Cornelius Vanderbilt

Cornelius Vanderbilt, born in 1794 on Staten Island, was about as WASP-y as a bowl of clam chowder at a New England yacht club. His Dutch ancestry was as Protestant as the day is long, leaving little room for any unexpected gefilte fish in the family tree. He wasn't just not Jewish; he was aggressively not Jewish, a man whose religious convictions, though not central to his public persona, aligned squarely with the Christian mainstream of his era.

Vanderbilt started his empire with a single ferry boat and, through cutthroat business practices, shrewd investments, and a relentless drive, ended up controlling much of America's shipping and railroad industries. His wealth was legendary, making him one of the richest Americans in history. He was, to put it mildly, not known for his charitable giving during his lifetime, but rather for his ruthless pursuit of profit and dominion.

While he eventually coughed up a significant donation to found Vanderbilt University, it was more an attempt to secure his legacy and perhaps atone for a lifetime of avarice than a spontaneous act of generosity. He certainly brought nachas to his family name, if "nachas" is defined purely by immense wealth and power, but any broader kvell-worthiness for the Jewish people is, unsurprisingly, entirely absent. His lasting impact on American infrastructure, however, is undeniable.