Harry Widener (1885 - 1912)

Born 3 Jan 1885 in Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 15 Apr 1912 at age 27 in Atlantic Ocean

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Biography

Harry was born on 3 January 1885 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of George Widener and Eleanor Elkins. His father was the oldest surviving son of wealthy industrialist Peter Arrell Brown Widener. His mother was the daughter of P.A.B. Widener's even more wealthy business partner. The family appears to have been a close-knit one, as both of P.A.B. Widener's surviving adult sons, George and Joseph, and their families, are seen residing in his household at his 110-room mansion, Lynnewood Hall, in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, in the 1900 and 1910 censuses. (Harry is shown in just the 1910, and may have been away at school in 1900.)

Harry attended The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Harvard College in 1907. He was a book collector and bibliophile, with an extensive rare book collection.

In 1912, Harry, his parents, his father's valet and his mother's lady's maid, all boarded the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Harry, his father, and his father's valet all were drowned in the tragedy, while his mother and her lady's maid were put aboard Lifeboat 4 with some other women from the First Class, and were rescued.

The great sorrow of losing both his son, George, and his grandson, Harry, in the disaster is said to have been a contributing cause to the death of Harry's grandfather, P.A.B. Widener, just three years later.

Harry's mother built Harvard University's Widener Memorial Library in his memory and made several other significant memorials for her son and husband.

Harry passed away in 1912.

Census

"United States Census, 1910,"^[1]

Peter A B Widener Head Male 75 Pennsylvania

George D Widener Son Male 48 Pennsylvania

Eleann E Widener Daughter-in-law Female 47 Pennsylvania

Harry E Widener Grandson Male 25 Pennsylvania

George B Widener Jr. Grandson Male 21 Pennsylvania

Eleanor E Widener Granddaughter Female 19 Pennsylvania

Joseph E Widener Son Male 37 Pennsylvania

Ella P Widener Daughter-in-law Female 35 Pennsylvania

Peter A B Widener 2nd Grandson Male 16 Pennsylvania

Josephine P Widener Granddaughter Female 8 Pennsylvania

Amelia Griger Maid Female 38 Germany

Maud Clayton Maid Female 28 United States

Celina Biard Maid Female 35 France

Robert Stanterb Footman Male 19 England

Henry Holland Footman Male 26 England

Frederick Locke Footman Male 22 England

Edwin Man Footman Male 25 England

Jamie Wheeland Maid Female 31 France

Charles F Mazdon Butler Male 40 England

Margaret O Hallman Maid Female 32 Ireland

Mary Sullivan Maid Female 30 Ireland

Gustave Dietrich Chef Male 40 France

Delia Mcentee Maid Female 26 Ireland

Jennie Matthews Maid Female 22 Ireland

Emil Martin 2nd Chef Male 25 France

Fannie Pole Housekeeper Female 43 Virginia

French Ganey Kitchen man Male 21 France

Lizzie Long Maid Female 31 Ireland

Hilma Terist Maid Female 30 Norway

Odine Terist Maid Female 30 Norway

Agnes Erickson Maid Female 27 Norway

Eva Dietrich Maid Female 45 England

Mary Comdon Maid Female 23 Ireland

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG73-MGP : accessed 6 November 2019), George D Widener in household of Peter A B Widener, Cheltenham, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 69, sheet 18A, family 307, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1377; FHL microfilm 1,375,390.

• (2019) Harry Elkins Widener Encyclopedia Titanica (ref: #317, updated 6th November 2019 02:05:37 AM)

URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/harry-elkins-widener.html

• "Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HF82-JPMM : 15 February 2020), Widener, 1885.

• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-JHDM : 16 March 2018), Harry E Widener, 1908; citing Passport Application, Pennsylvania, United States, source certificate #45621, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 53, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVV9-B5CJ : 4 August 2020), Harry Elkins Widener, ; Burial, , ; citing record ID 9487108, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.