Science fiction archive. Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor. Curriculum vitae

William Buckhouse Astor Jr. (William Backhouse Astor, Jr.) - father (07/12/1829 - 04/25/1892)
Carolina Webster Shermion (Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor) - mother (09/21/1830 - 10/30/1908)
Ava Lowle Willing - first wife (09/15/1868 - 07/09/1958; marriage 1891 - 1909)
Madeleine Talmage Force (Madeleine Talmage Force) - second wife (06/19/1893 - 03/27/1940; marriage 1911 - 1912)
William Vincent Astor - son (11/15/1891 - 02/3/1959)
Ava Alice Muriel Astor (Ava Alice Muriel Astor) - daughter (07/07/1902 - 07/19/1956)
John Jacob Astor VI (John Jacob Astor VI) - son (08/14/1912 - 06/26/1992)

American millionaire, businessman, writer, participant in the Spanish-American War and a member of the famous Astor family in the United States. One of the four writers - John Jacob Astor IV, Jacques Heath Futrelle, Francis Davis Millet and William Thomas Stead - who published fiction at least once who died on the infamous Titanic. Born in Rhinebeck, New York, into a family of fur and real estate traders, the Astor family is one of the wealthiest families in the United States. Young John studied at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and then at Harvard University, Massachusetts. From 1894 to 1896 he was on the staff of Governor Levi P. Morton, and after the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, he financed a block of volunteer artillery batteries. He was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in the US Army and served as a staff officer in Cuba.

After graduation, John Astor continued the family business in real estate. In 1897, he built the Astoria Hotel in New York, the most luxurious hotel in the world, to which Astor's cousin, William Waldorf Astor, adjoined. The hotel was called the Waldorf Hotel. The complex of two hotels became known as the "Waldorf-Astoria Hotel" (it was these hotels that received the surviving passengers of the 1st class after the crash of the Titanic). In addition, he patented several inventions, including bicycle brakes, pneumatic road reclamators, and helped develop the turbine engine. During a honeymoon trip to Egypt and Europe, Astor's second wife, Madeleine Talmaj Force, became pregnant and insisted that the child be born in the United States. The family bought tickets for the Titanic in Cherbourg as 1st class passengers. Astor's valet, Victor Robbins, maid Madeleine Rosalie Bydos, and nurse Caroline Louise Andrews boarded the ship with them. In addition, their pet, an Airedale Terrier named Kitty, went on a trip with them. Astor was the richest passenger on board the Titanic. After the ship collided with an iceberg, John put his wife on the boat along with the maid and nurse, while he himself remained on board the Titanic. The body of the 47-year-old millionaire was discovered on April 22, 1912 by the SS Mackay-Bennett. John Jacob Astor was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in New York. Madeleine and other surviving passengers were rescued by the Carpathia liner, and on August 14, 1912, Madeleine Astor gave birth to her second son, John Jacob Astor VI, but later she never spoke of her husband again.

In the history of world science fiction, the name of John Jacob Astor is marked by the authorship of the utopian novel A Journey in Other Worlds (1894), which describes space travel to Saturn and Jupiter, made by three earthlings in 2088. Planet Earth of the 21st century is presented to the reader as a fantastic and beautiful world. Its seas are plowed by mechanical "water striders" on an air cushion, flywheels on "apergic" traction soar in the sky, and the hero drives around the country on an electric phaeton (The idea of the so-called "apergic" traction was borrowed by the author from Percy Greg's novel) "Across the Zodiac" (Across the Zodiac, 1880)). A grandiose project of the Earth's Axis Alignment is being carried out - more precisely, reducing its inclination to the plane of the ecliptic from 23 to 11 degrees, which will make seasonal climate changes not so pronounced ... The political world order, however, is far from perfect in everything: although the American continent, from Canada in the north to Cape Horn in the south, and gradually united into the United States of America, Eurasia continues to be torn apart by contradictions. The Cold War between Russia, Germany and France took on a protracted character; the cunning British did not fail to take advantage of the weakening of their continental opponents and extended colonial influence throughout Africa and Asia. The spaceship of the heroes of the novel, named "Callisto", is sent on "apergic" thrust on a long journey outside the solar system, but makes a stop first on Jupiter, and then on Saturn. On Jupiter, the heroes of the novel discover almost the Garden of Eden, waiting for the appearance of their Adam and Eve, and on Saturn, on the contrary, it turns out that it is possible to talk with the souls of the dead righteous on earth.

Author's works

Novels

1894 - A Journey in Other Worlds: A Romance of the Future / Fig. Dan Beard. - ed. "D. Appleton & Company" (New York), 1894. - 476 p. (P)

Individual editions

Journey to Other Worlds: A Novel of the Future. - St. Petersburg: Ed. A. Suvorina, 1895. - 338 p. (p) - [John Jacob Astaire]

Creativity of the author

Everett Bleiler. Rec. based on John Jacob Astor's novel A Journey in Other Worlds: A Romance of the Future by John Jacob Astor: Review by Everett F. Bleiler // Everett F. Bleiler, Richard Bleiler (Richard J. Bleiler). Science Fiction: The Early Years. - ed. Kent State University Press, 1991 - p.24
David Seed. Rec. based on John Jacob Astor's novel A Journey in Other Worlds by John Jacob Astor: Review by David Seed // Foundation magazine, 2004, No. 92 (summer) - p.121-122

February 26, 2016, 00:10

The story goes that there were 16 newlywed couples on the Titanic, although some sources indicate more. In the case of 7 couples, both spouses survived. Seven young wives lost their husbands, and two couples stayed together until the end and found their happiness in heaven. Many of them were well known, others have been written about only a couple of lines. Most of the newlyweds were in the first class.

First couple: John Jacob Astor IV and Madeleine Astor (1st grade)

In fact, it is not known where Madeleine Force and John Jacob Astor first met, but there is a version that already before Madeleine's debut ball, when she was first introduced to high society in December 1910, they knew each other, and this acquaintance of them would later shock all decent society.

When they met, John Jacob Astor, one of the richest men in the world, was 45 and recently divorced. Divorced at a time when divorce was strictly prohibited. There is a version that Mrs. Force, Madeleine's mother, wanted Catherine (her older sister) to marry Astor, but he chose Madeleine. Astor was 29 years older than her, and his son from his first marriage was already 18. The son was only a year younger than Madeleine.

Katherine Force, Madeleine's older sister.

Today, it is probably difficult to understand the negative attitude towards divorce in the early 1900s, but it was very difficult to obtain. It is not known whether Astor or his wife, Ava Loul Wilmyas, filed for divorce, but only Astor's wealth helped complete the process.

However, Astor's problems did not end with a divorce. After meeting Madeleine in the summer of 1910, he announced his intention to marry her, but because of the divorce, almost no one wanted to marry the couple, since divorcees were not allowed to marry again.

They did get married on September 9, 1911 at Beechwood, Astor's estate. Finding a priest turned out to be a rather difficult task, since neither money nor prayers stopped two people from refusing. Astor's son was his best man.

After the wedding, John took Madeleine on his yacht and before he left, he said: “Now that I am happily married, I don’t care about the complexity of divorce and remarriage. I wholeheartedly sympathize with almost all the foundations of this society, but I think that remarriage should be allowed, because marriage is the happiest thing that can be for a person and society.

To avoid gossip, the newlyweds went on a long journey. First they visited Egypt, then Paris. Abroad, they met Margaret Brown, who (not to match many Americans) did not consider their wedding something indecent. She continued to travel with them until the Astors decided to return home.

Photo taken by journalists shortly after the wedding

The reason for the sudden decision to return after 8 months of travel was simple - Madeleine became pregnant and the couple wanted the child to be born in America and they took tickets for the Titanic.

After the collision, John Jacob left the cabin to find out what was wrong. He returned rather quickly and informed his wife that the ship had hit an iceberg, but the danger did not seem serious.

Later, as the first class passengers began to gather on the boat deck, the Astors sat in the gymnasium, where John found another life jacket and cut it open a little to show Madeleine what it was made of. Later, Mrs. Astor gave her shawl to Leah Ax (3rd class passenger) to wrap up her ten-month-old son Philly.

Even as the lifeboats were coming down, Astor scoffed at the idea of leaving the solid deck of the Titanic for a fragile little boat. "Here we are much safer than in this little boat," he said to Madeleine. But around 1:45 a.m., he changed his mind when Second Officer Charles Lightoller came to A Deck to finish loading boat No. 4.

John Jacob died, leaving Madeleine the income from the five million trust fund and his house on Fifth Avenue until she remarried. In August 1912, Madeleine gave birth to a son, naming him after her husband, John Jacob Astor VI.

Madeleine in 1937

During World War I, she married William K. Dick (and renounced all claims to the Astor inheritance). They had two sons. They divorced in 1933 and Madeleine married Enzo Fiermonte. But this marriage lasted only 5 years. Madeleine died at the age of 47 in 1940 in Palm Beach, Florida.

Second couple: Victor and Maria Penasco at Castellana (1st grade)

Fabulously rich and incredibly in love, 24-year-old Spaniard Victor and his young wife Maria, 22, enchanted everyone they met on board the Titanic. Victor is an energetic guy in a great suit who inherited his vast wealth from his father and grandfather. Maria is a stunning beauty dressed in the latest fashion.

In early April 1912 the couple were in Paris, where they abruptly decided to end their honeymoon with a trip to New York. Victor's superstitious mother warned the young that any voyage would bring them bad luck, so Victor hid his intentions from her, leaving his valet in Paris, who sent her postcards every week.

Victor and Maria had just returned to their quarters when they sensed a collision. Victor ran off to find out what happened. When he returned, he told Mary to get dressed immediately. Without taking any action to save himself, he found a place in boat number 8 for Maria and her maid.

Victor died, his body was never found. Meanwhile, his mother still received postcards, not knowing that her son was dead. In the end, she learned about everything from the Madrid newspapers, but their story does not end there.

In accordance with Spanish law, if the body of the deceased was not found, he was not officially considered dead for 20 years. Because of this, Mary could not receive her husband's inheritance, but his mother, a wealthy, influential woman, bribed the officials. Victor's death certificate was issued and he was "buried" in Halifax.

Maria inherited Victor's fortune and, having been an inconsolable widow for about 6 years, she married Baron de Rio Tovia. They had three children, and Maria managed to live the life of a wealthy Madrid mother, a life that she could have lived with Victor.

Pair Three: John and Nellie Snyder (Grade 1)

Nellie Stevenson married John Pillsbury Snyder, grandson of the founder of the Pillsbury Company, in January 1912. The young couple went on a three-month tour of Europe, and the trip on the Titanic was to end their honeymoon, their recent marriage may have saved them a life.

Some newspapers reported that when the boats were loaded, one of the crew members shouted: "Let the brides and grooms go first!" So Mr. and Mrs. Snyder got into the boat with the other newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop, and Mr. and Mrs. Dick. Mrs. Snyder got into the boat and her husband followed her. They escaped in lifeboat number 7.

John and Nell Snyder just after getting off the Carpathia in New York. They are dressed in the same clothes in which they left the sinking liner.

John and Nellie returned to Minnesota, where John became the owner of a car company. They had three children. In addition to his employment in the automobile business, John served during World War I and was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1927 to 1929. He died at the age of 71 in 1959 while playing golf. Nellie lived to be 93 years old.

Fourth couple: Albert and Vera Dick (Grade 1)

The couple married on May 31, 1911, the same day that the Titanic was launched. 18-year-old Vera Gillespie was still young and inexperienced, so Albert decided to spend his honeymoon on a big tour of Europe, where he could teach her all the tricks of the rich life. The Titanic was supposed to take them home to America.

On board, one of the young stewards named Jones took a liking to Vera and, much to Albert's annoyance, flirted with him. The couple also became friends with Thomas Andrews and they dined together on the evening of 14 April. Later, Vera will say that she will always remember the stars that night. "Even in Canada, where the nights are very clear, I have never seen such a clear and starry sky."

The couple were about to go to bed when the ship collided with an iceberg, but they did not feel anything. The incident was reported to them by the same steward who had tender feelings for Vera. “We would have overslept everything in the world if the steward had not knocked on our door shortly after midnight and told us to get dressed and take life jackets.” Thomas Andrews led them into the boat. According to Albert, he and his wife were in a strong farewell hug, and then Andrews pushed them into the boat.

When they returned home, Albert was universally rejected and ignored for surviving. There were rumors that he disguised himself as a woman to save himself. His growing hotel business suffered, so Albert sold it and continued to invest in real estate. Vera studied music at the Royal Academy of Music in Toronto and became a good vocalist. In the courtyard of their house, they built a staircase, a bit reminiscent of the front on the Titanic, but in every possible way denied this similarity. They had one child, daughter Gilda.

Couple Five: Dickinson and Helen Bishop (Grade 1)

Dickinson Bishop, at the time of his marriage to 19-year-old Helen Walton, was a rich young widower. His first wife bequeathed him a large stake in a Michigan company. They married Helen on November 7, 1911.

The couple were returning from a four-month honeymoon trip to Egypt, Italy, France and Algeria, postponing their departure to return home on the new Titanic.

On the night of April 14, Helen was in bed and Dick was reading when the Titanic hit an iceberg. Helen reported that she didn't hear or feel anything until a few minutes later someone came to their door and told them to come on deck. The couple did so, but the officers told them that they could return to their cabin as there was no danger.

Just as they were getting ready to go to bed again, they were disturbed again. This time it was their friend, Albert Stuart, who expressed his dismay at the ship's already noticeable list. The Bishops quickly dressed again and went out on deck, where there were only a few people. Helen asked her husband to return to the cabin for her clutch.

Dickinson Bishop in 1949

While he was doing this, Helen caught up with him and said that the order had come to put on life jackets. Returning to the deck, the couple boarded boat No. 7. Helen, who became the first passenger of this boat, later claimed that she had heard the order “All brides and grooms may board” and that the other three newlywed couples already known to us boarded this boat.

Mrs. Bishop had to leave her dog Frou-Frou in the cabin. She understood that “There will be little sympathy for a woman holding a dog in her arms instead of a child in such a situation” .There were only 3 crew members on board their boat, so several passengers, including Helen, helped row.

After being rescued by the Carpathia and returning to New York, the Bishops testified before the Senate Commission of Inquiry into the crash, chaired by Senator William A. Smith.

While on board the Titanic, Helen was already pregnant and on December 8, 1912 gave birth to a son, Randall Walton Bishop, but the baby died two days later.

To keep the spirits of the people in Lifeboat 7 as it drifted through the cold, dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Helen told them a story. When the Bishops were still in Egypt, a fortune teller foretold her future. She survives a shipwreck and an earthquake before a car accident takes her life. "We had to be saved" , - she said, - "for the rest of the prophecy to come true."

While vacationing in California, the Bishops survived an earthquake, and on November 15, 1913, they were in a car accident. Helen had a skull fracture, and no one believed that she would survive. She was saved with a steel plate placed in her skull, but the accident caused a change in her mental state, and her marriage suffered as a result. The couple divorced in January 1916.

Dickinson Bishop with family in 1921

Three months later, Helen collapsed while visiting friends. She died March 16, 1916. An article about her death was placed on the front page of the Dowagiac Daily News, ironically on the same page as an article about Dickinson Bishop's third marriage.

Couple Six: George and Dorothy Harder (Grade 1)

The newlyweds boarded the Titanic in Cherbourg. Imoboi managed to escape in boat number 5. The couple is also known from a picture taken on the Carpathia during their conversation with Mrs. Hayes, a 1st class passenger.

The same photo.

Upon their return to New York, the Harders formed a committee to honor the bravery of Captain Rostron of the Carpathia and his crew. They awarded the captain with a silver cup with an inscription, and each of the 320 crew members with a medal.

Mr. Harder was one of the survivors who testified before the US Senate Board of Inquiry. The couple was often asked to talk about the Titanic disaster, but they refused. Like many male survivors, George Harder realized that living with the stigma of being a Titanic survivor was not easy.

Many people treated him with contempt, as a man who escaped when more than a hundred women and children died. Only in the last few years of his life did George tell his two daughters facts about the disaster that he thought no one had ever known. He must have forgotten that his testimony at the Senate Inquiry was recorded.

In the early years after the disaster, Dorothy suffered from kidney problems. She died in 1926, at the age of only 36. After her death, George remarried and his second wife, Elizabeth, was 15 years younger.

Couple Seven: Daniel and Mary Marvin (Grade 1)

Daniel Marvin was the son of the founder of the first "film" studios, Henry Norton Marvin, so it's no surprise that his wedding to Mary Farquharson was caught on camera. Daniel was only 19, and his young new wife was 18. On the Titanic, the couple returned home after their honeymoon in Europe.

Mrs Marvin recalls:

“Dan picked me up and pushed people aside to put me on the boat. As he sat me down, he called out, “It's all right, baby. Go, I'll stay here for a while. I'll put on my life jacket and jump off after you." Our boat began to descend and he kissed me quickly. When we went on deck after the collision, it was dark. I heard about ten revolver shots. One bullet flew almost next to my cheek. The gentlemen were courageous, pushing the shorts away from the boats that tried to get into them before the women. While our boat was descending, I saw Major Batt, whom I knew a little, standing on the deck with an iron bar or cane, driving away the violent crowd, rushing into the crowded boats ... "

Daniel Marvin died, his body was never found. On October 21, 1912, their daughter, Mary Margaret Elizabeth Marvin, was born, whom Mary carried under her heart while still on the Titanic. On December 25, 1913, Mary remarried an old family friend.

Pair Eight: Lucien and Mary Smith (Grade 1)

Lucien, a recent graduate of West Virginia University, first saw Mary Eloise Hughes in a photograph shown to a mutual friend and instantly fell in love. To meet this dark-haired beauty, he traveled to her hometown, Huntington. After a brief courtship, Mary gave her consent to become Lucien's wife, and the wedding date was set for February 8, 1912. Local newspapers described the wedding as "one of the most magnificent weddings our city has ever seen."

The newlyweds decided to spend their honeymoon on a trip around the world. They set off on their journey aboard the Olympic under the command of Captain Smith, but by early April they suddenly wanted to return to the mountains of West Virginia. The reason was simple - Mary Eloise had been pregnant for two months. "Lucien can't wait to get home, drive a car and fool around on the farm" she wrote to her parents. - “We are leaving on Sunday. We will go by ship to Brindisi, by train we will go to Nice and Monte Carlo, then to Paris and Cherbourg we will either board the Lusitania or the Titanic.

On April 14, after dinner at a cafe in Parisien, Lucien played cards with three Frenchmen. When the collision happened, Mary was already asleep. She was awakened by Lucien, who "leisurely" told her, "We've hit an iceberg. It's okay, but we'll probably be a day late before arriving in New York. But for safety reasons, the captain ordered all the ladies to come on deck.

On deck, Eloise approached Captain Smith and, informing him that she was all alone there, asked if her husband could accompany her in the boat. The captain did not answer, only repeated the order "Women and children first!"

After assuring his wife that there was enough room in the boats for everyone on the Titanic, Lucien put Eloise in boat number 6. He kissed her goodbye and told her to keep her hands in her pockets so that they would not freeze.

Lucien is dead. Ironically, three couples of newlyweds, already known to us, were put on the next boat. If the Smiths had waited a little longer, they could have escaped together.

At first, the newspapers nevertheless reported that both Lucien and Eloise were saved. Hopeful relatives came to New York to meet the Carpathia.

James Smith, Lucien's older brother, later traveled to Halifax to see if his brother's body had indeed been found. After a long search in the morgues and conversations with the captains of the search ships Mackay-Bennett and Minia, he decided not. Meanwhile, Eloise was expecting her husband's body to be found, beginning to plan a lavish mausoleum for him.

On November 29, 1912, Eloise gave birth to a son, Lucien Philip Smith Jr. Mrs. Astor congratulated her on his birth.

Lucien Smith Jr.

On August 18, 1914, Eloise remarried first-class passenger Robert Williams Daniel, a survivor of the crash. The couple divorced in 1923. Eloise would marry twice more before returning to her first husband's surname. She died of a heart attack at the age of only 46.

Pair nine: Henry and Clara Frauenthal (Grade 1)

At the time of landing on the Titanic, this couple was only two weeks old since the official marriage in France.

Henry at that time was already a fairly well-known orthopedic surgeon and was at the top of his career. One of his medical interests was the treatment of chronic joint diseases. For this purpose, in 1904, he founded a clinic to practice the treatments he invented for these diseases, which were so successful that in 1908 the clinic expanded with the construction of another building.

Henry's brother, Isaac Frauenthal, traveled with them and joined them at Cherbourg.

All three escaped in boat number 5. With the participation of Henry, one rather unpleasant situation occurred - he managed not to get into the boat, but to fall. Being a fairly large man, he fell on the 1st class passenger Annie Mae Stengel and broke several of her ribs.

After his happy rescue, Frauenthal returned to work at the clinic, which continued to grow. In 1914, another of its buildings was built, and in the first year of its operation, more than 48,000 patients were admitted. Later, Henry may have recounted his experience of the disaster in an article for the May 1912 issue of American Medicine.

Henry and Clara had no children of their own, but had an adopted daughter, Natalie. There is information that, perhaps, Natalie was Clara's daughter from her first marriage.

Natalie Frauenthal

The catastrophe, apparently, turned out to be such a strong shock that in subsequent years the Frauenthals suffered from mental problems. In the early hours of March 11, 1927, Henry committed suicide by jumping off the 7th floor of his own hospital. Clara was admitted to a hospital in Connecticut for the remaining 16 years of her life.

Henry left most of his property, including the family estate, to the hospital. Clara, on the other hand, the famous surgeon left only his personal property "with the exception of securities and money in the bank", as well as household items.

One rather interesting point was indicated in the will: Henry asked to dispel his ashes over the hospital on the 50th anniversary of its founding, which fell on October 1, 1955. Which was done.

Pair Ten: John and Sarah Chapman (grade 2)

They married on December 26, 1911. Sarah's brother lived and worked in America, so the couple decided to emigrate to him. On the Titanic, they also wanted to spend their belated honeymoon.

In the early days, the couple befriended James Hawking, a 2nd class passenger. According to Emily Richards, a Class 2 passenger, after the collision, the Chapmans went on deck with Hawking and the Drew family. The Drews split up, but the others stayed together. Sarah was boarding boat No. 4 with Emily, but realizing that she would have to board alone, she turned and said to Emily, “Goodbye, Mrs. Richards. If John can't come with me, I won't go either."

Mr and Mrs Chapman are dead. McKay-Bennett found only John's body.

Pair eleventh: Neil and Eileen McNamee (Grade 3)

In 1901, a young Irish immigrant so impressed the manager of the Lipton store that he was immediately hired by this famous company. This guy was 17-year-old Neil McNamee, and from that moment on, his fate was sealed.

The young McNamee was promoted, and a few years later he was offered a position as a trainee manager in the company's department in Wiltshire, in southern England. It was there that he met and fell in love with the young Eileen O'Leary, who came to work in the store as a saleswoman. She was an elegant, charming and very capable girl.

Everyone approved of their relationship, since the young were very famous for their impeccable work. Rumors about Neil reached the founder of the company, Sir Thomas Lipton, who offered McNamee a job in America.

It seemed that the couple had a bright future. They married on January 17, 1912 and decided to spend their honeymoon aboard the new Titanic. Before sailing, Eileen was naturally nervous and even bought herself a nice white blouse with a small blue anchor embroidered on it.

The newlyweds boarded the Titanic in Southampton as 3rd class passengers, where they met many Irish fellow countrymen.

The body of Neil, a handsome young man, was never found. Eileen's body was raised by the McKay-Bennett and buried at sea on April 22, 1912. They say that she was wearing that very white blouse with an anchor, an engagement ring on her hand, and she took with her a purse in which lay a flight ticket.

Pair twelfth: Pekka and Elin Hakkarainen (Grade 3)

Pekka and Elin were married on January 15, 1912 in Finland. Elin was originally from Quincy, Massachusetts, where she worked as a servant for 4 years before meeting Pekka, who lived in Pennsylvania. They planned a trip to America much earlier than their marriage, because if the couple had stayed in Finland, Pekka would have had to serve in the Russian army. At first they wanted to board the Mauritania, but changed their minds and boarded the Titanic in Southampton.

On the night of April 14, the couple were woken up by a collision that was described as a strong vibration and grinding. Pekka got up to find out what was the matter, and Elin went back to bed.

She fell asleep again, but woke up after a while. Pekka had not yet returned, and when one of her friends knocked on the door, she stood up. Elin didn't have enough time to get properly dressed, so she grabbed her purse and life jacket and hurried out into the corridor. All the stairs were barred, but eventually she noticed a steward who had come for the women from the third class to take them to the boats.

Elin was looking for her husband on deck, but an officer came up and said that there was still room in the nearest boat (No. 15).

The boat was already being lowered, and Elin almost fell between the ship and the boat when someone grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the boat.

Pekka's body was never found, Eileen later received a £50 settlement. In 1917 she moved to West Virginia, where she remarried and had a son.

Each couple was happy in their own way. Someone was looking forward to a new life together in another country, someone was glad that the fruit of their joint love would soon appear, someone just wanted to make the beginning of their marriage especially bright and memorable.

But fate decreed otherwise, gathering them all aboard the magnificent but doomed Titanic.

The last photo taken of the Titanic

Plan:

1 Biography
2 On board the Titanic
3 Future life
4 Death

Introduction

Madeleine Talmaj Force(English) Madeleine Talmage Force; June 19, 1893 – March 27, 1940) was the second wife of millionaire John Jacob Astor IV and one of the surviving passengers of the Titanic.

1. Biography

Madeleine was born in Brooklyn, New York to William Harlbut Force and Katherine Arvilla Talmage. Had an older sister, Katherine Emmons Force. Madeleine first met John Jacob Astor IV at Bear Harbor, Maine, in August 1911, shortly after Mrs. Spencer's graduation. On September 9, 1911, eighteen-year-old Madeleine Force married forty-seven-year-old John Jacob Astor in Newport, at the home of the Astor family.

2. On board the Titanic

The Astors boarded the Titanic as first class passengers in Cherbourg, France. Together with them, the valet Victor Robbins, the maid Rosalina Bidosh, the nurse Caroline Endres and the Airedale Terrier Kitty went on a voyage.

On the night of April 15, 1912, Colonel Astor informed Madeleine about the collision of the ship with the iceberg. He assured that the damage was minor and asked his wife to dress in a purple suit, put on a mink collar and take with her a fur hoop, an emerald and diamond necklace, pearl earrings, an engagement ring, several precious stones and $ 200.

Madeleine boarded Lifeboat 4 through the window on Promenade A, along with a maid and a nurse. At parting, Astor gave his wife his gloves. John Jacob Astor and his valet died. The colonel's body was found on April 22. Madeleine and the other surviving passengers were rescued by the Carpathia, and later she did not talk about her husband again.

3. Later life

On August 14, 1912, Madeleine gave birth to a son, John Jacob Astor VI, named after his father. Astor's son, William Vincent, claimed that the child was not the biological son of the late Colonel.

On June 22, 1916, Madeleine married banker William Carl Dick (1888-1953). In marriage, they had two sons, William and John. On July 21, 1933, the couple divorced. Four months later, she married Italian boxer Enzo Firemont in a civil ceremony in New York. Five years later, on June 11, 1938, they divorced and Madeleine took back her surname Dick.

4. Death

Madeleine Astor died of heart disease in Palm Beach, Florida on March 27, 1940, at the age of 46. She was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in New York.

Notes

Titanic Passengers | Information regarding Titanic's passengers and Crew - www.titanic-passengers.com/madeleineastor.htm
Madeleine Astor - eNotes.com Reference - www.enotes.com/topic/Madeleine_Astor
Madeleine Force Astor Biography - Biography.com - www.biography.com/articles/Madeleine-Force-Astor-283808
Reference for Madeleine Astor - Search.com - www.search.com/reference/Madeleine_Astor
Madeleine Astor - Ask Jeeves Encyclopedia - uk.ask.com/wiki/Madeleine_Astor
Mrs. Fiermonte Dead In Florida - www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/item/3259/, Associated Press in the New York Times(March 28, 1940). "The Household of Mrs. Madeleine Force Astor Fiermonte stated early today that she was dead. Mrs. Madeleine Force Astor Dick Fiermonte was married three times, and divorced twice. Her first marriage to Colonel John Jacob Astor, head of the Astor family in this country, was of short duration, ending when he lost his life in the Titanic disaster. Her second union, that with William K. Dick, member of a family whose fortune was made in the sugar refining business, terminated when she divorced him in Reno. ...".
Madeline Force Astor (1893 - 1940) - Find A Grave Memorial - www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6596962

download
This abstract is based on an article from the Russian Wikipedia. Synchronization completed on 07/13/11 23:35:11
Similar abstracts: Spouse:

Biography

On board the Titanic

The Astors boarded the Titanic as first class passengers in Cherbourg, France. The valet Victor Robbins, the maid Rosalina Bidoche, the nurse Caroline Endres, and the Airedale terrier Kitty set sail with them.

On the night of April 15, 1912, Madeleine was informed by Colonel Astor of the ship's collision with an iceberg. He assured that the damage was minor and asked his wife to dress in a purple suit, put on a mink collar and take with her a fur hoop, an emerald and diamond necklace, pearl earrings, an engagement ring, several gems and $ 200.

Madeleine boarded lifeboat number 4 through the window on Promenade A, along with a maid and a nurse. At parting, Astor gave his wife his gloves. John Jacob Astor and his valet died. The colonel's body was found on April 22. Madeleine and other surviving passengers were rescued by the Carpathia liner, and later she did not talk about her husband again.

Future life

On August 14, 1912, Madeleine gave birth to a son, John Jacob Astor VI, named after his father. Astor's son, William Vincent, claimed that the child was not the biological son of the late Colonel.

Death

Madeleine Astor died of heart disease in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 27, 1940, at the age of 46. She was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in New York.

In cinema

1943: Titanic- Charlotte Thiele
1953: Titanic— Francis Bergen
1979: Save the Titanic- Beverly Ross
1996: Titanic- Jen Mortil
1997: Titanic- Charlotte Chatton
2003: Ghosts of the Abyss: Titanic- Piper Gunnarson
2012: Titanic- Angela Ecke

Write a review on the article "Astor, Madeleine"

Notes

Excerpt characterizing Astor, Madeleine

In the figure where he had to choose the ladies, whispering to Helen that he wanted to take Countess Pototskaya, who, it seems, went out onto the balcony, he, sliding his feet on the parquet, ran out the exit door into the garden and, noticing the sovereign entering with Balashev on the terrace , paused. The Emperor and Balashev were heading for the door. Boris, in a hurry, as if not having time to move away, respectfully pressed himself against the lintel and bent his head.
The sovereign, with the excitement of a personally offended person, finished the following words:
- Without declaring war, enter Russia. I will make peace only when not a single armed enemy remains on my land,” he said. As it seemed to Boris, it was pleasant for the sovereign to express these words: he was pleased with the form of expression of his thoughts, but was dissatisfied with the fact that Boris heard them.
- so that no one knows anything! added the sovereign, frowning. Boris realized that this was referring to him, and, closing his eyes, tilted his head slightly. The emperor again entered the hall and stayed at the ball for about half an hour.
Boris was the first to learn the news of the crossing of the Neman by the French troops, and thanks to this he had the opportunity to show some important people that he knows a lot that is hidden from others, and through this he had the opportunity to rise higher in the opinion of these persons.

The unexpected news that the French had crossed the Neman was especially unexpected after a month of unfulfilled expectations, and at the ball! The emperor, in the first minute of receiving the news, under the influence of indignation and insult, found that, which later became famous, a saying that he himself liked and fully expressed his feelings. Returning home from the ball, at two in the morning the sovereign sent for Secretary Shishkov and ordered him to write an order to the troops and a rescript to Field Marshal Prince Saltykov, in which he certainly demanded that words be placed that he would not reconcile until at least one an armed Frenchman will remain on Russian soil.
The next day the following letter was written to Napoleon.
Monsieur mon frere. J "ai appris hier que malgre la loyaute avec laquelle j" ai maintenu mes engagements envers Votre Majeste, ses troupes ont franchis les frontieres de la Russie, et je recois al "instant de Petersbourg une note par laquelle le comte Lauriston, pour cause de cette agression, annonce que votre majeste s "est consideree comme en etat de guerre avec moi des le moment ou le prince Kourakine a fait la demande de ses passeports. Les motifs sur lesquels le duc de Bassano fondait son refus de les lui delivrer, n "auraient jamais pu me faire supposer que cette demarche servirait jamais de pretexte a l" agression. En effet cet ambassadeur n "y a jamais ete autorise comme il l" a declare lui meme, et aussitot que j "en fus informe, je lui ai fait connaitre combien je le desapprouvais en lui donnant l" ordre de rester a son poste. Si Votre Majeste n "est pas intentionnee de verser le sang de nos peuples pour un malentendu de ce genre et qu" elle consente a retirer ses troupes du territoire russe, je regarderai ce qui s "est passe comme non avenu, et un accommodement entre nous sera possible. Dans le cas contraire, Votre Majeste, je me verrai force de repousser une attaque que rien n "a provoquee de ma part. Il depend encore de Votre Majeste d "eviter a l" humanite les calamites d "une nouvelle guerre.
Je suis, etc.
(signe) Alexandre.
[“My lord brother! Yesterday it dawned on me that, despite the frankness with which I observed my obligations in relation to Your Imperial Majesty, Your troops crossed the Russian borders, and only now received a note from Petersburg, which Count Lauriston informs me about this invasion, that Your Majesty considers yourself in hostile relations with me since the time when Prince Kurakin demanded his passports. The reasons on which the Duke of Bassano based his refusal to issue these passports could never have led me to suppose that my ambassador's act was the occasion for the attack. And in fact, he had no order from me to do so, as he himself announced; and as soon as I found out about this, I immediately expressed my displeasure to Prince Kurakin, ordering him to fulfill the duties entrusted to him as before. If Your Majesty is not disposed to shed the blood of our subjects because of such a misunderstanding, and if you agree to withdraw your troops from the Russian possessions, then I will ignore everything that has happened, and an agreement between us will be possible. Otherwise, I will be forced to repel an attack that was not initiated by anything on my part. Your Majesty, you still have the opportunity to save humanity from the scourge of a new war.
(signed) Alexander. ]

On June 13, at two o'clock in the morning, the sovereign, having called Balashev to him and read his letter to Napoleon to him, ordered him to take this letter and personally hand it over to the French emperor. Sending Balashev, the sovereign again repeated to him the words that he would not reconcile until at least one armed enemy remained on Russian soil, and ordered that these words be conveyed to Napoleon without fail. The sovereign did not write these words in the letter, because he felt with his tact that these words were inconvenient to convey at the moment when the last attempt at reconciliation was being made; but he certainly ordered Balashev to hand them over to Napoleon personally.

The story of a couple John Jacob Astor - one of the richest people in 1912 - and Madeleine Astor is one of the most romantic and tragic at the same time. In fact, it is not known where Madeleine Force and John Jacob Astor first met, but there is a version that already before Madeleine's debut ball, when she was first introduced to high society in December 1910, they already knew each other, and this acquaintance of them would later shock all high society .

When they met, John Jacob Astor was 45 and recently divorced, while Madeleine had just turned 17. Divorced at a time when divorce was strictly forbidden. There is a version that Mrs. Force, the mother of Madeleine and her older sister Katherine, wanted Astor to marry Katherine, but he chose Madeleine. Astor was 29 years older than her, and his son from his first marriage was already 18.

Today, it is probably difficult to understand the negative attitude towards divorce in the early 1900s, but it was very difficult to obtain. It is not known whether Astor or his wife, Ava Lole Wilmyas, filed for divorce, but only Astor's wealth helped complete the process.

However, Astor's problems did not end with the divorce. After meeting Madeleine in the summer of 1910, he announced his intention to marry her, but because of the divorce, almost no one wanted to marry the couple, as the divorced were not allowed to marry again.

After the wedding, John took Madeleine on his yacht and, before leaving, he said: “Now that I am happily married, I do not care about the complexity of divorce and remarriage. I wholeheartedly sympathize with almost all the foundations of this society, but I think that remarriage should be allowed, because marriage is the happiest thing that can be for a person and society.

To avoid gossip, the newlyweds went on a long journey. First they visited Egypt, then Paris. Abroad, they met Margaret Brown, who, unlike many members of high society, did not consider their wedding something indecent. She continued to travel with them until the Astors decided to return home.

The reason for the sudden decision to return after 8 months of travel was simple - Madeleine became pregnant, and the couple wanted the child to be born in America. They took tickets for the Titanic, and what happened next - we already know.

After the collision, John Jacob left the cabin to find out what was wrong. He returned rather quickly and informed his wife that the ship had hit an iceberg, but the danger did not seem serious.

Later, as the first class passengers began to gather on the boat deck, the Astors sat in the gym where John found another life jacket and cut it open a little to show Madeleine what it was made of. Later, Mrs. Astor gave her shawl to Leah Ax (3rd class passenger) to wrap up her ten-month-old son Philly.

Even as the lifeboats were coming down, Astor scoffed at the idea of leaving the solid deck of the Titanic for a fragile boat. “Here we are much safer than in this little boat,” he told Madeleine. But around 01:45, he changed his mind when Second Officer Charles Lightoller came to A Deck to finish loading boat No. 4.

Life jacket Madeleine Astor. Belongs to the Titanic Historical Society

John Jacob helped Madeleine into the boat and asked if he could join her because of her "delicate position". Lightoller told him that no man would get on the boat until all the women got on. Then John went up to Madeleine and asked her for one of her white gloves. “I will return it to you when we meet again in New York,” he said to Madeleine, and with these words he really managed to calm his pregnant wife. Then Astor walked away and only asked Lightoller for the number of this boat. Madeleine never saw her husband alive again.

In his will, John Jacob Astor left Madeleine $100,000, income from a $5 million trust fund, and his mansion. She lost the last two points in the event of remarriage. He also left $3 million for his unborn child, which he would be able to dispose of after reaching the age of majority. Returning home after the disaster and the funeral of her husband, Madeleine Astor practically did not appear in public until the end of May, when she hosted a dinner in honor of Captain Rostron in her mansion to thank him for saving her. It was attended by two other surviving passengers who became widows due to the disaster: Mrs. Marian Thayer and Florence Cumings.

On August 14, 1912, Madeleine gave birth to a son, John Jacob Astor VI. Over the next 4 years, he grew up in the Astor family, and Madeleine very rarely appeared in society until the end of 1913, when the press was finally allowed to publish her first photograph after the Titanic disaster.

In 1918, Madeleine renounced her late husband's inheritance by marrying childhood friend William K. Dick, vice president of the Manufacturers Trust Company of New York, co-owner and director of the Brooklyn Times newspaper. They had two children, John and William. This union lasted 15 years, and in 1933 the couple quickly divorced. There are rumors that the husband raised his hand to his wife.

In early 1932, Madeleine decided she needed somewhere to escape from her failing marriage and try to improve her fragile health. She told her doctor, who always traveled with her, that a trip to Europe would be just the thing. In January of that year, Madeleine took a first-class ticket to Vulcania. One evening, while swimming, the doctor asked her if she would like to chat with a handsome young man, the Italian boxer Enzo Fiermonte, who was traveling second class. At first, Madeleine refused, considering it indecent to invite such a person to her table, but in the end she gave in. The attraction between the 39-year-old woman who looked like a girl and the rather scruffy dark-haired boxer who looked younger than his 24s was instant.

“I must have been staring at her,” Enzo said of that first meeting. “She was different. I didn't even know how old she was. When she smiled, she looked very young. When she was serious, she could pass for a middle-aged lady. She may have noticed my probing gaze, for her pale blue eyes immediately turned to me, and she looked at me in a way that no other woman had ever looked at me. I became 160 pounds of embarrassment. I couldn't even talk. And all the time we were together, she continued to stare at me.”

Their relationship developed quite rapidly, but there was one obstacle - marriages. Enzo was married and had a son. Madeleine was still married, although her marriage was rapidly deteriorating. The couple went to great lengths to, with difficulty overcoming all obstacles, get married in 1933. But this relationship turned out to be quite cruel. Enzo did not perceive the society in which Madeleine lived, so scandals often occurred in the family, it even came to assault. The couple divorced in 1938 on grounds of excessive cruelty.

In 1939, Fiermonte, who by that time had already begun his career as an actor, sold the story of their marriage to True Story magazine, which completely undermined Madeleine's reputation. In August, she heard the terrible news of her mother's death after a long illness. In the next few months, the poor woman became addicted to various drugs.

In January 1940, Madeleine left for Palm Beach, Florida, where she died on March 27. She was 47 years old. The official cause of death was a heart attack, but those close to her suspected that she died from a deliberate overdose of sleeping pills.

J. J. Astor VI - son of John and Madeleine:

John Jacob ("Jackie") Astor VI was born in New York on August 14, 1912. Madeleine raised him in Newport, Rhode Island with the Astor family. He graduated from St. George's School in Newport and later from Harvard University.

As you already know from the post about Madeleine Astor's later life after the Titanic, in 1916 she remarried William Dick, with whom Jackie became very close. After their divorce, when Madeleine met Enzo Fiermonte, Jackie was against developing a relationship, and often fought with his mother about this, insisting that she leave Enzo (as it turned out, for good reason). They quarreled a lot, but later, a couple of months after the wedding of Madeleine and Enzo, they reconciled. When Jackie was asked about his mother's new wedding, he replied: "Unfortunately, it's true."

Jackie received his $3 million bequeathed to him by his late father on his 21st birthday. After Madeleine's death In 1940, he received all of her small savings.

However, Jackie's half-brother, Vincent Astor, John Jacob's son from his first marriage, despised Madeleine and from birth, Jackie believed that he was born from another man, so he did not even mention him in his will. After Vincent's death in 1959, Jackie sued his widow to get his share. He was convinced that Vincent signed the will in an insane state from frequent drinking and smoking. Vincent's widow insisted that he was fully sane, although she herself often brought him alcohol to the hospital. Jackie managed to sue $250,000.

In Astor Jr.'s personal life, too, not everything was smooth.

Initially, he was supposed to marry Eileen Gillespie, but she broke off the engagement literally two days before the wedding, citing the fact that "she felt that he was you I grew up single, so I was a bit eccentric and not mature enough to get married.”

Jackie later married Ellen French in 1934. The couple divorced in 1943 and had one son, William Backhouse Astor.

In 1944 Astor married Gertrud Gretsch. The couple had a daughter, but this marriage also ended in divorce.

In 1954, Jackie remarried Dolores Fullman, but they separated shortly after their honeymoon.

The fourth wife was Sue Sandford, whom he survived by dying in 1992 at the age of 79.

Alena Krasnitskaya (

Science fiction archive. Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor. Curriculum vitae

Author's works

Individual editions

Creativity of the author

Plan:

Introduction

1. Biography

2. On board the Titanic

3. Later life

4. Death

Notes

Biography

On board the Titanic

Future life

Death

In cinema

Write a review on the article "Astor, Madeleine"

Notes

Links

Excerpt characterizing Astor, Madeleine

J. J. Astor VI - son of John and Madeleine: