<i>Cornelius Vanderbilt left his heirs the inflation-adjusted equivalent of something like $300 billion. Within 50 years it was gone.</i><p>Nope not even close. He died in 1877 with a net worth of $100 million . This is $2.7-$3 billion today<p>Also he had a large family, as was common in the day, which diluted the wealth fast.