Madeleine Talmadge (Force) Dick (1893 - 1940)

Born 19 Jun 1893 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William Karl Dick — married 22 Jun 1916 (to 21 Jul 1933) in Bar Harbor, Hancock, Maine, United States

Wife of Vincenzo Fiermonte — married 27 Nov 1933 (to 11 Jun 1938) in New York, New York

Descendants

Died 27 Mar 1940 at age 46 in Palm Beach, Florida, United States

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Biography

Madeleine (Force) Dick was aboard the RMS Titanic.

Madeleine Force was born June 19, 1893, in Brooklyn, New York. She was the daughter of William Hurlbut Force and Katherine Arvilla Talmage. Madeline went to school at Miss Ely’s School followed by 4 years at Miss Spence's School which was on West 48th street in Manhatten. Her Family was part of the Episcopel church that the Astor Family were also members of. ^[1]

It is unknown when exactly when John Jacob Astor and Madeleine origionally met. There is some documentation showing that he hosted her family at Bar Harbor in September 1910.

They were married on September 9, 1911 when she was 18 years of age.

On April 14,1912 aboard the Titanic John Astor reported to his wife that the ship appeared to have hit an iceberg, but that the damage didn't appear to be extensive. Though he then helped strap her to a lifeboat where she gave Filly Aks, son of Leah Aks, her fur shawl to help him keep warm. John is believed to have cut a extra lifeboat strap with a knife showing Madeline what it was made of. After which they went down to sit down in the Gymnasium. When it was time to get off the sinking Titanic Madeline, her maid and her nurse climbed through the first class promenade to get on lifeboat 4, which was lowered to block A to allow more people to get on. John hoped to board to help her since she was considered 'in a delicate condition'. The request was denied by Second Officer Charles Lightoller..^[2]

John and his valet passed away when the Titanic sunk, while Madeleine and the rest of lifeboat 4 were rescued by the RMS Carpathia.

When Madeleine returned, she was kept in strict isolation with her first social function not occurring until end of May when she held a luncheon at her mansion. In his will, John Jacob Astor IV left Madeleine an outright sum of $100,000, as well as a trust fund of 5 million and the use of the house as long as she lived.

On August 14, 1912, Madeleine gave birth to Jakey at her Fifth Avenue mansion she raised him as an Astor for 4 years until her second marriage. When she married William Karl Dick (her childhood friend) on June 22, 1916, in Bar Harbor, Maine.

They had two children William Force Dick and John Henry Dick II.

Madeleine and William were divorced on July 21, 1933, in Reno, Nevada after which she married Enzo Fiermonte in a civil ceremony in New York City on November 27, 1933. They were divorced on June 11, 1938, in West Palm Beach, Florida. They had no children.

She passed away in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 27, 1940 of heart failure and was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City, in a mausoleum with her mother.

Sources

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Astor
2. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/titanic/article-9009982

• "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MSJ6-SZ4 : accessed 28 Apr 2014), Madaline J Force in household of William Force, Hempstead Township, Election District 18 Lawrence village, Nassau, New York, United States; citing sheet 21B, family 386, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241079.

• "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M53L-Q8W : accessed 28 Apr 2014), Madaline T Force in household of William N Force, Manhattan Ward 21, New York, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1173, sheet 4B, family 79, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1375050.

• "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJBP-DHF : accessed 28 Apr 2014), Madeline Dick in household of William Dick, Manhattan Assembly District 15, New York, New York, United States; citing sheet 2B, family 32, NARA microfilm publication T625, FHL microfilm 1821213.

• "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X4YH-TN1 : accessed 28 Apr 2014), Madeline T Dick in household of William K Dick, Islip, Suffolk, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0087, sheet 15A, family 377, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1650.

• Cited in Internet Accuracy Project, entry for William K. Dick.

• (2014) Madeleine Talmage Astor Encyclopedia Titanica (ref: #12, accessed 21st June 2014 09:31:05 AM) URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/madeleine-talmage-astor.html

• (1916) MRS. JOHN J. ASTOR TO MARRY W. K. DICK New York Times (ref: #3072, accessed 21st June 2014 06:38:15 AM) URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/mrs-john-j-astor-marry-w-k-dick.html

• (1940) MRS. FIERMONTE DEAD IN FLORIDA New York Times (ref: #3259, accessed 21st June 2014 06:38:51 AM) URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/mrs-fiermonte-dead-florida.html