Sallie Beckwith
Sarah Maybell "Sallie" Beckwith (born Monypeny) was a First Class Passenger onboard Titanic.
She was born in 1865 in Columbus, Ohio and was the third daughter of Irish merchant William Monypeny and Maria Brunson. In 1885, at just 20 years old, she married Logan Conway Newsom, a real estate agent. They had 2 children: William Newsom born in 1887 and Helen Monypeny Newsom born in 1892. However, Logan passed away on June 28, 1901, leaving his wife a widow with two young children. Some time later, Sarah remarried on September 25, 1903 with Richard Leonard Beckwith, another real estate agent.
The couple settled in Manhattan and traveled frequently. In 1911, Sarah's daughter, Helen Monypeny Newsom, had caught the attention of a famous tennis champion Karl Howell Behr. In early 1912, Sarah took her husband and daughter Helen on a grand tour of Europe.
To return to the United States, Sarah, her daughter Helen Monypeny Newsom, and her husband Richard Leonard Beckwith boarded the Titanic on April 10, 1912 in Southampton. Sarah and Richard were stationed in cabin D-35. However, when the Titanic made its stop in Cherbourg, a very attractive young man boarded the Titanic and, surprisingly, it was Helen's admirer. Karl Howell Behr. He knew the family's plans and planned a business trip to return later on the Titanic, where he knew his crush would be.
On the night of the sinking (April 14–15, 1912), Sarah, Helen, Karl, Richard, and another couple, Edwin Nelson Kimball and Susan Gertrude Kimball, came up on deck. The Beckwith couple stood next to boat 5, with their daughter Helen Newsom and Karl Behr. They listened to the dialogue between Third Officer Pitman and J. Bruce Ismay. Sallie then stepped forward, and asked Bruce Ismay if all the men in her company could come along with her and she was granted generous permission by the director of White Star Line. "Of course madam, everyone of you can join!" In all ease, the group got into the lifeboat.
A few months after the Titanic disaster, on December 3, 1912, William Monypeny, Sarah's brother, died. Her daughter married player Karl Behr in 1913. Sarah continued to live in Manhattan and later moved to New Hampshire. Together with her husband Richard Leonard Beckwith, she continued to travel to France, England, Monaco and Italy. In addition, Sarah was a member of the Colony Club and for many years was on the board of directors for West Side Day Nursery and Christadora House. Unfortunately, Sarah was widowed again in 1933, when her husband passed away. Twelve years later, Sarah again suffered another great loss, that of her 55-year-old son William.
Sarah Maybell Beckwith (last name of her second husband) died at her home in Manhattan in 1955 at the age of 89. She was cremated.
Sources[]
- 'Titanic' ©1996 (second print, 1998) Edward P. De Groot