Colonel John Weir

New York Herald, 18 April 1912
(Cameron Bell, Northern Ireland / Jeffrey Kern, USA)

Colonel John Weir, 60, was a native of Scotland who had made a fortune in western mining before returning to Scotland, where his daughter and sister lived, and to England. He had been president of the Nevada-Utah Mines & Smelters corporation. During the Spanish-American War he was appointed quartermaster-general by President McKinley and served in the Phillipines. Accordig to local papers he was well thought of in Salt Lake City "The years had left him gray, but his heart was young and his strong body retained without a hint of the years, it bore the strainght lines of the typical soldier." Weir was known for his Christmas spirit, giving his friends substantial gifts during the Christmas season. After he returned to Europe he made frequent trips back to Utah, and often stayed at the Knuteford. He was a member of the Alta club in Salt Lake City.

His friend, Morris P. Kirk of Salt Lake City, received a letter from Weir dated 6 April in which Weir stated that he was going to travel on the Philadelphia. He was planning on traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah. Morris Kirk and Weir were to travel to California to look over some mining areas in the Feather River area.

However, the sailing of Philadelphia was postponed by the coal strike and Weir transfered to the Titanic. He boarded the ship in Southampton and was traveling in first class (Ticket No. 113800, £26 11s).

Weir died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.