Seven Famous People Who Missed the Titanic

The notables who planned to sail on the fateful voyage included a world-famous novelist, a radio pioneer and America’s biggest tycoons

  • By Greg Daugherty
  • Smithsonian magazine, March 2012
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Theodore Dreiser Guglielmo Marconi Milton Snavely Hershey J. Pierpont Morgan Henry Clay Frick Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
J. Pierpont Morgan

(Library of Congress)


J. Pierpont Morgan

The legendary 74-year-old financier, nicknamed the “Napoleon of Wall Street,” had helped create General Electric and U.S. Steel and was credited with almost singlehandedly saving the U.S. banking system during the Panic of 1907.

Among his varied business interests was the International Mercantile Marine, the shipping combine that controlled Britain’s White Star Line, owner of the Titanic. Morgan attended the ship’s launching in 1911 and had a personal suite on board with his own private promenade deck and a bath equipped with specially designed cigar holders. He was reportedly booked on the maiden voyage but instead remained at the French resort of Aix to enjoy his morning massages and sulfur baths.

“Monetary losses amount to nothing in life,” he told a visiting New York Times reporter days after the sinking. “It is the loss of life that counts. It is that frightful death.”

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One of the most famous religious figures of the 20th century to miss the journey on the Titanic was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá http://www.brightwind.org/faith-and-science/2012-the-titanic-and-abdul-baha/

wow

You other commenters seriously need to spell-check.

history of titanic is reallay sorrowful.i also miss it

why was the ice burge thier

My great aunt was in England at the time of the Titanic sailing and she knew many on board the ship, who wanted her to travel back with them. Allegedly her luggage was on board, but she was not. She was the Executive Secretary of the Art Students League of NYC for 40 years as well as Asst. Secr. of the Architectural League/Guild of NYC and died in 1934 - if memory serves me correctly. She was also an artist who painted mostly seascapes on the coast of Massachusetts. Her grandfather Edmund Shaw Simpson was the Actor/Manager of the old Park Theatre in NYC for 40+ years, bringing talent (Barrymores, etc.) from England to the United States; his portrait hangs in the Museum of the City of NY; he died in 1849; her father was an Episcopal priest in Newark, NJ, Bloomington,IL and later in Oakland, CA.

Thank God that he missed the Voyage and thanks to his friend who advice him not to board.

I work for one of Henry Clay Frick's descendants, one of the best bosses I've ever had. I'm very glad he and his wife didn't make that journey!

oh these facts are awesome in my opinoin.

Titanic was a great ship it's very intresting hestery titanic it's really great ship.i lov tath..........

Too bad about Frick.

$300 was 10% for a first class passage for 2. Very expensive for 100 years ago. That would be what today? $50,000? 100,000? The Titanic notwithstanding, first class ship passage was a very civilized way to travel. Of course everything was more civilized back then.

In the book "How Photography Revealed and Shaped an Extraordinary life" Lincoln Thru the Lens,by Martin Sandler. He shows a morgue photo of John Wilkes Booth from National Archives. Is this a valid photo?

that is ju7st so sad my great great great grandpa was the captain. And he died. rest in peace great great great grandpa. love you so much. u mwill always be in my heart even though i never meet u. u r so brave grandapa love you sos so so much.



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