Rhoda (Hunt) Abbott
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Rhoda Mary (Hunt) Abbott (1873 - abt. 1946)

Rhoda Mary "Rosa" Abbott formerly Hunt
Born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Englandmap
Wife of — married 1895 (to 1909) [location unknown]
Wife of — married 16 Dec 1912 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts, United Statesmap
Died about at about age 73 in Barnes, Surrey Northeast, Londonmap
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Profile last modified | Created 17 Feb 2014
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Note: Rhoda actually never went by Rosa. She was only accounted for as Rosa Abbott on lists of Titanic Passengers.

Contents

Biography

Rhoda (Hunt) Abbott was aboard the RMS Titanic.

Birth and Early Life

Rhoda Hunt was born on January 14, 1873 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, to Joseph and Sarah Hunt.[1] She was Christened on October 5 of that year in Ludgershall, Buckingham, England.[2] Growing up, she would have two siblings; Thomas and Lucy.

She was found with her brother and two siblings on the 1881 Census, living in Willesden, Middlesex, England. They were lodging at the home of Ziller Wells.[3]

On the 1891 Census, she was living with her family in Chelsea, Kensal Town with her mother and sister.[4]

Immigration to United States

Rhoda immigrated from St. Albans to the United States in 1894, arriving in Providence, Rhode Island.[5]

Marriage to Stanton Abbott

In early 1895, she married a professional boxer named Stanton Abbott (who had been born in London, but immigrated to the US in 1893). Stanton would become the middleweight boxing champion of the United States.

Stanton and Rhoda had two sons, Rossmore Edward and Eugene Joseph. She loved being a wife and mother, caring for her sons as they grew. The family were members of Grace Episcopal Church in Providence.

The family appeared together on the 1900 Census, living in Providence, Rhode Island.[6]

Unfortunately, by 1911, Stanton and Rhoda had grown apart and they suffered a divorce. [7]

Return to England

Rhoda and her sons returned (via the Olympic - the Titanic's sister ship) to England to live with her mother in St. Albans. They arrived August of 1911. Rhoda worked as a seamstress to support her family. Things were more difficult for the family and the boys longed to return to the United States, so Rhoda agreed to take them home, booking tickets on a small ship, which were later redirected to the Titanic due to a coal strike.

The family boarded the ship in Southampton on April 10, 1912. [8]

Titanic

For the first few days, life aboard the Titanic was uneventful for the family. They explored, unpacked and made a few friends.

On the night of April 14, the family had just gone to bed, when they were awakened by the ship hitting an iceberg. The boys wished to go on deck and see what happened, but Rhoda was cautious and wouldn't leave. A steward came by their room and assured them that everything was find and that they should go back to sleep.

At 12:15 AM, they were awakened when a steward opened their door to alarm, “all passengers on deck with life jackets”. The family casually put on their life jackets before going to the deck above. Eventually, they arrived at the loading area for Collapsible C. Rhoda watched as the lifeboat was loaded with women and children, her heart falling when she realized that her sons would not be allowed to board. When given the opportunity to board, she refused access so that she could stay with her sons.

As the Titanic sank, Rhoda, Rossmore, and Eugene were swept into the icy Atlantic waters. Rhoda held onto her sons hands as long as she could, until they were pulled away from her. She struggled to stay with them, but couldn't find them in the mass of bodies around her while she, herself, struggled for life. Finally, a man on Collapsible A grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the water.

Collapsible A was nearly swamped and was riding low in the water. As people passed away from hypothermia, they were lowered over the side to make more room and to lessen the weight in the boat. By the time Lifeboat 14 reached them, only thirteen of the occupants had survived. Rhoda was nearly unconscious as they were transferred to the Carpathia, but was well cared for by Lead Fireman Thomas Threlfall until they boarded the rescue ship.[9]

Aboard the Carpathia

Aboard the Carpathia, Rhoda was given a makeshift bed. Her new friend (met on the Titanic), Amy Stanley cared for her, both soothing her injuries and comforting her over the loss of her sons.

Amy Stanley later recalled:

"We were very close since we were on the Titanic together. And her stateroom had been near mine. I was the only one that she could talk to about her sons because I knew them myself. She told me that she would get [sic] in the lifeboat if there hadn't been so many people around. So she and her sons kept together. She was thankful that [the] three of them had stayed with her on that piece of wreckage. The youngest went first then the other son went. She grew numb and cold and couldn't remember when she got on the Carpathia. There was a piece of cork in her hair and I managed to get a comb and it took a long time but finally we got it out."

When they arrived in New York, Rhoda was sent to St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan, New York. She was one of the last survivors to be discharged. For the rest of her life, she would have respiratory problems and serious asthma as a result of the Titanic disaster. [10]

Marriage to George Williams

Rhoda married George Williams on December 16, 1912 in Swansea, Massachusetts, United States.[11]


Census

"United States Census, 1910,"[12]

Rhoda Abbott Head Female 34 England
Rossmore E Abbott Son Male 14 Rhode Island
Eugene J Abbott Son Male 11 Rhode Island
George C Williams Boarder Male 33 England


Death

Rhoda passed away on February 18, 1946 in Barnes, Surrey Northeast, London from heart failure as a result of hypertension.[13][14]

Sources

Known Sources

  1. [England and Wales Birth Registration Index] Rhoda Hunt, Birth Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar, Registration Year: 1873, Registration District: Aylesbury, County: Buckinghamshire, Event Place: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England
  2. [England Births and Christenings] Rhoda Hunt, Gender: Female, Christening Date: 05 Oct 1873, Christening Place: Ludgershall, Buckingham, England, Father's Name: Joseph Hunt, Mother's Name: Sarah
  3. [1881 England and Wales Census] Rhoda Hunt, Willesden, Middlesex, England, Registration District: Hendon, Residence Note: Regent St Kensal Green, Gender: Female, Age: 8, Marital Status (Original): Single, Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter, Birth Year (Estimated): 1873, Birthplace: England
  4. 1891 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1891"
    citing PRO RG 12, London county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
    FamilySearch Record: QQL6-63Z (accessed 7 March 2023)
    FindMyPast Image
    Rhoda Hant (17), single daughter, Machinist Shopwoman, in household of Sarah Hant (28) in Chelsea registration district in London, England. Born in Buckinghamshire, England.
  5. [Encyclopedia Titanica] Biography of Rhoda Abbott
  6. [1900 US Federal Census] Rhoda Abbott, District 1 Providence city Ward 5, Providence, Rhode Island, United States, Female, Age: 27, Married, White, Wife to head of house, Number of Living Children: 2, Years Married: 10, Birth Date: Jan 1873, Birthplace: England, Marriage Year (Estimated): 1890, Immigration Year: 1893, Father's Birthplace: England, Mother's Birthplace: England, Mother of how many children: 2
  7. [Encyclopedia Titanica] Biography of Rhoda Abbott
  8. [Encyclopedia Titanica] Biography of Rhoda Abbott
  9. [Encyclopedia Titanica] Biography of Rhoda Abbott
  10. [Encyclopedia Titanica] Biography of Rhoda Abbott
  11. [Massachusetts Marriages] George C Williams, Marriage Date: 16 Dec 1912, Place: Swansea, , Massachusetts, United States, Registration Place: Swansea, , Massachusetts, Gender: Male, Age: 37, Birth Date: 1875, Birth Year (Estimated): 1875, Birthplace: , , England, Father's Name: John S Williams, Mother's Name: Mary Ham, Spouse's Name: Rhoda Hunt, Spouse's Gender: Female, Spouse's Age: 38, Spouse's Birth Date: 1874, Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1874, Spouse's Birthplace: , , England, Spouse's Father's Name: Joseph Hunt, Spouse's Mother's Name: Sarah Green
  12. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPX7-P99 : accessed 25 August 2019), Rossmore E Abbott in household of Rhoda Abbott, Providence Ward 6, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 208, sheet 1A, family 1, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1443; FHL microfilm 1,375,456.
  13. [Encyclopedia Titanica] Biography of Rhoda Abbott
  14. [Find a Grave Index] Memorial# 204890356

"Missing" Sources

Note: These sources may never have existed

  • Birth Record
  • Marriage Record to George Abbott
  • Death Record
  • Immigration/Travel records

Acknowledgements





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Comments: 2

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Rhoda Hunt birth Reg: Jan 1/4 1873. Aylesbury, Bucks. REF: Vol 3a Page 560
posted by Judy (Abraham) Rowse
Changed 1891 Census citation to add hyperlink. Formatting doesn't match the rest of the sources; maybe someone can "clean it up".
posted by Donna (Warren) Henley