Virginia Estelle (McDowell) Tanner (1885 - 1958)

Born 30 May 1885 in Helena, Montana

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Biography

Family and Early Life

Mrs Virginia Estelle Clark (née McDowell) was born in Helena, Montana on 30 May 1885.1

She was the only child of Samuel Kendrick McDowell (1858-1902), a US deputy marshal, and Addie May Caldwell (1862-1940). Her father was born in Illinois whilst her mother hailed from Colorado.

Census

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM5H-5LZ : accessed 17 October 2019), Estelle M Mcdowell in household of Saml K Mcdowell, Helena Township Helena city Ward 4, Lewis and Clark, Montana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 173, sheet 10B, family 204, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,912.

Saml K Mcdowell Head Male 42 Illinois

Annie M Mcdowell Wife Female 38 Colorado

Estelle M Mcdowell Daughter Female 15 Montana

Geo U Cullison Grandfather Male 86 Maryland

Virginia later became acquainted with Walter Miller Clark (b. 1884), a Montana native and a Los Angeles resident; they were married in New York at the home of her uncle George McDowell on 5 January 1909. The couple were shown residing in Los Angeles on 1910 census and were listed twice; once at the home of her parents-in-law the Clarks at West Adams Street and then at their own home, Severance Street. The Clark's only child, son James Ross Clark, was born on 24 April 1910.

Titanic

Virginia and Walter took a belated honeymoon to Europe in early 1912 but cut their trip short to return home and celebrate their son's birthday; they boarded Titanic at Cherbourg as first class passengers on 10 April 1912 (ticket number 13508 which cost £136, 15s, 7d) and occupied cabin C89. Virginia was alone in her cabin when the collision occurred; although noting that the impact was slight she admitted that she felt something was very wrong and immediately dressed and ascended to the promenade deck; she found her husband in the smoking room playing cards with acquaintances. The two made enquiries with officers and other crewmen as to the situation but were told that the ship had struck some ice and that there was no danger. Upon their return to their cabin the Clarks saw a man pass by carrying a lifejacket and soon learned that all passengers were to proceed to the boat deck.

Virginia and Walter dressed warmly, she donning her furs, and they headed topside where they stopped to watch the proceedings, reportedly meeting with the Astors and Strausses with whom they conversed. She reported witnessing Mrs Strauss refuse to leave her husband and later in the proceedings she was compelled to get into a lifeboat by an officer. Even then she insisted that her husband felt no apprehension about the situation and fully expected to see her later; the last she saw of him was him hanging over the wailing and waving to her.

Mrs Clark left Titanic with Mrs Astor in lifeboat 4. She recalled Mrs Astor insisting that the lifeboat be turned around to rescue more people; the lifeboat eventually pulled around eight crewmen from the water. When the ship eventually founded Mrs Clark recalled the "heartrending moans and cries" of those struggling in the water.

After the Disaster

She later made the journey back to Los Angeles via Chicago and was met in Salt Lake City, Utah by William Clark, her husband's cousin and close friend; here it was reported that she was in great shock and distress. She went to her mother's home in Los Angeles where she was prostrated with grief for weeks.

Virginia married twice more.

"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940,"^[1]

Name: John Tanner

Event Type: Marriage

Event Date: 23 Sep 1912

Event Place: Manhattan, New York, New York, United States

Event Place (Original): Manhattan, New York

Gender: Male

Age: 35

Marital Status: Divorced

Race: White

Birth Year (Estimated): 1877

Birthplace: Crawfordville, Ind.

Father's Name: John James

Mother's Name: Emma O. Bunch

Spouse's Name: Estelle Clark

Spouse's Gender: Female

Spouse's Age: 26

Spouse's Marital Status:Widowed

Spouse's Race: White

Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1886

Spouse's Birthplace: Helena, Mont.

Spouse's Father's Name: Samuel K. Mcdowell

Spouse's Mother's Name: Addie May Caldwell

"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," ^[2]

Name: Louis Rush

Event Type: Marriage

Event Date: 18 May 1927

Event Place: Manhattan, New York, New York, United States

Gender: Male

Age: 46

Marital Status: Single

Race: White

Birth Year (Estimated): 1881

Birthplace: U.S.

Father's Name: Murray Rush

Mother's Name: Louisa Bowdoin

Spouse's Name: Virginia Clark

Spouse's Gender: Female

Spouse's Age: 35

Spouse's Marital Status: Widowed

Spouse's Race: White

Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1892

Spouse's Birthplace: U.S.

Spouse's Father's Name: Samuel K. Mcdowell

Spouse's Mother's Name: Adda Caldwell

Virginia McDowell Clark Tanner passed away in Los Angeles on 21 December 1958 aged 73 and she was buried with her husband. Her son James Ross Clark died on 24 February 1962 in Riverside, California.

Sources

1. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2432-QZT : 10 February 2018), John Tanner and Estelle Clark, 23 Sep 1912; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,613,527.
2. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24WQ-KKN : 10 February 2018), Louis Rush and Virginia Clark, 18 May 1927; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,644,053.

• https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/virginia-clark.html