Encyclopedia Titanica

Ann Eliza Isham

Ann Eliza Isham
Ann Eliza Isham

Miss Anne Eliza Isham, 50, was born on 25 January 1862 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, the first child of Edward Swift Isham and Frances Burch. She had two brothers Pierrepont and Edward Swift, and a sister Frances. Their father established a law firm with Robert Todd Lincoln (son of former US President Abraham Lincoln) called Isham, Lincoln & Beale in Chicago, Illinois.

Anne lived for a time in Chicago where she was a member of the Friday Club and the Scribbler's Club. But by 1912 she had been living abroad for nine years; most of the time in Paris with her sister Frances (Mrs Harry Shelton). Ann's brother Edward lived in New York City and it was in order to spend the summer with him that she boarded the Titanic when it stopped at Cherbourg on April 10, 1912. Titanic passenger Arthur Ryerson was a partner in her father's firm and it is likely that Ann and the Rysersons knew each other.

Her cabin (C-49) was next to that of Colonel Archibald Gracie, but he did not remember ever seeing her. Ann was one of four first class women who died in the disaster, her body, if recovered, was never identified.

When Anne died, in addition to her siblings, she left a cousin, Mrs H. H. Porter, Jr., of Chicago. A memorial to her was erected by her family in Vermont.

Memorial
Photo: Casey-Quinn O'Connell

Notes

  1. It has been suggested that Miss Isham brought on board with her a dog (possibly a Great Dane), and some believe that it was her refusal to leave her dog. that led to her death. It has been further suggested that she was the woman observed to have had her arms frozen around her dog in the water following the sinking. However, no firm evidence has been found to support the claims.

Research Articles

Randy Bryan Bigham Titanica! (2021) What happened to Lizzy?
Exploring the mystery of Titanic victim Anne Eliza Isham

Newspaper Articles

Chicago Daily Tribune (18 April 1912) Anxiety For Missing Ones
Senator Convinced His Brother Perished When Titanic Sank
New York Times (9 May 1912) Death Notice (anne Isham)
New York Times (26 June 1915) Survivor Says Ismay Ruled In Titanic's Boats

Images

Documents and Certificates

(1912) Contract Ticket List, White Star Line (Southampton, Queenstown), National Archives, London; BT27/776,780
(1912) Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and Seamen at Sea, National Archives, London; BT334/52 & 334/53

Bibliography

Homer Worthington Brainard (1938) A survey of the Ishams in England and America, Turtle
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Comment and discuss

  1. Jeffrey M. Kern

    Is there a certainty as to how Miss Isham perished in the disaster? I recall from a source that she had a dog with her aboard the ship, possibly a St Bernard or Great Dane. According to an old 1912 newspaper article from the London Daily Sketch, there was a woman on the Titanic who was found floating a few feet away from her dog when a lifeboat came back to see whom they could pick up from the icy sea. As for Miss Edith Evans, how did she die? Where was she and what was she doing when Colonel Archibald Gracie approached her near the end and found her to be ‘perfectly calm’? If anyone has an answer to these questions that have long flummoxed me, I thank you dearly.
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  2. Katie Sharrocks

    Katie Sharrocks

    Miss Evans had been in Paris visting her cousins. Her aunt by marriage Mrs Clifford Cornell(Malvina) and Malvina's two sisters Mrs JM Brown(Caroline) and Mrs Appleton (Charlotte) were on the ship. Col. Gracie had taken responsibility for the ladies. Edith and Caroline were separted from the other 2 ladies. They found themselves at boat D. The boat was almost full so Edith said to Caroline "go first you have children waiting for you at home." She helped Mrs Brown over the rail and then someone shouted "lower away" Edith had given up her seat for Caroline in the boat. She was very calm and simply stood on deck looking out at sea.
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  3. Jeffrey M. Kern

    "She was very calm and simply stood on deck looking out at sea." That was all that I needed to know. Did you learn this information from Judith B. Geller's book, Titanic: Women and Children First? And, of course, the Encyclopaedia Titanica's general information on Miss Evans. I thank you again for your help.
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  4. Randy Bryan Bigham

    All, The fate of this mysterious lady has intrigued everybody. What happened to her? A member of a prominent family, 50-year-old Ann Isham, nicknamed "Lizzie," probably knew others in first class aboard Titanic but no one - at least no one who survived - remembered meeting or seeing her. Even old Col. Gracie (bless his snoopy heart) whose cabin was next to hers, never noticed her coming and going from her room. According to Col. Gracie, Ann "Lizzie" Isham: "...is the only one of whom no survivor, so far as I can learn, is able to give any information whatsoever as to where she was or what she did on that fateful Sunday night..." Don Lynch, in contact with her family some years ago, reported that no correspondence connected with Lizzie's death had been preserved by her loved ones. Very odd, in my opinion. With such a dearth of information, one's imagination is permitted to run riot. Did she really board the Titanic at Cherbourg? Her ticket was used but do we know if it was... Read full post
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  5. Dave Hudson

    If Col. Gracie never saw her, how did he know that her cabin was next door? For that matter, how did he even know she was aboard? This is spooky. David
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  6. Randy Bryan Bigham

    David, According to Gracie in his book, Lizzy Isham's relatives contacted him after discovering - I assume through the White Star Line - that his cabin was near her's. Her family was hoping for closure by learning something about Lizzy's last days and thought Gracie may have met her. He said it hurt him to have to reply to them that he had never met his neighbor but felt sure that she had not been locked in her cabin, as they had feared. They sent a picture of Lizzie to Gracie but he said he never saw her at any time. It is a sad and odd tale. What happened to that poor lady, I guess will never be known. For myself, I can't help but wonder that something weird happened to her. Randy
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  7. Carole Lindsay

    Randy, This is a newspaper story I found in the book "Titanic Extra". No names are given, but it concerns a steward who went to one of the first cabin passengers - a woman - and told her to dress and put on her life preserver. She laughed "if that little bump is all that has happened, I'll stay right here" "Madam, replied the steward, "My orders are to tell you to dress and put on a life preserver". "My orders to myself are to get back into bed and go to sleep again" said the woman and she did. She paid for it with her life. As with a lot of the newspaper stories of that time, it's hard to know whether or not to believe this, but it may be a clue. If you are interested, I can look up the exact source for you. Carole
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  8. Randy Bryan Bigham

    Thanks Carole, Does the article give the name of the steward or mention any other details? I have the feeling that many people must have had the reaction that this woman did but soon thought better of it! Randy
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  9. Ben Holme

    Hi Carole, That's interesting information. Ann Isham's bedroom steward would have been Cullen, same as Col. Gracie's, next door. As Cullen was one of the relativley few 1st class bedroom stewards who survived, it seems possible that the steward in question was Cullen, and that the lady to whom he was referring was indeed Miss Isham. However, if this was merely a passing steward, rather than her actual bedroom steward, the story seems less plausible. If Cullen ever wrote an account, I would be surprised if he didn't mention Miss Isham. Regards, Ben
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  10. Carole Lindsay

    Randy and Ben, This story appeared in the New York Herald of April 19, 1912 on page 2. It was part of an article by May Birkhead, a Carpathia passenger who interviewed survivors. She said that the story was told to her by a steward, but did not mention any names. The quote I gave you before was all that was said. The words that caught my eye were that she was a first class passenger and that she paid with her life. The steward seemed to be talking about a woman who was alone. Mrs. Allison and Mrs. Straus were with their husbands, and Edith Evans was with her friends and Archibald Gracie, so she is the only one left. Another thing - she knew Emily Ryerson, and even though Mrs. Ryerson rarely left her room, I wonder if she ever saw or spoke with Miss Isham.
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  11. Tracy Smith

    You'd think that the of the ship would have opened this woman's eyes...
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  12. Michael H. Standart

    True enough, Tracy, but as you well know, the human capacity for self-deception is boundless. The expression of disbelief this woman made to the steward was all too common that night. Cordially, Michael H. Standart
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  13. William Ajello

    You'd think that the ever increasing list of the ship would have opened this woman's eyes... Hello Tracy...perhaps it did...after it was too late to do any good...sadly Regrets and regards, Bill
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  14. Randy Bryan Bigham

    Carole, I think you have hit upon as much of a clue to Ann Isham's fate as we may ever have. Poor lady. Randy
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Titanic Passenger Summary

Name: Miss Ann Eliza Isham
Age: 50 years 2 months and 21 days (Female)
Nationality: American
Marital Status: Single
Embarked: Cherbourg on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 17595, £28 14s 3d
Cabin No. C49
Died in the Titanic disaster (15th April 1912)
Body Not Identified

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