Avatar feed
Responses: 5
LTC Stephen F.
6
6
0
Edited 6 y ago
917f253f
Thank you my friend Maj Marty Hogan for making us aware that June 19 is the anniversary of the birth of American socialite and a survivor of the RMS Titanic
Madeleine Talmage Force Fiermonte née Astor.

Image: 1912 Even in mourning, Madeleine Astor wore the diamond dog collar and pearls her husband had given her

Background from encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/madeleine-talmage-astor.html
"Mrs John Jacob Astor (Madeleine Force), 18, was the wife of millionaire John Jacob Astor , they had been on an extended honeymoon in Egypt and Paris and, in the spring of 1912, decided to return to America as First Class passengers on board the brand new Titanic .

They boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg with Colonel Astor's manservant Mr Victor Robbins , Mrs Astor's maid Miss Rosalie Bidois and their pet Airedale Kitty. Also accompanying the Astors was Mrs Astor's private nurse Miss Caroline Louise Endres .

After the accident Colonel Astor left his suite to investigate, he quickly returned and reported to Madeleine that the ship had struck ice. He reassured her that the damage did not appear serious.

Later as they waited on the boat deck , Mrs Astor lent Leah Aks her shawl to keep her son Filly warm. At one point the Astors retired to the gymnasium and sat on the mechanical horses. They wore their lifebelts but Colonel Astor had found another and cut the lining with a pen knife to show his wife what it was made of. Colonel and Mrs Astor later moved down to A-Deck from where Mrs Astor boarded lifeboat 4 aided by her husband and Second Officer Charles Lightoller .

Madeleine inherited from her husband the income from a five-million-dollar trust fund and the use of his home on Fifth Avenue and in the Newport so long as she did not marry. On 14 August 1912, she gave birth to a son with whom she was pregnant on the Titanic , and she named him after her husband, John Jacob Astor.

During World War one She married William K. Dick (and relinquished all claim to the Astor fortune) who was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 28, 1888. They had two sons, William F. and John H. Dick. Mr Dick was a prominent corporate official in companies such as St. Regis Paper Company, Best Foods, Inc., Irving Trust Company, and St. Regis Timber Company. They divorced in 1933 in Reno, Nevada. After their divorce Mr Dick married Virginia Montez Conner on December 24, 1941 and had a daughter and a son. He died at Allen Winden Farm, Islip, New York on September 5, 1953.

Madeleine went on to marry prize-fighter Enzo Fiermonte but they too divorced in 1938 and she took back the surname Dick. She died in Palm Beach, Florida in 1940 at the age of 47."

Wealthy Passengers on the Titanic: The Millionaires
"In 1912, The Titanic was the largest manmade object that moved and was the ideal toy to amuse the wealthy, influential and elite. One of these elite passengers was John Jacob Astor, an American millionaire businessman"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8VZVtJvm_M

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. CPL Dave Hoover SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins SrA Christopher Wright PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SGT Rick Colburn
5
5
0
Thanks for the history lessons love them
(5)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
5
5
0
That period in Her life aboard the titanic, that saved two lives as She was pregnant and very luck to survive as many didn't. Not the type of experience I'd wish on anyone. It was interesting reading the account of portions of Her life.
(5)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close