Master John Borie Ryerson, 13, was born 16 December 1898 in Illinois, USA.

He boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg with his father Arthur Larned Ryerson, mother Mrs Emily Ryerson and sisters Emily Borie Ryerson and Suzette Parker Ryerson. Their eventual destination was Cooperstown, NY.

John, his mother and siblings were rescued in Lifeboat 4. Jack had been initially denied entry into the boat by Second Officer Lightoller but his father Arthur Ryerson protested that he should go as he was only 13. Lightoller relented.

John Ryerson helped Walter Lord with research for his book A Night to Remember.   He and his sister, Emily Ryerson Cooke, were invited guests to the film set of the 1953 Hollywood film TITANIC starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck. He was interviewed on the 50th anniversary of the sinking, and on subsequent anniversaries.

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John B. Ryerson in Palm Beach, Florida, in the 1970s at a golfing tournament.
(Courtesy of Michael Findlay)

John Borie Ryerson who died 21 January 1986 in Palm Beach, Florida was the last survivor of the Titanic in the Ryerson family. His wife, Jane Morris Ryerson was born 6 February 1909 and died in March of 1990, also in West Palm Beach, Florida. They had no children.