It has been more than a century since the sinking of the RMS Titanic. The ship was dubbed ‘unsinkable’. The maritime disaster claimed the lives of more than 1,500 passengers and crew members.
Research after the 15 April 1912 tragic sea accident has revealed that the RMS Titanic, on its maiden voyage from Europe to New York, was doomed to fail because of inadequate safety measures, lack of proper oversight and regulation, absence of sufficient lifeboats, and lack of preparedness and crew training.
Many lives could have been saved on the faithful day when the ship collided with ice if proper emergency plans had been implemented before the historic voyage.
Among the victims who lost their lives on 15 April 1912 were prominent and distinguished individuals, including one of the wealthiest men in the world, Businessmen and Women, Business executives, and Military personnel. In this article, we explore the ten famous individuals who perished on that night.
Ten Famous People Who on the Titanic
John Jacob Astor IV
John Astro was one of the wealthiest men in the World and was on the RMS Titanic. He was an American investor, businessman, and real estate magnate.
Astor, 47, also had an appetite for invention and innovation; he has patents for inventions, including automatic locks and advanced turbine engines. John was returning from a European honeymoon with his Madeleine, who was pregnant then. Astor ensured Madeleine was safe. He has also written and published articles on social-political issues and science fiction novels.
He was also a military veteran and a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish–American War. John Astor was worth $87 million as of 1912.
Benjamin Guggenheim
Benjamin Guggenheim was a renowned American businessman and a member of the prominent Guggenheim family, whose source of wealth was the mining industry.
Guggenheim is best known for his knowledge of finance and industry. He decided not to board a lifeboat and reportedly said, “We’ve dressed up in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen.” Benjamin Guggenheim, 46, the body was never found and will always be remembered as one of the famous persons who persisted on the Titanic.
Isidor and Ida Straus
Isidor Straus was a prominent and successful American businessman. Isador was also famous for his philanthropic activities. He was a co-owner of Macy’s together with his brother.
Isidor was a member of the US House of Representatives. He got a spot in the lifeboat but rejected it, saying, “he will not leave unless every woman and child is off the sinking ship.” Ida refuses to leave Isidor when he tells her to board the lifeboat, saying,” We have lived together for many years; where you go, I go.” The couples, in their 60s, perished to gather hand in hand.
Jacques Futrelle
Jacques Futrelle was a renowned American author and Journalist known for his fantastic writing skills in crime fiction stories. He also worked as a journalist for The Boston Post and The New York Herald.
Futrelle distinguished himself through storytelling, marked by intricate plots, well-crafted characters, and vivid prose. His talent for creating suspenseful and captivating narratives kept readers captivated and wanting more. He displayed innovation in his writing, exploring themes of crime and detection through inventive narrative techniques and diverse styles.
He was one of the prominent figures who lost their life that night, but he made sure her wife was aboard a lifeboat.
George Dunton Widener
George Dunton Widener was a successful and renowned American businessman in the area of industry and finance.
Dunton Widener’s presence in the corporate realm, influence, wealth, and impact was far-reaching. Widener’s invested in various sectors and industries, showcasing his sharp investment tactics and adeptness in recognizing and seizing emerging opportunities.
Widely esteemed for his business prowess, he held a revered reputation as a sensible and accomplished entrepreneur. Yet, amid his myriad triumphs, Widener’s enduring legacy is often tied to his prominent role as a passenger on the clashed RMS Titanic, a journey that tragically claimed his life.
Thomas Andrews, Jr
Thomas Andrews, Jr was an Irish businessman and Shipbuilder. He was not an ordinary passenger on the RMS Titanic, but he was the designer of the Titanic and supervised its construction of the Titanic.
Andrew was on the Titanic to observe the ship’s progress and make improvement recommendations. He was the chief naval architect of the Longtime Harland and Wolff. His knowledge and expertise in marine engineering, maritime industry, ship design, and construction were parallel to none.
Despite his many accomplishments and knowledge in the Maritime industry, Thomas Andrews, Jr perished on the RMS Titanic that night.
Charles Melville Hays
Charles Melville Hays was an American railway magnate. He was influential and renowned in the area of transport. Charles was the president of Grand Trunk Railway, which operated in the Northeast of the US and Canada.
He was on the Ship with his wife, Clara, and their daughter, Orian. His family was able to survive after evacuating the Ship through a lifeboat. Charles, however, did not survive, and his body was recovered and buried in his hometown, Montreal.
Archibald Butt
Archibald Butt was a well-respected, dedicated, selfless Military officer. He was enlisted in the US Army during the Spanish-American War. He served in the Philippines and Cuba. Because of his dedication to service, in 1908, he became the Military aid to President Theodore Roosevelt. After President Theodore Roosevelt had left office, he continued to serve his successor, President Taft.
Many survivors of the Titanic have revealed that Archibald Butt led the evacuation of women and children into the lifeboats and went to the extent of threatening men who tried to board the lifeboat at the expense of women and children.
Henry B Harries
Henry B Harries was an American Broadway Producer and theater owner. He was a major industry player and started managing stars and producing plays in 1897. He was returning to the United States with his wife, Renee, after a business trip to London. Henry made sure his wife had survived by ensuring he evacuated through a lifeboat.
Renee, after his survivor, continued his husband’s line of work and rose to become the first female theater producer in the United States.
Colonel George Dennick Wick
George Dennick Wick was an American industrialist, President, and founder of Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. He is on a health trip to Europe. George boarded the RMS Titanic on a return home to the United States, where he met his untimely death when the ship sank.
He was on the RMS Titanic with his wife, daughter, aunt, and cousin on the Titanic; fortunately for them, all of them evacuated via a lifeboat.
Conclusion
The sinking of the RMS Titanic remains one of the most tragic maritime disasters in history. 1500 lives perished on that fateful night, including famous personalities whose life work, dedication, and accomplishment have been passed on and impacted lives.
As we remember those lives, let us not forget how failure to heed warnings, inadequate safety measures, lack of proper oversight and regulation, absence of sufficient lifeboats, and lack of preparedness and crew training resulted in one of the most tragic maritime disasters.
The RMS Titanic disaster reminds us of how human complacency, desire, fortune, and fame succumbed to the relentless power of the ocean. The list of famous people who died on the RMS Titanic is unlimited. If anyone is excluded from the list above, please add it to the comment section. The list will be updated from time.
