Dressed in His Best

Philadelphia-born Benjamin Guggenheim inherited a fortune from the mining and smelting businesses his father founded after emigrating from Switzerland in 1847. The fifth in a family of eleven, Benjamin (sometimes called the “Silver Prince”) married and had three daughters. Over 1000 guests attended his New York wedding, which the New York Times reported as “one of the handsomest weddings of the season.”

Active in the various family businesses, Guggenheim became president of the International Steam Pump Company in 1909. Business reasons frequently took him away from his townhouse near New York’s Central Park, and he and his wife grew apart. Eventually, he kept an apartment in Paris, and a mistress, French singer Leontine Aubart.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Guggenheim

Guggenheim had originally booked passage on the Lusitania for a return trip to New York, but that voyage was cancelled due to the Lusitania’s need for repairs. So, on April 10, 1912, Guggenheim, 46, boarded the Titanic for her maiden voyage, along with his valet, his chauffeur, Miss Aubart, and her maid.

Leontine Aubart

When the Titanic collided with the iceberg, Guggenheim and his valet, Victor Giglio, were asleep in the cabin they shared. Concerned, Miss Aubart and her maid went to wake them. A steward urged the men to don their lifebelts and accompany the women to the lifeboats. But the men soon returned to their cabin and changed into formal evening wear. Back on deck, Guggenheim was reported to have stated, “We’re dressed in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen.” He wrote the following message: “If anything should happen to me, tell my wife I’ve done my best in doing my duty.” He and Giglio were last seen sitting in deck chairs sipping brandy and smoking cigars.

Neither of their bodies were recovered. Guggenheim’s chauffeur also perished. Miss Aubart and her maid were put into Lifeboat 9 and were rescued by the Carpathia. Guggenheim left one-third of his fortune to his wife, and two-thirds to his three daughters.

Former home of Benjamin Guggenheim on 72nd Street, New York City

A newspaper quoted Miss Aubart as saying, “I had in my cabin jewels worth 4,000 (GPB) as well as many trunks of dresses and hats. One does not come from Paris and buy one's clothes in America. That is understood, is it not? Nothing could I take with me; nothing at all. Just as we were, in our night clothes, Marie and I went on deck where the lifebelts were put around us. On the deck there was no commotion; none at all. Oh these English! How brave, how calm, how beautiful! I, who am patriotic French woman say that never can I forget that group of Englishmen- every one of them a perfect gentleman- calmly puffing cigarettes and cigars and watching the women and children being placed in the boats.”

Today, Guggenheim Partners continues the family business history. The popular Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, known simply as The Guggenheim, is part of the Guggenheim Foundation’s extensive interests.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

His Last Act

Reverend John Harper of Glasgow, Scotland had spent three months during 1910 helping conduct revival services at The Moody Church in Chicago. He then returned to London, where he served as pastor at Walworth Road Baptist Church, and to his six-year-old daughter, Nan. His wife had died shortly after Nan’s birth, and the couple had no other children. But the response in Chicago to Reverend Harper’s preaching had been overwhelming, and The Moody Church asked him to return for three months. This time, he took Nan and his sister, Jessie Leitch, and together they boarded the Titanic.

John Harper with his daughter Nan and sister Jessie Leitch

When the ship struck the iceberg, Reverend Harper made certain his sister and daughter were put into a lifeboat. According to survivors, he spent the rest of his time on the ship sharing the Gospel with whoever would listen and urging them to commit their lives to the Lord.

The following testimony comes from Encyclopedia Titanica:

“Four years after the Titanic went down, a young Scotchman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Canada, and said, "I am a survivor of the Titanic. When I was drifting alone on a spar that awful night, the tide brought Mr. John Harper, of Glasgow, also on a piece of wreck near me. 'Man,' he said, 'are you saved?' 'No,' I said. 'I am not.' He replied, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.'" "The waves bore him away; but, strange to say brought him back a little later, and he said, 'Are you saved now?' 'No,' I said, 'I cannot honestly say that I am.' He said again, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,' and shortly after he went down; and there, alone in the night, and with two miles of water under me, I believed. I am John Harper's last convert."”

When Nan Harper and Jessie Leitch were rescued by the Carpathia, they learned of Reverend Harper’s death. A representative from The Moody Church met them in New York and provided clothing and money to allow them to return to Glasgow. Reverend Harper’s body was not recovered.

His faith was passed on to the next generation. Nan Harper grew up and married a pastor. Their daughter and grandchildren were present at the commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of Titanic’s sinking in 2012 at Harper Memorial Baptist Church in Glasgow.

A room at The Moody Church is named Harper Hall. Moody’s Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer writes, “We might wonder if it had been better if Harper had lived to preach at The Moody Church and other venues rather than be among those who perished on the Titanic. But God knows best. A hundred years after his death, we are still benefitting from the lasting effects of those final moments before he sank into the ocean. He left an example for tens of thousands of us who would never have heard of him if he had survived. God sees the big picture; we see but a small slice of time.”

The Heroine of Lifeboat 12

Nineteen-year-old Lillian Bentham of New York had spent a year touring Europe with her godfather, other relatives, and friends. For the return trip to the US, the group boarded Titanic at Southampton. Lillian occupied a second-class cabin with Emily Rugg, age 22, from Guernsey, England. Emily was on her way to live in Wilmington, Delaware, where a relative owned a store. Emily was awakened by the collision and woke Lillian. The women made their way to the upper decks and were put into Lifeboat 12, along with 40 other women and children. When no other women or children were immediately available, a crowd of men from second and third class tried to board. The officers in charge refused to let the men on. As it was being lowered, a man leapt aboard as it passed B Deck. Later, No. 12 picked up passengers from the overturned collapsible boat B.

Lillian Bentham in the 1950s

Lillian gave several interviews in her later years about her experience in the lifeboat. “The greatest horror of the experience was the eight hours we spent floating about until we were picked up by the Carpathia…At first, the sea was smooth as glass but it was literally dotted with human forms swimming, clinging to wreckage, fighting to climb into the lifeboats…I began to realize that I had lost nothing compared to others, who had been compelled to see their relatives and friends go down with the Titanic.”

Toward morning, No. 12 came upon collapsible B, slowly sinking with 20 men aboard. Lillian said, “I helped the seaman pull those 20 men into our boat…We had to pile them in like so many sacks of flour, because they were unable to do anything to help themselves…I took off my coat and gave it to one man. I had two coats and could spare one.”

Seven of the men they pulled aboard died of exposure. The man who received Lillian’s coat was Cecil Fitzpatrick, an Irish crewman from the Titanic. In gratitude, he later gave Lillian the whistle he’d blown all night in the hope of calling another boat to help.

Lillian described the moment when, at last, she spotted the Carpathia. “Far off in the distance, we saw smoke, thin and indistinct at first, but gradually coming nearer…To me, and I guess to all of the others in that boat, that was the most wonderful ship in the world.”

Lillian's Custom Card given to her aboard the Carpathia

None of the men in Lillian’s traveling party survived, including her godfather. His widow met Lillian in New York City and helped her get to her parents’ home in Rochester, New York. She lived with them until she married, five years later. The couple remained in Rochester and did not have children. Lillian died in 1977 at age 85.

Lillian's headstone bears her Titanic story and the names of her traveling companions.

The Unsinkable Sister Ship

Exactly 105 years ago yesterday, on October 20, 1910, the RMS Olympic was launched in Belfast. She was the first of what would become White Star Line’s trio of ocean liners known for their size and elegance. The Titanic was still under construction and would launch in 1912. Until the Titanic was completed, the Olympic held the title of the world’s largest passenger ship. The two were to be joined later by a third ship, the Britannic.

launch of the RMS Olympic

After her launch, Olympic was fitted with her heavy machinery and luxurious interior, then left for Liverpool, her home port, on May 31, 1911. On the same day, the RMS Titanic was launched, but still nearly a year away from her fateful maiden voyage on April 10, 1912.

Olympic’s maiden voyage to New York in June 1911 was successful. A crowd of 8000 toured the ship after docking in New York Harbor. On her fifth voyage to New York, just as she left Southampton, the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hawke smashed into the side of the Olympic. Both ships were badly damaged, but they made it back to port, and Olympic’s New York voyage was cancelled. After temporary repairs, she was sent back to Belfast for more major repairs. This in turn caused Titanic’s completion and maiden voyage to be delayed.

On another voyage to New York in February 1912, the Olympic lost a propeller blade and had to return to Belfast again on her return. It was then the Olympic and Titanic were together for the last time.

Olympic (left) and Titanic

Two months later, on April 14, 1912, Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage. The distress signals reached the Olympic 500 miles away, too far for her to reach the Titanic before it sank. When the Olympic asked the Carpathia’s Captain Rostron if the Olympic could pick up survivors from the Carpathia, he refused. Seeing another ship the size of Titanic would only upset the survivors, he reasoned.

Six months after the Titanic disaster, the Olympic was temporarily taken out of service in order to make her watertight bulkheads higher and more lifeboats added. Features that had been present on the Titanic but not on the Olympic were added as well, such as the Café Parisien. For the most part, however, much of the Olympic was identical to her more famous younger sister.

When World War I began, the Olympic came to the aid of the HMS Audacious, a British battleship, when it struck a mine. She rescued the entire crew before the Audacious sank. The Olympic was requisitioned as a troop ship and made ready for war service, including “dazzle” paint, meant to make it harder for another ship to judge its speed. While carrying up to 6000 troops, she was unsuccessfully attacked by submarines several times. In 1918, the Olympic rammed and sank a German submarine, earning her the nickname, “Old Reliable.”

Olympic in "dazzle" paint

The Olympic returned to passenger service in 1920. She was eventually sold and demolished in 1937. Some of her fixtures are still on display at museums in the UK and at the White Swan Hotel, Ainwick, England.

Marble fireplace from the Olympic at the White Swan Hotel, Ainwick, England

Titanic's Tennis Pros

Richard “Dick” Norris Williams II was born in Geneva, Switzerland to American parents. He began playing tennis at age 12 and won the Swiss Championship in 1911 at the age of 20. About to enter Harvard with a tennis scholarship, twenty-one-year-old Dick and his father, Charles, boarded the Titanic for New York. Dick planned to play in the US Championships at Newport, Rhode Island prior to beginning his college career.

Karl Behr and Richard "Dick" Williams

Karl Behr was born in New York City and graduated from Yale. In 1907, he played on the US Davis Cup tennis team, and competed in the Wimbledon Championships in the men’s doubles category. At 26, he boarded the Titanic in the company of his sweetheart, Helen Newsom, along with her parents.

On the night of April 14, 1912, Charles Williams never dreamed the ship would actually sink. Instead of donning their lifebelts, Charles and Dick used the gymnasium while the lifeboats were being loaded. When Titanic's bow began to dip below the surface and one of the funnels crashed into the ocean, Charles was killed instantly and Dick was washed overboard. Wearing a heavy fur coat, he removed the coat and his shoes and swam with all his might toward one of the collapsible lifeboats. He managed to reach it and hold on for a time before climbing in. He then spent several hours in the boat knee-deep in ice cold water before being transferred to Lifeboat 14. Of the original 30 passengers aboard Collapsible A, only 11 survived.

Karl, Helen, her parents, and another couple had gathered near Lifeboat 5 sometime after the Titanic hit the iceberg. One of the women asked J. Bruce Ismay, Chairman of White Star Line, if they all could board the lifeboat. He told them they could. Boat 5 was the second lifeboat to leave the ship. Karl later reported the boat could have easily held 15 or 20 more passengers.

Following rescue by the Carpathia, Dick Williams finally sought out a doctor to look at his reddish-purple legs. They were so frostbitten that the doctor advised amputation to prevent gangrene. Dick refused. He told the doctor, “I’m going to need these legs.” Despite the pain, he forced himself to walk every two hours around the clock. Before the Carpathia reached New York, he met Karl Behr, who befriended and encouraged him is his recovery.

Dick Williams and Karl Behr

Just months later, Dick and Karl entered a tennis tournament and faced each other in a tight match. Karl won, but Dick was just getting started. He entered Harvard, and reached the quarter finals in the next US Open, winning the championship in 1914 and 1916. In 1920, he won the Wimbledon title. And in 1924, he won an Olympic gold medal in the mixed doubles category.

Karl Behr married Helen Newsom the year following the disaster. He was instrumental in helping a group of third class survivors in their suit of the White Star Line. He also assisted Molly Brown in formally recognizing Captain Rostron and the Carpathia crew for their valiant efforts in the rescue operations.

Karl Behr and Dick Williams were later inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. An exhibit in their honor is on display at the Hall of Fame headquarters in Newport, RI.

The Boat That Went Back (Part II)

From last week - In Lifeboat 14, Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, 29, blew his whistle and ordered that several boats near him, including Boat 4, tie together and redistribute the passengers more evenly. When that was done and the cries from the water subsided a bit, Lowe felt it was safe to return to rescue people from the water. Until then, he felt the boats would be sunk by hundreds of people attempting to climb in.

Lowe told the US Inquiry, “I transferred all my passengers…about 53, from my boat and equally distributed them among my other four boats. Then I asked for volunteers to go with me to the wreck…I went off and rowed to the wreckage and picked up four people alive. But one died, and that was Mr. Hoyt of New York. It took all the boat’s crew to pull this gentleman into the boat, because he was an enormous man…I propped him up at the stern of the boat…unfortunately he died. But the other three survived.”

Fifth Officer Harold Lowe (photo credit - itv.com)

Able Seaman Joseph Scarrott, with Lowe at the time, described the scene. “We tied our boats together so as to form a large object on the water which would be seen quicker than a single boat by a passing vessel….taking one man from each boat so as to make a crew, we rowed away amongst the wreckage. When we got to it, the sight we saw was awful. We were amongst hundreds of dead bodies floating in lifebelts. We could only see four alive…One of these we saw kneeling as if in prayer on a part of a staircase. He was only about twenty yards away from us but it took us half an hour to push our boat through the wreckage and bodies to get to him…we put out an oar for him and pulled him into the boat…As we left that awful scene we gave way to tears. It was enough to break the stoutest heart.”

Able Seaman Joseph Scarrott (photo credit - Encyclopedia Titanica)

Collapsible Lifeboat B had fallen into the water from the Titanic upside down. About 25 passengers and crew swam toward it and climbed on the overturned boat. After Officer Lowe and his crew rescued the four men from the wreckage, they spotted Lifeboat B and those on top or clinging to it in the water. They pulled alongside and picked up “about 20 men and one woman.” Another three had already perished, which Lowe decided to leave with the craft. Another died prior to rescue by the Carpathia. All living passengers and one body were taken aboard.

Survivors aboard the Carpathia (photo credit - Click Americana)

Harold Lowe had worked aboard ships ever since he ran away to sea when he was fourteen. The voyage on the Titanic was his first in the north Atlantic.

Following rescue, he married in September 1913 and had two children. He continued to work at sea and was made a commander in the Royal Naval Reserve during World War I. He died at the age of 61.

The Young Cook Aboard Titanic

Forty-three passengers aboard the Titanic were employed by other passengers. They included: three chauffeurs, twenty personal maids, two secretaries, two governesses, one clerk, one personal cook, two nursemaids, eleven servants (valets), and one nurse.

The youngest of these was the personal cook for the Allison family, eighteen-year-old Amelia Mary Brown. The family purchased second class tickets for Amelia and their chauffeur, George Swane, although the family traveled in first class.

Amelia Mary Brown

(photo credit: British Titanic Society)

When the ship was sinking, Amelia didn’t want to get out of bed until her roommate told her she was probably the last person on the ship still in bed. When she made her way to the Boat Deck, she was put into Lifeboat 11. Amelia wrote a letter to her mother from the rescue ship Carpathia.

My dear Mother,

At last I have made myself sit down to write. I don't know how the time has gone since the wreck But I can't help thinking how lucky I was to be amongst the rescued. There were 2000 people about that on board and only about 700 were rescued. If happened at 11.30 Sunday night. Our boat ran into an iceberg and within 1 1/2 hours the vessel had sunk I couldn't believe that it was serious and would not get up until Swain [sic] came and made me that was the last / saw of him poor fellow. No sooner was I on deck that I was bustled to the first class deck and pushed into one of the boats and I found nurse (Alice Cleaver) and the baby (Trevor Allison) were there. It was awful to put the lifebelt on it, seemed as if you really were gone. Then came the lowering of the boats I shut my eyes in hopes I should wake up and find it a dream. Then came the awful suspense of waiting till a vessel happened to pass our way. The wireless telegraphy had beer used and this vessel that was southward bound came miles out of its way to pick us up. By the time we had got out of reach of the suction we stopped to watch her go down and you could watch her go too. It went in the front until it was standing like this then all the lights went out. Shortly after we heard the engines explode and then the cries of the people for help. Never shall I forget it as long as I live. I don't let myself think of it. We were on the water from 12 till 6 in this small boat. Thank goodness it was a calm clear night or I don't know what would have happened. We were nearly frozen as there were Icebergs all round us. Ever since I have been on here I have felt in a stupor. Everything seems too much trouble and I don't care what happens to me. I found Sallie (Sarah Daniels) had got on alright but poor girl she keeps worrying about her things, of course we have lost everything bar what we stand up in. I had my watch on my arm in fact it hasn't left it since we sailed and my money was in my pocket. I have not seen Mr and Mrs Allison. I suppose they have gone under but there is just the hopes that they may have been picked up by another- boat but still I am not going to worry about that as they have several friends on board and then there are the partners of the firm. We have been offered a home until they can find us a place suitable. This vessel has turned back to New York with us. I have slept on the Dining Room floor both nights. We had a most awful thunderstorm last night and today it's that foggy. I shall be glad to be on terra firma again. We had a bad start. The New York broke adrift and ran into us at Southampton Harbour. Well I won't write any more now. Will you let Neil read this and Aunt Em or anyone that you think as I don't feel like going all over it again. Don't worry about me as I shall be well looked after and I have made several well-to-do-friends.

Lots of love to all, From your ever loving daughter Millie

Mr. and Mrs. Allison were lost in the sinking. Amelia later returned to England and married in 1931. She died at the age of 82.

New York Remembers

New York City: RMS Titanic’s destination for her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. New York was home to many first and second class passengers, including the most wealthy and famous. To others, New York would be the place to board a train for another part of the country. And to over 1000 immigrants on board the ship, New York symbolized freedom and a new start in the land of opportunity. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit New York City. Along with seeing a Broadway play, riding to the top of the Empire State Building, and taking in many famous sites, I was able to locate two places in the city where Titanic is still remembered.

After the Carpathia rescued the Titanic survivors, she sailed to New York, passed the Statue of Liberty, and docked here, at the former Cunard Dock, Pier 55. Thousands waited for hours in the cold April rain to meet the ship, including the press. Today, just to the left of the center of the photo, is a building with four light blue sections, representing Titanic's four funnels.

Margaret Brown (Unsinkable Molly Brown) was instrumental in erecting a memorial lighthouse to Titanic victims in 1913. Today, it stands at the entrance to the South Street Seaport Museum, not far from the September 11 Memorial. The photo of the plaque below gives its original location and how it was used until 1967.

I also found it interesting that the Titanic was mentioned during our bus tour, as we passed the home of Isidor and Ida Strauss, the elderly couple who chose to stay on board the ship as it was sinking. In addition, the guide on our tour of the harbor noted that many survivors of the World Trade Center disaster on September 11th were taken to St. Vincent Hospital, the same hospital where Titanic survivors were treated.

Ten Myths About Titanic

1. Sixteen lifeboats plus four collapsible boats were all that were in the original plans. False. The original plans called for 64 lifeboats. The owners and builders reduced it to 32, then to 16 because that was the number required by law at the time, and in order to make room for more deck space. The four collapsible boats were then added, bringing the number to 20.

Passengers strolling on the deck near lifeboats

2. Each of the four funnels had a purpose.

False. The fourth funnel was a fake, added to make the ship look grander.

Titanic leaving Southampton

3. On launch day, the ship was christened Titanic and a bottle of champagne was broken over her bow.

False. The White Star Line did not have naming ceremonies for any of their ships.

4. All passengers were bound for New York.

False. Fifteen first class passengers and nine second class passengers disembarked at the first port call, Cherbourg, France. A canary made the short trip as well, costing its owner 25 cents for the voyage across the English Channel from Southampton. At the second port call in Queenstown, Ireland, seven passengers disembarked.

One of two tenders used to transport passengers to and from Titanic at Cherbourg

5. There was a grand ballroom for first class passengers.

False. There was no organized dancing onboard, although many steerage passengers danced to the lively music in the third class general room provided by passengers who had brought their instruments along.

Part of the third class general room

6. Only the RMS Carpathia responded to Titanic’s distress call after the collision with the iceberg.

False. Three ships responded—the Olympic, the Frankfurt, and the Carpathia. The Carpathia was the closest at 58 miles away. Captain Smith of the Titanic knew it would not reach Titanic in time before she sank.

RMS Carpathia

7. Third class passengers could not reach the Boat Deck because they were locked behind gates.

False. Some of the gates were not locked. A few that were locked were opened by stewards after the collision. They helped guide women and children to the upper decks, but some of the women refused to leave the men. For others, language barriers and the maze of passageways below decks made it very difficult for steerage passengers to find their way. By the time they reached the Boat Deck, most lifeboats had already gone.

8. The Titanic sank intact.

False. The ship broke in half just prior to sinking. Many eyewitnesses had stated this, and it was proven when the wreck was finally explored.

Artist rendering of Titanic breaking in half prior to sinking

9. The iceberg made a long gash in the ship’s hull.

False. The iceberg scraped and bumped the riveted plates, causing the rivets to pop open and water to rush in. Again, this was discovered during the wreck exploration.

10. Due in part to the Titanic tragedy, cruise ships today are required to have enough lifeboats for all passengers on board.

Partly false. Modern ships are required by law to carry enough lifeboats for every passenger and crew member on board, plus 25%.

Mysterious Rescue – Titanic Honeymoons Part X

At 14, Ethel Clarke of Norwich, England wasn’t ready for marriage. But the thought of emigrating to America appealed to her, so when Edward Beane proposed and asked her to wait until he saved enough money, she said yes.

Edward, 27, crossed the Atlantic with his two brothers and obtained work as a bricklayer in New York, earning better wages than at his old construction job in England. He wrote to Ethel and came home to visit when he could, traveling in steerage to save money. After six years, he and Ethel had saved 500 dollars plus enough for two second class tickets on the Titanic to New York. They were married in Norwich, said goodbye to their families, and left for Southampton.

Edward and Ethel Beane in a 1930s photo

Edward and Ethel were in their cabin when the ship struck the iceberg. They didn’t think much of the jolt they felt until a woman in a nearby cabin came to tell them about the order to come to the boat deck with lifebelts, and to wear warm clothes. Edward urged Ethel to hurry and not worry about bringing any of their few valuables. Most of their savings was locked in the purser's office.

On the boat deck, Ethel was quickly ushered to Lifeboat 13 and had no time for more than a quick kiss from Edward. Three or four more passengers were loaded before it was launched, but Ethel lost sight of her husband. He would surely take another lifeboat, she thought.

Edward was indeed rescued, but the stories conflict of how it happened. He and Ethel told different versions of that night to reporters. In one, Edward stated he kept an eye on his wife’s lifeboat from the deck of the Titanic. Then, as the ship sank, he jumped and swam “for hours” until he reached it and was pulled aboard. The problem with this story is that a passenger in Lifeboat 13, Lawrence Beesley, wrote a detailed account of the entire night shortly afterward and never mentioned rescuing anyone from the water. Some passengers had wanted to return to help those in the water, but most refused, feeling their boat would be swamped.

Another version the Beane’s gave the press stated that Edward was picked up by another lifeboat and he didn’t find Ethel on the Carpathia until after it docked in New York. This seems unlikely, however, because great care was taken to compile accurate passenger lists and roll calls were taken to help passengers find each other.

It’s possible that Edward did jump aboard Lifeboat 13 at the last minute before launch, when no other women or children were available or willing to board. Like other male survivors, he probably encountered public ridicule for not being “a gentleman” and going down with the ship, and he and Ethel made up the other stories to ease his guilt.

Edward Beane is listed as a Lifeboat 13 passenger by Encyclopedia Titanica, one of the main sources I use in my research of the Titanic, and in several other written accounts.

Edward and Ethel with their two sons

The Beanes managed to make a new life in Rochester, New York, raised two sons, and vowed to never cross the ocean again. Edward died at the age of 67 and Ethel at the age of 90.

Beane family descendants in a replica of the Titanic wireless room

The White Widow - Titanic Honeymoons Part VIII

The daughter of a Congressman, eighteen-year-old Eloise Hughes met Lucian Smith, 24, at her society debut in January 1912. One month later, they were married in the bride's hometown of Huntington, West Virginia. Their honeymoon included stops in Italy, France, and Holland, plus camel rides around the pyramids in Egypt.

Eloise and Lucian Smith

Blissfully happy, Eloise soon learned she was pregnant. In a letter to her parents, she told them they would sail home on either the "Lusitania or the new Titanic." Choosing the latter, Eloise and Lucian spent their days aboard planning their future on their new farm in Huntington and discussing names for the baby. Eloise didn't feel well on the night of April 14 and went to bed early, while Lucian joined three other men in a card game.

At 11:40 pm, the men heard and felt a scraping along the starboard bow. Checking to see what happened, they saw the iceberg through the port holes. Lucian went to the deck where some ice had fallen, but no one seemed alarmed. Shortly afterward, he ran into John Jacob Astor, who had just spoken to Captain Smith. Passengers were to report to the boat deck and women and children would be loaded into lifeboats. Lucian hurried to awaken Eloise but tried not to worry her. She dressed warmly, and just as she was leaving their stateroom, grabbed her new diamond ring Lucien had bought her in Paris.

Eloise tried to stay on board with Lucian, but he finally told her everyone would be saved and insisted she get in a lifeboat. He kissed his wife goodbye and helped her into Lifeboat 4. As the boat reached the ocean's surface and pulled away from the port side, someone said the men were boarding boats on the starboard side. Eloise thought the cries from the water were from third class passengers who hadn't reached the boats in time.

Following rescue by the Carpathia, a doctor told Eloise to rest and that he would look for her husband. A woman gave Eloise her own cabin, but Eloise couldn't sleep. She questioned other passengers and learned there hadn't been enough lifeboats. She began to realize Lucian had most likely perished.

Robert Daniel of Virginia, another rescued passenger, heard of the young southern woman aboard Carpathia who'd just lost her husband. He sought her out and introduced himself, telling her he'd leaped into the water at the last minute and made his way to a lifeboat. When the Carpathia docked in New York, he escorted Eloise off the ship and looked after her until her father met them. Eloise stoically testified at the US inquiry, wearing a white dress. Reporters called her "the white widow."

Eloise gave birth to a little boy, Lucian Smith, Jr. Robert Daniel continued to call on her, and they announced their engagement a year later. The marriage lasted until 1923, when Eloise discovered Robert had been seeing a woman in New York. She married two more times, with both marriages ending in divorce. She changed her name back to Smith, her son's name and that of the man she had loved. Eloise died of a heart attack at the young age of 46. Her granddaughter told a reporter, "She never completely recovered emotionally from Lucian's death or from witnessing the tragic deaths of the other people on that ship."

The Teenaged Couple - Titanic Honeymoons Part VI

Daniel Marvin and Mary Farquharson, both 17, were madly in love. Instead of waiting a year or two to get married as their families wished, they went to New York City Hall for a civil ceremony, then each returned to their family’s homes with their secret. But two months later, Mary’s pregnancy could no longer be hidden. A religious ceremony was quickly planned by their parents, and on March 12, 1912, Daniel and Mary were married for the second time.

Frame from movie of Daniel and Mary Marvin's wedding, perhaps the first wedding ever filmed

Daniel’s father owned the Biograph Company, America’s oldest motion picture company, begun in 1895 by a former employee of Thomas Edison. As a wedding gift to his son and his new bride, Mr. Marvin gave them a large, hand-cranked movie camera to take with them on their honeymoon. Daniel planned to join the family business and make movies as soon as he returned.

The newlyweds left the next day for a 5-week tour of Europe, and Daniel enjoyed taking movies of Mary at all the places they visited. When she was just over 3 months pregnant, they bought first class tickets back to New York on Titanic. They paid roughly the equivalent of $4,550 in today’s money.

Mary and Daniel Marvin

Daniel filmed the launch from Titanic’s decks, capturing the moment when the ship nearly collided with the New York in Southampton’s harbor. He and Mary were inseparable during the voyage, filming each other in various parts of the ship. Several survivors later remembered them as high-spirited and frequently embracing.

On the night of April 14, Daniel and Mary felt the collision but didn’t think much of it. Forty-five minutes later, a steward knocked on their door and told them lifeboats were being loaded as a precaution, and to wear their warmest clothes. Daniel calmed Mary as they dressed, and decided to bring along the film from his camera. She grabbed her fur coat.

They were led to the port side of the boat dock, where the call went out for women and children to board the lifeboats. Frantic and not wanting to leave her husband, Mary was nevertheless helped into Lifeboat 10. Daniel then tossed her the heavy film canister and blew her a kiss. Mary desperately looked for him as she scanned the ship’s railings from the water, hoping he’d found a seat in another lifeboat.

Safe on the Carpathia but with no sign of Daniel, Mary refused to eat or drink. Some passengers thought perhaps another ship had come to the rescue, and Mary held out hope. But back in New York, Mary and her mother checked all the survivor lists until the worst was finally confirmed; Daniel Marvin had not survived. His body was never found.

In a newspaper interview shortly afterward, Mary said, “My God, don’t ask me too much. Tell me, have you any news from Dan? He grabbed me in his arms and knocked down men to get me into the boat. As I was put in the boat he cried ‘It’s alright, little girl, you go and I will stay a while. I’ll put on a life preserver and jump off and follow your boat.’ As our boat shoved off, he threw a kiss at me, and that is the last I saw of him.”

Mary hid herself from the public at her parents’ home to grieve and prepare for motherhood. Six months later, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl and named her Mary Margaret Elizabeth Marvin. She remarried a year later, and her new husband adopted the baby, called Peggy. They moved to Long Island, and had two more children. Mary died in 1975 at the age of 81.

The whereabouts of the film Daniel tossed to his bride from the Titanic is unknown. One theory is that Mary gave it to her father-in-law, who may have saved it in the archives of the Biograph Company. Perhaps it will turn up one day, and Daniel Marvin’s honeymoon movie will become a great historical treasure.

The Couple Who Helped - Titanic Honeymoons Part V

Outgoing and handsome George Harder, 25, had worked his way up the ladder in New York and was said to have everything going for him. When he met 21-year-old Dorothy Annan at a Brooklyn social event, George was captivated by her beauty and was determined to make her his bride.

Dorothy Annan Harder

George Harder (1927 passport photo) 

Dorothy accepted his proposal, and they were married in her cousin’s home. They set sail for a three-month European honeymoon the next day, and Dorothy was thrilled when George booked their passage home on the famous Titanic. They were not nearly as wealthy as many of the other first class passengers, so their cabin was located on Deck E, two and three levels below the most exclusive suites on Deck C and B. But they enjoyed all the first class amenities and privileges, and soon met other honeymoon couples, including the Bishops, the Dicks, and the Astors.

On the night of April 14, George and Dorothy were in bed when they felt a dull thump. George immediately checked the porthole and saw an iceberg “50 to 100 feet tall.” The couple then heard a scraping sound along Titanic’s hull. They wasted no time in getting dressed and hurrying upstairs to the boat deck.

No one on the boat deck seemed overly alarmed. Most believed the ship was unsinkable and would be on its way shortly. However, George had felt the collision, unlike many of those whose cabins were higher on the ship. Now, as he walked the deck, he noticed a list. When the announcement came to board the lifeboats, George and Dorothy raced down to their cabin and grabbed their lifebelts, her fur coat, his heavy overcoat, a bottle of brandy, and the button hook Dorothy used to button her shoes.

They ran up the five flights of stairs, not wanting to risk getting stuck in the elevator. They were led to Lifeboat 5 and Dorothy was helped aboard. According to George, the men were asked to wait while any available women boarded the boat, and when no more women were in sight, the men were allowed to board. Much to Dorothy’s relief, George then boarded the lifeboat and sat beside her. During the frigid night as they awaited rescue, they passed around their bottle of brandy to anyone in need.

Aboard the Carpathia, the Harders spent their time comforting passengers who had lost loved ones in the sinking. Below is a well-known photograph of George and Dorothy, talking with a passenger whose husband was among the missing.

 Before the Carpathia reached New York, the couple helped take up a collection to honor Captain Rostron and the crew of the Carpathia for their heroic rescue efforts, and came to the presentation ceremony weeks later. George Harder also testified at the Senate inquiry into the disaster. Like other male survivors, he faced ridicule for having taken a seat in a lifeboat that might have gone to a woman. He insisted no other women were present when he was allowed to board, and he never knew there were not enough lifeboats for all the passengers.

Dorothy died at the age of 36 of chronic kidney problems. George remarried and died in 1959. Their family still has Dorothy’s button hook she kept from her honeymoon voyage on the Titanic.

Two Victims, Years Later - Titanic Honeymoons Part IV

Clara Rogers, the daughter of well-to-do Jewish-German immigrants, found herself in an unhappy marriage and filed for divorce, despite the views of polite society in 1906. She didn’t expect to marry again, and devoted herself to raising her daughter, Nathalie. Henry Frauenthal, also raised by Jewish-German immigrants, was a brilliant orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of New York’s Hospital for Deformative and Joint Diseases. He treated patients of all races, ages and financial standings, unlike some of his medical colleagues at the time, and became famous for his new treatments for children with polio. At the height of his career, he had neither the time nor the interest in finding a wife.

Clara and Henry met through her brother, who was active in raising funds for charitable organizations. They became friends and gradually fell in love, although neither ever expected such a thing to happen to them. With the scandal of John Jacob Astor and his young bride filling the papers, Clara and Henry decided to bypass any possible negative press and get married in Europe. Henry’s brother came along as best man, and they were married in Nice, France. Following a short honeymoon, Henry booked their first class tickets home on Titanic.

Clara and Henry Frauenthal

Henry’s skills as a physician were well-known on the ship. When a passenger tripped and fell down the Grand Staircase and broke a bone in her elbow, she refused the care of the ship’s doctor and insisted that Dr. Frauenthal attend to her. He supervised as her arm was set in a cast.

Isaac Frauenthal, Henry’s brother, told the couple about a nightmare he’d had two nights in a row onboard the ship. He recalled the vivid dream of the ship slowly sinking and the cries from terrified passengers. Then on the night of April 14, Isaac heard “a long, drawn-out rubbing noise.” He went up to A Deck and investigated until he overheard Captain Edward Smith telling John Jacob Astor they would be loading the lifeboats. Isaac hurried to wake Henry and Clara.

On the boat deck, Clara was led by Fifth Officer Harold Lowe to Lifeboat 5 and helped to board. Not wanting to leave her husband, she tried to get out but couldn’t get past those who were being lifted or helped aboard. With seats still available and Officer Lowe about to lower the boat, Henry and Isaac were allowed to board at the last minute. After the ship sank, the officer in charge of Lifeboat 5 tried to go back to pick up survivors in the water, but others in the boat feared they could all die in a rescue attempt. Henry stayed silent, knowing it would probably be too late to save anyone. He listened to the moans and cries of those in the water until they gradually subsided.

Titanic passengers disembarking Carpathia in New York City

When the Carpathia docked in New York on April 18, the Frauenthals were the first passengers to disembark. With no counseling available to the survivors or knowledge of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, everyone fended for themselves. Henry returned to work at the hospital the next day and tried to forget the horrible shock of what he and his new bride had just endured. Like other male survivors, he and his brother faced criticism for having boarded a lifeboat when so many others perished. Some of the press coverage had an anti-Semitic tone, which could have added to Henry's growing depression.

Clara and Henry avoided talking about Titanic. But Clara’s mental health was in jeopardy and Henry became increasingly depressed. In 1927, tormented by memories of the sinking and by his wife’s worsening condition, Henry jumped from the seventh floor of the hospital he founded. His funeral was attended by well over 1000 people, including many former patients. Clara was committed to a sanitarium, where she lived until her death in 1943.

New York Hospital for Joint Diseases today

A Changed Man - Titanic Honeymoon Part III

Albert Dick wasn’t ready to settle down. By age 30, he and his brother had opened a string of businesses in Alberta, Canada, and Albert used his spare time to pursue his interests in poker and beautiful women.

Then he met a stunningly attractive 16-year-old, named Vera Gillespie. Vera had all the right family connections, and Albert viewed her as a potential business asset. They were married in May 1911 in Calgary, but postponed their European honeymoon until the end of the year. For their return trip, Albert booked two first class tickets on the great Titanic. They boarded with several cases of new furniture, purchased in London for their new home in Calgary.

Albert Dick

Vera Dick

At their first dinner on board, a handsome 20-year-old steward from Southampton named Reginald Jones attended their table. Vera struck up a conversation with him about the ship and the food. Annoyed, Albert told Vera she was not to fraternize with the wait staff and accused her of flirting. But Vera continued to speak with Reginald during the meal and whenever she encountered him during the voyage.

On Sunday, April 14, Albert and Vera were invited to dine with Thomas Andrews, Titanic’s main designer. Following dinner, they took a short walk on deck but soon went to their cabin, due to the cold air. The temperature had dropped that evening from 55 to 34 degrees, an indication the ship was entering an ice field.

The couple retired to bed but argued about Vera’s flirting and Albert’s gambling. A noise “like a thunderclap” interrupted them. They were still wondering what could have caused it when someone knocked on their door. It was Reginald Jones. He urged them to dress warmly, bring their lifebelts, and report to the boat deck. He told Albert they may need to board the lifeboats as a precaution.

Passengers strolling near lifeboats on board Titanic

They ran into Thomas Andrews, who led them immediately to Lifeboat 3. Reginald Jones was once again at their service, and helped a frantic Vera aboard. He told her, "Put your life jacket on, Ma'am. It's the latest thing this season." When no other women would board the lifeboat, Albert was allowed on along with other men, including ten firemen. Still only half full, Lifeboat 3 was lowered to the ocean’s surface. Albert and Vera would never forget all the horror that followed as Titanic sank and hundreds of voices moaned for help in the frigid north Atlantic.

Aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, Vera inquired about the friends they’d made on the ship, including Reginald Jones and Thomas Andrews. She was shocked to learn they had both perished. She claimed she and her husband would not have survived if it hadn’t been for their acquaintance with the steward and his kind actions.

Albert and Vera soon returned home to Calgary. Vera studied singing, and had some success in Calgary. Albert, like other men who survived the sinking, was hounded by reporters for years, who questioned his actions on securing a seat in a lifeboat. Patronage declined at one of his businesses, the Hotel Alexandria, so he sold it. In a magazine interview, he stated, “Previously I thought of nothing but money. The Titanic cured me of that. Since then I have been happier than I ever was before.”

The Dick’s had one daughter, Gilda, and one grandson, who is still living. Albert died in 1970, and Vera in 1973.

Plaque commemorating the Albert Dick business block in Calgary

Photo credits: Alan Hustak

A Titanic Love Story - Part I

Thirteen newlywed couples boarded Titanic—nine in first class, two in second class, and two in steerage. The youngest were teenagers, the oldest in their 40s. Some were already expecting their first child. What did they experience on that fateful night of April 14^th, 1912? Did they survive? And what happened to them afterward? Beginning this week, here are their stories.

John Jacob and Madeleine Astor

Titanic's most well-known passenger, 48-year-old John Jacob Astor was one of the richest men in the world. He’d divorced his first wife, Ava, just two years before announcing his engagement to Madeleine Force. Rumors spread, especially when newspaper reporters learned Madeleine’s age. At 18, Madeleine was a year younger than the multi-millionaire’s son.

Several ministers turned down the generous fee John offered them to officiate. Finally, one agreed to perform the wedding at Astor’s Rhode Island home. Those in attendance at the romantic ceremony claimed the bride and groom were obviously in love.

In order to quiet the scandal surrounding them, the newlyweds decided to embark on a long European honeymoon, beginning with a trans-Atlantic cruise aboard the Olympic, Titanic’s older sister. Accompanying them were John’s valet, Madeleine’s maid, and Kitty, their pet Airedale. A nurse for Madeleine, who was three months pregnant, traveled with them as well.

John Jacob Astor

Madeleine Astor

On the Olympic, the couple met Margaret Brown, an outspoken advocate for women’s suffrage. She visited the pyramids in Egypt with them, then Italy and France, where she received word that her grandson was ill back home. She booked passage on Titanic and would board at Cherbourg. Madeleine, not wanting to risk having her child far from home, asked John if they could join Margaret on the voyage.

The Astor’s were given a superior suite of rooms in Titanic’s first class section. Madeleine loved the ship but couldn’t help feel the cold stares from passengers who knew her husband and his first wife. Margaret Brown encouraged her to ignore the gossip and enjoy herself, and soon the couple became acquainted with other newlywed passengers.

When the ship struck the iceberg, John and Madeleine were sent to the boat deck and told to wear their lifebelts. Hoping another ship would come along before boarding the lifeboats became necessary, John led his wife to the gymnasium to wait. But by 1:40 am, Titanic had a severe list. Despite Madeleine’s protests, John helped her board Lifeboat 4 and asked Second Officer Lightoller if he could join her. When his request was denied, he helped Madeleine’s maid and nurse board the boat, then waved goodbye.

Madeleine hoped her husband would take another lifeboat. She helped row Lifeboat 4 until the Carpathia came to their rescue the next morning. On board, she asked everyone about her husband until it was finally determined that he had been one of the many men who had gone to their death. Madeleine was inconsolable.

John Jacob Astor’s body was recovered and a private funeral held at the family’s Rhode Island estate. His pockets contained $2,500 in cash and a watch that had stopped at 3:20.

Madeleine gave birth to a healthy baby boy exactly four months later and named him John Jacob. She remained in mourning a long time for the man she had loved, caring for her baby and only seeing close friends. A pre-nuptial agreement stated that she was entitled to interest on a five-million-dollar trust fund as long as she didn’t remarry. But in 1916, she married a childhood friend, ending her rights to the Astor money. She had two more sons, and died in 1940 in Palm Beach, Florida.

The Last Crewman

The youngest of nine children, 18-year-old Sidney Daniels of Portsmouth, England, signed on as a third-class steward aboard the RMS Titanic. He’d already worked for one year aboard the Olympic, and he had his superiors’ strongest recommendations. His son, Richard Daniels, states, “Dad’s steward’s uniform was impeccable. He had to make sure the rooms were spotless and the passengers well cared for.”

Titanic Steward Sidney Daniels

On the night of the sinking, a night watchman entered his room and woke Sidney in his bunk. He and his roommates thought it was drill, until he was told to dress immediately, wake the passengers in his care and help them to the lifeboats. Sidney did as he was instructed, assisting at least 24 passengers to the boat deck. Among them was first class passenger Ida Strauss, who refused to leave her husband Isidor. The couple perished together in the sinking.

Richard Daniels continues, “But when he had done his job and was back on deck there was only a collapsible lifeboat left. He helped cut it free but it bobbed over the rail with no one on board.

His superiors told him ‘jump now, lad. There’s nothing here.’ He looked over the rail into the pitch black icy water but was too petrified to jump.

“But he knew it was the only way and leaped off and began swimming from the boat.

“He made for a shape in the distance which turned out to be the collapsible lifeboat. It was upturned and had two dozen survivors on it.

“He got on and was about to fall asleep when someone on said, ‘if you fall asleep, son, it will be your last.’

“The man next to him died and another clung on to Dad’s leg.”

Sidney reported the men in the boat saying the Lord’s Prayer in unison. They were later rescued and brought aboard the Carpathia.

Page from Sidney Daniels' Diary

He returned to work aboard the Olympic, crossing the Atlantic more than 200 times to New York and back to Southampton. In 1914, he joined the Royal Army Service Corps, but to his dismay, saw no direct combat. He married in 1916, but his wife died two years later. In 1920, he remarried and had seven children.

Sidney Daniels was the last surviving member of Titanic’s crew. He died in Portsmouth at the age of 89.

Richard Daniels holding a photo of his father Sidney

A Newlywed Couple's Titanic Journey

Three brothers from Belgium, anxious to seek their fortunes in America, heard about unclaimed land in Montana and decided to emigrate in 1901. Guillaume, Emanuel, and Jacques De Messemaeker settled between Tampico and Vandalia, Montana. They cleared many acres of land and began farming. In 1911, 35-year-old Guillaume (Bill) decided to return home to Belgium to visit family and to marry.

Guillaume De Messemaeker

In early 1912, Bill married Anna De Becker and made plans to bring her to Montana. The couple boarded the Titanic as third class passengers. After the collision with the iceberg on the night of April 14^th, they managed to get to the boat deck ahead of many others from third class, partly due to Bill’s understanding of English.

When Anna was ordered into Lifeboat 13, she clung to her husband and refused to leave him. Bill finally picked her up and handed her to an officer already in the boat. At that point, he did not expect to survive. But another officer asked if there were any experienced crewmen available to help with Lifeboat 15. Bill volunteered and jumped into the crowded boat. He helped row all night, and was reunited with Anna aboard the Carpathia.

Even after the couple headed to their home in Montana, Anna did not recover from her experience on the Titanic and the thought that she had lost her husband. She died in a mental hospital in 1918.

Anna Messemaeker

Bill went back to Belgium for another visit and remarried in 1920. He and his new wife, Marie, returned to Montana where they became the parents of four children and had a successful sheep and cattle ranch. Bill died in 1955 at age 79 and was buried next to Anna in Glasgow, Montana. Marie was also buried next to him when she died in 1983.

One Mother's Story

Leah Rosen met Samuel Aks while living in London. They were both Jewish and both from Warsaw, Poland. The two were soon married, and Samuel worked as a tailor but was barely able to make a living. A cousin who lived in America visited him in London, and convinced him to move to Norfolk, Virginia. As soon as he moved and got a job in the scrap metal business, Samuel saved every penny he could to bring Leah to America, as well as his new son, Frank Philip (Filly), whom he’d never met. The day finally came when 18-year-old Leah and 10-month-old Filly boarded Titanic at Southampton for the voyage to their new home.

On the night Titanic struck the iceberg, Leah made her way from her third class cabin to the boat deck with Filly in her arms. Madeleine Astor, wife of multi-millionaire John Jacob Astor, happened to be standing nearby and covered Filly’s head with her silk scarf. A man who had been refused a seat in the lifeboats ran up to Leah, grabbed Filly, and said, “I’ll show you women and children first!” and tossed the baby overboard.

Leah searched for her son in the chaos, but was somehow urged or pushed into Lifeboat 13. Filly had fallen into Lifeboat 11, into the arms of pregnant Italian immigrant Argene del Carlo. She held Filly close and cared for him through the long cold night in the lifeboat as the survivors waited to be rescued. Argene’s husband had been turned away as his wife boarded the lifeboat, and now Argene hoped this baby was somehow sent to her by God to replace her lost husband.

Argene and Sebastian del Carlo on their wedding day

On board the Carpathia, a despondent Leah heard a familiar cry. She recognized Filly, now in Argene’s arms, but the woman refused to give Leah her child. Leah appealed to Captain Rostron, who was forced to play the role of King Solomon in deciding who the real mother was. The conflict was resolved when Leah stated her son was circumcised and Argene, as an Italian Catholic of that day, would not have circumcised her son. Filly was then correctly identified as belonging to Leah.

Samuel, Filly, and Leah Aks

After being reunited with Samuel and beginning her new life in America, Leah gave birth to a baby girl 9 months later. She wanted to name the baby Sara Carpathia Aks. However, due to confusion at the hospital, the nuns in attendance wrote the name Sara Titanic Aks on her birth certificate.

Leah’s ear drums had been damaged by the bitter cold on board the lifeboat, and she suffered from a partial hearing loss the rest of her life. She died in 1967 in Norfolk, Virginia.

The blanket used by Argene del Carlo to keep Filly warm in the lifeboat is on display at the Maritime Museum in Newport, Virginia. Argene delivered a baby girl in November of 1912 and soon returned to Italy, where she eventually remarried.

An Irishwoman's Tale of Survival

Anna Katherine Kelly left her home in Cuilmullagh, County Mayo, Ireland at the age of 20 and boarded the Titanic at Queenstown as a third class passenger. Bound for Chicago, she planned to meet her cousins, Anna and Mary Garvey, who had already moved there. On board the ship, Anna joined a group of other young Irish men and women she knew, led by Katherine McGowan, all dreaming of new lives in America.

Third class Titanic passengers in Queenstown, Ireland

When Titanic struck the iceberg, Anna woke and noticed the hum of the engines had stopped. But no stewards came to inform the steerage passengers of what happened. Some of the men went up on deck, but were told there was no danger. Later, a steward pounded on Anna’s cabin door. Minutes later on deck, she stood with her friends in ankle-deep water while the remaining seats in the last lifeboats were filled.

A married couple Anna knew, Mr and Mrs. Bourke, argued at the railing. Mrs. Bourke refused to enter the lifeboat without her husband. A steward dragged Anna forward and she was thrust into the lifeboat in Mrs. Bourke’s place. That lifeboat, #16, was the last to be launched from the Titanic, except for the collapsible boats near the bridge.

Anna and her friend Katherine McGowan reached New York aboard the rescue ship Carpathia. After a short stay in the hospital, they were given old coats and shoes and train tickets to Chicago.

Titanic passengers in lifeboat as seen from Carpathia

Out of the fourteen friends who had boarded the ship together at Queenstown, only three survived the sinking: Anna, Katherine, and another woman.

Anna became a nun, Sister Patrick Joseph Kelly. She spent most of her life teaching in the Chicago area and also in Detroit. She traveled home to Ireland once, to visit her sister. She died in 1969 in Adrian, Michigan at age 77.

Sister Patrick Joseph (Anna Kelly)