Isidor Straus

[Shelley Dziedzic]

While wandering around in nearby Stonington cemetery on Rt. 1 between Mystic and Pawcatuck, I stumbled literally upon the Straus' daughter's, grand daughter's, and great-grand daughter's graves. All the girls are named Vivian. Was intrigued to see the grand daughter married another department store tycoon-Wanamaker! From left to right they read (can send a bigger file to anyone interested):
Vivian Straus Dixon Born in NY New York August 29, 1886 Died in NY New York Jan 16, 1967 Beloved wife of George Arthur Dixon Daughter of Isidor Straus and Ida Straus
Vivian Dixon Wanamaker Born Born NY New York Jan 17 1918 Died in London Dec 1 1974 Daughter of George Arthur Dixon and Vivian Dixon
Vivian Foley Born Palm Beach Florida April 27, 1939 DiedNY NewYork, Jan 19, 1980 Daughter of Vivian Wanamaker and Dennie Boardman

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

Shell,

Thanks for posting those. Wanamaker eh? I never knew that either. And they are all Vivians - how wierd is that?

Randy

 

[Daniel M. Roper]

To follow up on some of the questions posed here:

1. Isidor Straus is not related to the Levi Strauss folks of California (at least not closely).

2. Oscar Straus was Isidor's brother. Oscar had a stellar career as a lawyer and statesman, serving as "Minister to Konstantinople" and also as a cabinet official in F. D. Roosevelt's administration.

3. In his testimony to the Senate Committee Archibald Gracie describes his contact with Mr. and Mrs. Straus on A-deck, how she refused to get in a boat without him, how he declared his intent to "share the fate of all the other men." Gracie doesn't make mention of what Isidor and Ida did after that in his Senate testimony. I haven't read Gracie's book so I don't know if he expanded further on the subject.

4. Straus Historical Society, Inc. in Smithtown, NY has an interesting letter from a Macy's employee who happened to be a passenger on Carpathia, interviewed Titanic surivivors to find out what happend to the Strauses (the Straus family owned Macy's), and wrote to their son Percy. The account is similar to Gracie's.