Albert Caldwell
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Albert Francis Caldwell (1885 - 1977)

Albert Francis Caldwell
Born in Iowa, United Statesmap
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 1 Sep 1909 (to 1930) in Colorado Springs, Colorado USAmap
Husband of — married 22 Dec 1936 in Richmond, , Virginia, United Statesmap
Died at age 91 [location unknown]
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Titanic Project WikiTree private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 24 May 2014
This page has been accessed 1,254 times.
The RMS Titanic.
Albert Caldwell was a passenger on the RMS Titanic.
Join: Titanic Project
Discuss: titanic

Contents

Biography

Albert was born in Iowa to William and Fanny Gates Caldwell in 1885.


Census

"United States Census, 1900,"[1]

William E Caldwell Head Male 44 Pennsylvania
Fanny M Caldwell Wife Female 39 Kentucky
Albert F Caldwell Son Male 15 Iowa
Stella D Caldwell Daughter Female 14 Kansas
Vera M Caldwell Daughter Female 5 Iowa
Francis P Gates Father-in-law Male 78 New York
Elsie B Able Servant Female 16 Iowa

"United States Census, 1920,"[2]

Albert F Caldwell Head Male 34 Iowa
Sylvia M Caldwell Wife Female 33 Pennsylvania
Alden G Caldwell Son Male 8 Siam
Raymond M Caldwell Son Male 5 Iowa


He married Sylvia Harbaugh in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Sep 1, 1909.

1st Marriage

"Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006,"[3]

Name: Albert Caldwell
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 01 Sep 1909
Event Place: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, United States
Age: 24
Birth Year (Estimated):1885
Spouse's Name: Sylvia M Harbaugh
Spouse's Age: 24
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1885


The couple went to Bangkok, Siam (now Thailand) where they were teachers in Bangkok Christian College for Boys. Their son, Alden Gates Caldwell, was born in Bangkok, and in later years, Alden found himself unable to obtain a birth certificate and had no official proof of his American citizenship.

In April 1912 they were returning to their home in Biggsville, Illinois.

Many years later Albert Caldwell wrote his own account of his family's experience. It relates how they traveled through Europe and at Naples saw a sign in the hotel advertising the sailing of the new White Star liner Titanic. He said they were unable to make a reservation there so they travelled on to London and got tickets by waiting in the White Star office for a cancellation. They boarded the Titanic in Southampton as second class passengers (ticket number 248738, £29).

"It was a carefree and happy throng that sailed with the Titanic on her first and last voyage... The rhythmic beat of her propellers would, as a matter of fact, not cease until the narrow Atlantic had been crossed. The weather was ideal and the sea was calm. Everyone was having a good time... The table were piled high with all the luxuries and delicacies that one would desire. All were interested in the record speed that we were making. No mention was made of the icebergs." Caldwell recalled the hymn servive held on the Sunnday night in the second-class dining led by Ernest Carter. According to Albert he spoke on the subject "Perils of the Sea."

"How little did that happy group, who with reverent thoughts, were worshiping God, realize that within a few hours the majority of them would meet him," Mr and Mrs Caldwell retired to bed at 10 pm but were awakened by the sound of the collision and the sudden cessation of the throbbing engines. Going up on deck a sailor told them about the iceberg but said there was no danger to the ship. The Caldwells returned to bed but were awakened a second time by someone pounding on their doors, yelling "Everyone on deck with your life belts."

Putting on his clothes, Albert was clearly not alarmed as he left his best suit hanging on the wall and several U.S. gold pieces at the bottom of a trunk. Albert and Sylvia then walked up on deck, little Alden wrapped in a blanket. On the deck a great throng of people had gathered. There was no panic, and when the order came to fill the lifeboats, women and children first, passengers were initially reluctant:

"They felt that it was safer to stay on the big ship. She could not sink. Consequently, the first lifeboats left the ship half filled with women and children who were practically forced into them. I did not want to trust the lives of my wife and baby to a tiny life boat and be lowered into the ocean, and wo we like many others held back." A stoker coming up from below was in a far better position to tell him the truth: water was gushing into the holds and the Titanic was sinking. Mrs Caldwell got into lifeboat 13, Alden was tossed to Steward Frederick Ray in the stern and Mr Caldwell stepped into the bow as the boat was lowered. From the safety of the boat they watched as the great ship sank:

"At first, she seemed unharmed but, as we looked toward the bow of the ship, we could see that the lower line of portholes extended down into the water. The lights on the Titanic burned until a few minutes before she sank. She tipped, headfirst, lower and lower into the water, until all that we could see was the stern of the boat outlined against the starry sky. She hung as if on a pivot and then, with a gentle swish, disappeared from sight. "For a moment all was silence and then, across that waste of waters, wafted a sound that will ever ring in my ears, the cries of those perishing in the icy water. They did not drown for they could not withstand the cold water and died, one by one, from exposure." After their rescue by the Carpathia, the Caldwells resided in Illinois.

In 1930, Albert and Sylvia were divorced. Albert later married Jennie Whitley Congleton in Richmond, Virginia in 1936

2nd Marriage

"Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988,"[4]

Name: Albert F Caldwell
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 22 Dec 1936
Event Place: Richmond, , Virginia, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1887
Marriage License Place: Richmond, Virginia
Father's Name: Wm E Caldwell
Mother's Name: Fannie Gates
Spouse's Name: Jennie Whitley Congleton
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 35
Spouse's Race: White
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1901
Spouse's Father's Name: A B Congleton
Spouse's Mother's Name: Jennie Whitley
Certificate Number: 17473

Albert Caldwell died on 10 March 1977.

Notes 1. Raymond Milton Caldwell died 28th April, 1990 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. 2. Jennie Congleton Caldwell died 22nd November, 1980


Burial: Pinewood Memorial Park Greenville, Pitt County,, North Carolina, USA

References and Sources: Pittsburgh Post, April 18 1912, Article Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279]) New York Herald, April 19, 1912 The Daily Reflector (Greenville, NC), April 12, 1998 Albert Caldwell (1965) They said that the Titanic could not Sink

Credits: Charles Caldwell, USA Michael A. Findlay, USA Phillip Gowan, USA Claudia McCann, USA Rob Ottmers, USA

Census

Sources

  1. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3C5-ZBL : accessed 16 October 2019), Albert F Caldwell in household of William E Caldwell, Clay Township (east half) Maitland city, Holt, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 84, sheet 8B, family 182, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,858.
  2. "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFK8-JFM : accessed 25 August 2019), Albert F Caldwell, Richland Center, Richland, Wisconsin, United States; citing ED 205, sheet 36B, line 55, family 41, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 2013; FHL microfilm 1,822,013.
  3. "Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KN3B-GR8 : 10 December 2017), Albert Caldwell and Sylvia M Harbaugh, 01 Sep 1909, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, United States; citing no. 5368, State Archives, Denver; FHL microfilm 1,690,059.
  4. "Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9J-L43H : 10 January 2019), Albert F Caldwell and Jennie Whitley Congleton, 22 Dec 1936; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Richmond, , Virginia, United States, certificate 17473, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.




Is Albert your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message the profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Albert's DNA have taken a DNA test.

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.

C  >  Caldwell  >  Albert Francis Caldwell

Categories: RMS Titanic | 2nd Class Passengers on Titanic | RMS Carpathia | Survivors of the Titanic