manley Breck.
Primary Sources for 11
- "Emily Vanderbilt Hammond, 95, Dies", obituary, New York Times, 23 Feb 1970
22 William Douglas Sloane
William Douglas Sloane was born 29 Feb 1844 in New York City. He married Emily Thorn Vanderbilt. According to his daughter Emily's obituary, he was "treasurer of W & J Sloane, the home furnishings concern..." He died 19 Mar 1915.
23 Emily Thorn Vanderbilt
Emily Thorn Vanderbilt was born in 1852, the second daughter of William Henry Vanderbilt (1821-85) and his wife Maria Louisa Kissam (1821-96). She married William Douglas Sloane. After his death, she married Henry White (1850-1927) in 1920, American ambassador to France and Italy.
Secondary Sources for 23
46 William Henry Vanderbilt
William Henry "Billy" Vanderbilt was born 8 May 1821 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of Cornelius Vanderbilt. He married Maria Louisa Kissam in 1841, her father was a Presbyterian minister. He died 8 Dec 1885 in New York City, and was buried at the Moravian Cemetery in New Dorp, Staten Island, New York City. When he died, he was the "richest man in the world", with an estate of $194 million dollars.
Secondary Sources for 46
47 Maria Louisa Kissam
92 Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt
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