Arthur Larned Ryerson was a First Class passenger of the Titanic. He didn't survive the sinking.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Mr Arthur Larned Ryerson was born on Sunday, 12th January 1851 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA.
He later met his future wife Emily Maria Borie and was married on 31 January 1889. They had five children: Susan "Suzette" Parker Ryerson (August 3, 1890-January 13, 1921), Arthur Larned Ryerson, Jr. (1891-1912), Emily Borie Ryerson (October 8, 1893), Ellen Ashfordbye Ryerson (1895-1973), and John Borie "Jack" Ryerson (December 16, 1898 - January 21, 1986).
On the Titanic[]
Arthur, Emily, and three of their children, Suzette, Emily, and John, boarded the RMS Titanic as First Class passengers in Cherbourg, France, after learning of the death of their son, Arthur Jr., an undergraduate at Yale, who had been killed in an automobile accident in the United States. With them were their maid, Victorine Chaudanson, and John's governess, Grace Scott Bowen. Another child, Ellen Ryerson, (later Mrs Salvatore) was not aboard the Titanic. She died in New York in 1973. Their eventual destination was Cooperstown, NY.
Unknown to Arthur was the presence on the Titanic of a distant (4th) cousin. William Edwy Ryseron worked as a steward in the dining saloon. He may also have been getting acquainted with Ann Elizabeth Isham during the sinking. Arthur was a partner in her father's firm.
Sinking[]
During the sinking, Mr. Ryerson and his family had to wait before boarding lifeboat 4 due to a delay - they were supposed to board through the windows on A-Deck, but these windows were shut and locked. By the time a crew member finally got a crank to open these windows, the Ryersons had been waiting up to 75 minutes. By this time, the lights were glowing a hellish red and the water had already flooded the entire bow. Mrs. Ryerson, Suzette, Emily and Jack Ryerson all boarded the lifeboat, along with a few other notable wealthy people.
At half-past-one, Arthur Ryerson made his way to the First Class Smoking Room, along with Major Archibald Butt, Francis D. Millet, and Clarence Moore. The group gathered at their normal table and played one last hand of cards, as observed by Colonel Archibald Gracie IV. Nearby in the Smoking Room, Wiliam Stead was sitting, reading a book and Emil Taussig was pondering something. At about 1:40 A.M., the men finished their game, shook hands, and paired off, with Millet and Butt heading overboard and Moore was never seen again. There are some disputes about if it was William Carter or John Ryerson who was in the room at the time.
It only took the lifeboat five minutes to lower into the water, as by that point the water was mere feet from the boat. Reportedly, as the boat rowed away, the women could see Arthur Ryerson standing with George D. Widener, Harry E. Widener, John Thayer Sr. and Jack Thayer Jr, John Jacob Astor, and William Carter. Only Carter and Thayer Jr. survived the sinking, quickly getting into Collapsible C on the starboard side. All of the men split up, with the Wideners heading to help with the next Collapsible stuck on the roof, JJ Astor taking a cigarette break with his friend Jacques H. Futrelle, Jack Thayer joining his friend, Milton Long. Thayer Sr. and John Ryerson's whereabouts were unknown.
Arthur Ryerson was lost in the sinking, his body, if recovered, was never identified.
Portrayals[]
A Night to Remember (1958)[]
Stuart Nicholl as Arthur Ryerson in A Night to Remember
In A Night to Remember, he was portrayed by Stuart Nicholl. He appeared during the loading of the lifeboat, where his son, John, was denied entry to the lifeboat by Second Officer Lightoller because he felt John was old enough to stay with the men. But Arthur denied it and said "Of course he can go, he's only thirteen", Lightoller finally relented and allowed John into the lifeboat.
1997 Film Titanic[]
In the 1997 film, Arthur is the old man who appears in the background with Douglas Spedden and his father when Jack Dawson steals his coat. Later, when Jack was caught for the framed allegation of stealing the diamond, it is revealed that it's Arthur's and was reported stolen.
A possible appearance of Arthur Ryerson in Titanic
Arthur Ryerson is on the far right
