Mrs. Mahala Donald Douglas was a First Class passenger of the Titanic. She survived the sinking.
Background[]
Mahala Dutton was born on Tuesday 26 January 1864 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. United States and was Rollin Henry Dutton's daughter, who was married to . His occupation was postmaster and housekeeper for boarders. Mahala had one older . Her first name stems from a long bloodline of historic figures, some with high polticial positions.
On July 26, 1876, she sadly lost her father after he had commited suicide. It appears he had a drinking problem and upon realisation he wanted to stand in nobody's way. He was missing since January 16, 1876, not coming home from work. He also had a few thousand dollars of debt.
Mahala later graduated from college. She was a very attractive young woman and had many admirers. On December 10, 1891, she was married for the first time, to Lewis Benedict. She had mastered the art of singing during those years.
In 1901, her mother had become very ill and died shortly after. For unknown reasons, Mahala and Lewis were divorced in the early 1900's.
On November 6, 1906, Mahala remarried to Walter Donald Douglas. Mahala had known him from his ex-wife, who was her friend. Together, they did a lot of charitable work. After the union, they lived in Minneapolis Minnesota in a large mansion.
Her husband, Walter Donald Douglas, retired on January 1st, 1912 and the couple took off on a three-month tour of Europe to find furnishings for their palatial retreat, known as Walden.
Titanic[]
For their return to the USA, the Douglas couple boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg (ticket number 17761 which cost £106, 8s, 6d), together with their French maid Berthe Leroy and they occupied cabin C-86. Mahala was 48 years old at the time. While on board the ship they got acquainted to other First Class passengers from Minnesota: John Pillsbury Snyder and his wife, William Baird Silvey and his wife, and Constance Willard.
On April 14 at late night, Titanic had grazed an iceberg, and the damage to her hull caused her to sink. After the damage was assesed, the captain gave the order for the evacuation.
Mahala described the night of the sinking as clear and calm, so much so that the idea of any impending disaster was far from her mind. She was in her stateroom with her husband when they felt a slight shock but thought little of it. Following instructions to dress and go up on deck, Mahala and her maid escaped in Emergency Lifeboat 2 but her husband reportedly refused to leave until all women and children were accounted for, saying it would make him "less than a man." or "No, I must be a gentleman."
Mahala died at her holiday home, 95 El Circulo Drive, Pasadena, California following a stroke on April 21st, 1945, her husband Walter's birthday, and was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa with her husband.
Popular Culture[]
A Night to Remember (1958)[]
Mahala Douglas with her husband in A Night to Remember (1958)
Mahala Douglas appeared briefly in A Night to Remember (1958), portrayed by Bay White.