THE MERCANTILE MAGNATE

Born to a Jewish family in Germany in 1845, Isidor Straus immigrated with his mother and siblings to Georgia. His father, Lazarus, had preceded the family two years earlier and had set up a thriving cotton business with a fellow German immigrant. At age 16, a schoolboy prank disheartened Isidor’s plans to attend a military academy and instead contracted with a mill—the beginning of his mercantile career. Where You Go, I Go Isidor and Ida Rosalie Blum married in 1871; shared the same birthday (four years apart); had seven children together and by all accounts were very much in love. After spending the 1911 winter in Europe, they decided to sail back home on Titanic. After the collision, Ida and her maid, Ellen Bird, secured a place on a lifeboat. Assuming her husband was right behind her, she turned to find he wasn’t there. Even though an officer had offered Isidor a seat, he had refused and insisted on not entering a lifeboat until every woman and child had secured their place. His wife stepped out to join him. Isidor pleaded with her to get back in, but she insisted, “We have lived our whole life together and if you are going to remain on the boat and to die as the boat sinks, I will remain on the boat with you. We will not leave one another after our long and wonderful marriage together.” Isidor and Ida perished together that night.

Isidor Straus was a “people person.” Well known in both business and political circles, but it wasn’t until he sailed with his wife, Ida, on the maiden voyage of Titanic did he become a mainstream name. (Photo Public Domain)

Isidor Straus’ body was recovered and is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Ida’s body was never found. The Straus family collected some water from the disaster site and put it in an urn in his mausoleum. Together in life, together in rest. (Photo Public Domain)