Yeah i was wondering if the decedents of the wealthy families on board: ex. Astors, Thayers, Wideners, Carters, Guggenheims, Duff Gordons, Strauss's,Molly Brown's family, Countess of Rothes family, etc... if they are still ultrawealthy, what they doing today and if they have anything to do w/ the Titanic Community to this day. Thank You
Descendants of the 1st Class Wealthy Passengers
- Thread starter Adam Odle
- Start date
Brian Ahern
Member
Hi Adam - This was a topic on this board some time ago and, by what I can recall of what was said then, the Carter descendants appear to be staying on top.
I know that the Straus and Astor descendants are still prominent in New York and, since the Guggenheims were such a large family, I'm sure plenty of them are still around.
I know nothing about the Wideners, but I know that the FitzEugene Dixons (the family George and Eleanor's daughter married into) are still in the Social Register. I don't know about the Thayers either.
The Duff Gordon and Rothes families maintain their titles today, though this says nothing about their financial status.
It seems that the Brown money is long gone. The Baxters, Major Peuchen and Mrs. Harris also lost their fortunes, and Colonel Gracie's widow went broke after he died. There was talk of Dr. Dodge having financial woes at the time of his suicide, but I don't know if that's true. In any event, his wife might have had her own money, and I think young Washington did alright for himself. Julia Cavendish also sustained heavy losses later in life, according to what was once said on this board, but I don't think she became positively poor.
My mother grew up with relatives of Georgette Madill, and that family is still sitting pretty.
This is all that comes to mind right now. Talking about money is vulgar, I know - but fun!
-Brian A.
I know that the Straus and Astor descendants are still prominent in New York and, since the Guggenheims were such a large family, I'm sure plenty of them are still around.
I know nothing about the Wideners, but I know that the FitzEugene Dixons (the family George and Eleanor's daughter married into) are still in the Social Register. I don't know about the Thayers either.
The Duff Gordon and Rothes families maintain their titles today, though this says nothing about their financial status.
It seems that the Brown money is long gone. The Baxters, Major Peuchen and Mrs. Harris also lost their fortunes, and Colonel Gracie's widow went broke after he died. There was talk of Dr. Dodge having financial woes at the time of his suicide, but I don't know if that's true. In any event, his wife might have had her own money, and I think young Washington did alright for himself. Julia Cavendish also sustained heavy losses later in life, according to what was once said on this board, but I don't think she became positively poor.
My mother grew up with relatives of Georgette Madill, and that family is still sitting pretty.
This is all that comes to mind right now. Talking about money is vulgar, I know - but fun!
-Brian A.
Brian Ahern
Member
Sorry, Adam, I forgot that part of your question. I have come across interviews, either on TV or in print, featuring members of the Straus, Rothes, and Widener families.
Margaret Brown's granddaughter, Muffet Brown, has been heavily involved in research on her grandmother and has been an infrequent visitor to this site. And Jack Thayer's son cooperated a good deal with Titanic historians.
The Astors, on the other hand, have always been vehement in their refusal to discuss the Titanic and their wish that people would forget it. To them, it was nothing but an extremely painful family memory.
Regards,
Brian
Margaret Brown's granddaughter, Muffet Brown, has been heavily involved in research on her grandmother and has been an infrequent visitor to this site. And Jack Thayer's son cooperated a good deal with Titanic historians.
The Astors, on the other hand, have always been vehement in their refusal to discuss the Titanic and their wish that people would forget it. To them, it was nothing but an extremely painful family memory.
Regards,
Brian
Brian Ahern
Member
Adam - if I'm not mistaken, it was a Town&Country article on the 80th anniversary of the sinking that featured those descendants I mentioned. FitzEugene Dixon, Jr was photographed wearing the ring that George Widener placed on Eleanor's hand as she entered the lifeboat. A Straus great-grandson was also interviewed (a little tidbit - when the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal blew, it emerged that Monica's mother was engaged to a Straus).
Jackie Astor (Madeleine and JJ's granddaughter) was quoted in the article as saying that it had always hurt her father to hear the Titanic mentioned, as his parents had been very much in love, and she wished people would simply forget about the sinking.
When I was living in the UK a couple of years ago, I watched a TV show about the Titanic in which the Countess of Rothes's grandson - the current Earl of Rothes - was interviewed.
I'm sorry I can't give more exact info, but I'm sure you could somehow locate a T&C issue from April of 1992, if you really want to do the footwork.
Take care,
Brian
Jackie Astor (Madeleine and JJ's granddaughter) was quoted in the article as saying that it had always hurt her father to hear the Titanic mentioned, as his parents had been very much in love, and she wished people would simply forget about the sinking.
When I was living in the UK a couple of years ago, I watched a TV show about the Titanic in which the Countess of Rothes's grandson - the current Earl of Rothes - was interviewed.
I'm sorry I can't give more exact info, but I'm sure you could somehow locate a T&C issue from April of 1992, if you really want to do the footwork.
Take care,
Brian
Cornelius Thiessen
Guest
Reading this ET forum this morning I swear I read a post in this thread asking if Titanics Captain Smiths' descendants had any interest in Titanic discussions,etc. Now I cannot find that post and I was anxious to hear a reply.If I somehow missed it could someone repeat the answer?/lol.I would also be very interested to know if the Captains daughter had children and what has become of the family.Thank you to all who reply.
Christine Geyer
Guest
Hi Cornelius,
I moved that thread, since this wasn't the right topic area for it.
Best regards,
Jason
I moved that thread, since this wasn't the right topic area for it.
Best regards,
Jason
Brian Ahern
Member
The following page has photos and pieces on Jackie Astor and Morgan and Vanderbilt descendents.
newyorksocialdiary.com/list.php
newyorksocialdiary.com/list.php
Brian Ahern
Member
Whoops! That's descendants.
Mauro Zungri
Member
In Montevideo, Uruguay the company of Carrau the even continuous ok in the market.
Randy Bryan Bigham
Member
There is another thread here on ET that has more info on this subject, too.
www.encyclopedia-titanica.org
Successful and/or famous descendants
One of my online friends related an interesting rumour -- that Ravishing Rick Rude (real name: Rick Rood) of WWF and WCW fame was descended from a Titanic victim. (Hugh Rood, I assume, but she wasn't specific. She knows as much about the Titanic as I know about wrestling.) I don't know if...
www.encyclopedia-titanica.org
Darren Honeycutt
Member
I have a question. What position, if any, does any of the Thayers and Wideners have in Philadelphia society now or any of the other wealthy Philadelphians that were on the Titanic? While in Philadephia last week, I noticed that the phone book did not list one Widener or Thayer.
