Engelhart Cornelius Østby was a Norwegian-American businessman and jeweler. He was also one of the Norwegian passengers who travelled on the RMS Titanic on its Maiden Voyage. Østby also served as director of the High Street Bank and trustee at the Citizens Savings Bank.
Early Life[]
Engelhart Cornelius Østby was born in Kristiania, (now Oslo) Norway on December 18, 1847 and was the son of Christian Østby and Josephine Dorothy Paulson.
He married Lizzy Macy Webster on June 7, 1876, and together they had five children; four sons and a daughter, Helene Ragnhild Østby.
Education and jobs[]
After graduating and spending six years as an apprentice, he became a successful jeweler in Kristiana. He emigrated to the United States in 1869 after his parents and one of his brothers had move there three years before. Østby went to Providence, Rhode Island, and settled here. He worked for the company Hunt & Owen, but later moved to Arnold & Webster. At the latter, he was the Head of Design and Engraving for 9 years. He also entered into partnership with Nathan Barton and together they formed the company Østby & Barton, a company where a good number of Scandinavians were employed. The firm eventually became the world's largest producer of gold rings and its growing operations forced the firm to relocate due to the lack of space.
Engelhart undertook a number of business trips to Europe and he often visited Norway on these trips. After 1906, all of Ostby's trips to Europe included his daughter Helene. He was mostly looking for developments in production and design and a lot in Paris and he wanted to map the European market.
In January 1912, he again went to Europe when he was in need of a holiday. His daughter Helene joined him on this journey. Together they travelled around the southern parts of Europe – including to Nice in France – and all the way to Egypt. It was in Nice that the opportunity to return home to America with the Titanic presented itself. In Paris, they came into contact with Anna and Frank Warren, whom they had previously met in Egypt. The Warren also had tickets to the Titanic.
Aboard the Titanic[]
Engelhart Østby and his daughter Helene travelled in First Class and boarded the ship in Cherbourg for their return trip. Aboard the Titanic, the two were in separate cabins. Helen had taken cabin B-36 and Engelhart stayed in B-30. He was 64 years old at the time.
On the night of April 14, Engelhart and his daughter were making conversation with the Warren's in the First Class Reception Room on D-Deck. Around 10 P.M, they all retreated to their rooms when a stroll on deck was off the table after it turned out to be too frigid.
After the collision with the iceberg on the night of April 14, Engelhart and Helene first met in the corridor between their cabins. Then they walked with Mr. and Mrs. Warren up to the Boat Deck. When the four arrived at lifeboat 5, Engelhart went back to his cabin to pick up warmer clothes. This was the last time Helene saw her father alive. Helene got on board lifeboat 5 and survived.
Engelhart Østby died in the shipwreck and his body was found at sea by the cable repair ship, CS Mackay-Bennett. She recovered him as number 234 and he was identified by an employee of Østby & Barton. His body was returned to Providence and buried at Swan Point Cemetary on May 11, 1912.
After his death[]
After the sinking of the Titanic, Helene Østby returned to Providence. In 1914, she, as well as her brother Harold and one of his daughters, became co-owners of their father's business Østby & Barton.
The family wanted compensation for their loss and filed a claim against the White Star Line.
She never married and survived both World Wars. Toward the end of her life, she worked as a volunteer at Rhode Island Hospital. She passed away on May 15th, 1978 on Rhode Island. She was buried next to her father.