Youssef Samaan

Mr Youssef (Joseph) Samaan, 16, a labourer from Hardin, Syria (modern day Lebanon) boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg as a third class passenger (ticket no. 2662, £21 13s 7d). He was accompanied by his father Hanna and brother Elias.

They were among a large group of Lebanese passengers travelling from Hardin to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.

Youssef was one his way to join his wife in America The intention was that the whole family would immigrate to America. Youssef's wife had already purchased a home close to where her brothers lived. Fortunately their children had been left behind and were to join their parents at a later date.

All three men died in the sinking. Their bodies, if recovered, were never identified.

Entries in the Casualty List (PRO BT 100/259-260)
(Public Record Office- Reprinted with permission)

After the news of the disaster arrived Youssef's wife went into a deep shock, family legend has it that her brothers tricked her into selling her home and took all of her money. Because of her breakdown she was taken back to Lebanon to a convent nursing home. Eventually she would move to live with her grandson and his wife in America until her death. The descendants than gradually moved to Australia where they changed their names variously to Semaan, Youssif, and Simon.