Four Unlisted Passengers Taylor and Slaughters

[Daniel M. Roper]

Greetings,

I have a 1950 Atlanta newspaper article in which Hiawassee, Georgia's LQC "Curtis" Taylor claims that he was a 32-year-old Titanic passenger escorting three Texas teenagers named Slaughter back home to the USA after attending a music school in England. None of the web-sites and other reference material I have consulted list this Taylor nor anyone named Slaughter as Titanic passengers. All survived, according to Taylor. Could these people have been overlooked in the lists or is it possible that Taylor fabricated the story?

Sincerely,

Dan Roper
Rome, Georgia

 

[Kyrila Scully]

Hi, Daniel,

Many people fabricated stories of being on the Titanic. I have my own such newspaper article, dated April 7th, 1929, from the Cedar Rapids Gazette about Bill Baukner, who claimed to be a first class steward. But his harrowing tale of survival is so full of glaring inaccuracies about what we know to be fact. My own family has a pretender also, and they won't let go of the myth no matter how much evidence I present to the contrary. Rest assured, all passengers and crew are fully documented and accounted for, even down to the ship's cat, who had the good sense to take her kittens off at Queenstown. It is also documented what passengers boarded at Southampton and Cherbourg, and got off at Cherbourg or Queenstown. If you don't see the names listed here, it's a good bet they're frauds.

Kyrila

 

[Dr. Douglas B. Willingham]

Hello, Mr. Roper. I am from the Texas Panhandle where some of the Slaughter family still lives. About 25 years ago I challenged an article in a publication of the Ranching Heritage Center of Texas Tech University that reported the myth that several young members of this well known family were aboard the Titanic with their music tutor. I wonder if this story began with the 1950 article you refer to. None of the Slaughters themselves, to my knowledge, make any such claim to a connection with the Titanic disaster and of course are not on the passenger list.
Best regards,
Douglas Willingham

 

[Curtis Taylor]

Hello Mr. Roper, I am writing in response to your posting on geanology.com regarding my father, Lucius Quintas Curtis "LQC" Taylor. The story about him being on the Titanic was widely told and something that has never been officially verified by anyone I know in the Taylor family. It was just assumed to be correct and no one really had much curiosity until the movie "Titanic" came out. I have a picture of him (LQC) holding a picture of the Titanic that I could send to you if you wish. We had some other newspaper articles of him relating to the Titanic but they were destroyed when a water pipe burst about 35 years ago. The fact that Mr. Taylor was a publisher in Amarillo in partnership with J.S. Earp may be of some importance in tracking the relationship with the Slaughters. Dr. Willingham may be interested in the Amarillo link. My father died when I was 3 years old (1952) so we do not have a lot of info left after all these years. Hope this helps. I would like to have a copy of your newspaper article if possible.
Best Regards,
Curtis Taylor

 

[Dr. Douglas B. Willingham]

Hi, Mr. Taylor.

It remains a mystery about the Taylor/Slaughter connection to the "Titanic", and while there were certainly omissions on the official passenger lists, it would seem to me that the West Texas Slaughters would have heard of no less than three members of their family who survived the world's most famous shipwreck.

Still, I may not have been in contact with the same Slaughter family, but the family referenced in the Texas Tech article I referred to above were the well-known ranchers.

As I said in my private post to you, a check of the Texas panhandle newspapers for the two weeks or so after the disaster would presumably report the survival story of the Slaughter children and their companion.

I'd love to be wrong, because I love our few Texas connections to the "Titanic" story and would like to see more. I hope you or Mr. Roper will be able to share something else on this thread with all of us.

Best regards,
Doug Willingham

 

[Curtis Taylor]

I am writing in response to Mr. Ropers post on another thread regarding my father, Lucius Quintas Curtis "LQC" Taylor. The story about him being on the Titanic was widely told and something that we always assumed was true. Mr. Taylor was married 4 times. I am a product of the 4th marriage and he was in his 60's when I was born. He died on March 3, 1951 in Hot Springs, Arkansas when I was 2 years old. (Sorry for the wrong date on the previous post). I have a picture of him holding a picture of the Titanic that I could send anyone who wishes to have it. We had some other newspaper articles relating to him and the Titanic, along with many other documents and manuscripts of his work but they were destroyed when a water pipe burst about 35 years ago. Family records show Mr. Taylor resided in Gail, Texas from 1909 until about 1920. Records show he was also associated with a West Texas Normal School of Music. He taught music and published the songbook "Melodies For Jesus" with J.S. Earp in Amarillo, Texas. He also published "Joyous Praise" with D.B. Mills - I believe in Artesia, New Mexico. Family history states Mr. Taylor did in fact teach singing lessons to the children of a wealthy Texas rancher which may have been the Slaughters. I also remember reading about Mr. Taylor teaching at a prestigious music school in England - that story was in the papers that were water damaged and destroyed. I was surprised to see such quick conclusions made on this issue. I will provide other info as I find it regarding this matter. As of now, I believe Mr. Ropers branding was unnecessary and premature since he obviously does not have all the information. I am awaiting Mr. Ropers apology until proven otherwise.
Best regards,

Curtis Taylor