Biography - Captain & Mrs. J. M. Vanderbilt

Captain and Mrs. J. M. Vanderbilt came to Alaska with her husband about 1875 and lived at Wrangell, Killisnoo, and Sitka. Following Captain Vanderbilt's death in 1890, she taught school for several years, then married Edward de Groff who had been Captain Vanderbilt's business partner. One of the principal owners of the Chichagoff Gold Mine for many years, she died at Los Angeles, California, February 2, 1929.

Lena Point - the end of a prominent peninsula on the mainland 16 miles northwest of Juneau. A loop road reaches the peninsula from Glacier Highway. Lena Cove is just north of the peninsula and Lena Creek discharges into the eastern side of the cove. Lena Point was named in 1880 by Commander L.A. Beardslee of the U.S.S. Jamestown. At the same time he named Favorite Channel of the little steamer Favorite and named Vanderbilt Reef for the steamer's master, Captain J.M. Vanderbilt. It may be that he named Point Lena for the captain's wife, Mrs. Lena Vanderbilt.

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