Mr William F. Hoyt was a former resident of Cleveland, Ohio and the son of Charles E. Hoyt. He had been the captain of the Lakeside Bicycle Club and was also connected with the Lozier Bicycle Company. William Hoyt was connected with the Sterling & Welch, Co. and was a resident of New York City. He had been going to Europe for several years as a buyer for the Houghton, Lee & Hoyt Company. He was returning from Europe on one of these trips, boarding the Titanic in Cherbourg and travelling in first class.

William Hoyt was heavily built and the survivors of lifeboat 14 struggled to haul him out of the water. He was bleeding from the nose and mouth. Fifth Officer Lowe reported "After we got him in the boat we took his collar off so as to give him more chance to breathe, but unfortunately, he died. He was too far gone when we picked him up." He was buried at sea by sailors from the Carpathia. His brother traveled to Washington, DC to ask crew members if they knew anything about his brother but without success.

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-biography/william-fisher-hoyt.html

(2009) William Fisher Hoyt Encyclopedia Titanica

ONE VICTIM LEGALLY DEAD

New York Times

Saturday 27 April 1912

Surrogate Accepts Proof That William F. Hoyt Perished in Disaster

---

The first victim of the Titanic disaster to be pronounced legally dead

was William F. Hoyt. Surrogate Cohalan accepted proof of Mr. Hoyt's

death yesterday and granted letters of administration to his brother,

Gordon C. Hoyt of 7,919 Franklin Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. The Surrogate

required the administrator to furnish a $40,000 bond.

Mr. Hoyt, who was a member of the firm of Houghton, Lee & Hoyt, sailed

on the Titanic in the first cabin. Gordon Hoyt told the Surrogate that

be had received word of his brother's sailing in a cablegram from Paris,

and as soon as he heard of the disaster he telegraphed to his brother's

firm in this city and came here April 18. He said other relatives live

at Ocean Park, near Los Angeles, Cal. Both parents live there with two

brothers, Charles S. and Carl H. Hoyt. Mr. Hoyt's estate probably does

not exceed $25,000 in personal property and he had no real estate.

Harold G. Lowe, fifth officer of the Titanic, told Gordon Hoyt that

after the Titanic sank he had heard moaning and had found a large man

held up by a life preserver. The man was so heavy that it took all the

strength of the lifeboat's crew to get him on board. The man died after

being rescued. An affidavit by Lowe was attached to the application for

letters of administration. This told how Mr. Hoyt's body had been

identified. In his pockets were cards and papers and a watch and chain

of peculiar workmanship. The cards included a membership card in the New

York Athletic Club and an identification card issued by the Fidelity and

Casualty Company of New York. Mr. Hoyt was buried at sea from the

Carpathia on April 16, Lowe stated.

-------------------- William Fisher Hoyt died in the sinking of RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912.

Name: Mr William Fisher Hoyt

Age: 42 years

Last Residence: in New York City New York United States

Occupation: Businessman

1st Class passenger

First Embarked: Cherbourg on Wednesday 10th April 1912

Ticket No. 17600 , £30 13s 11d

Died in the sinking.

Body Not Recovered

Mr William F. Hoyt was a former resident of Cleveland, Ohio and the son of Charles E. Hoyt. He had been the captain of the Lakeside Bicycle Club and was also connected with the Lozier Bicycle Company. William Hoyt was connected with the Sterling & Welch, Co. and was a resident of New York City. He had been going to Europe for several years as a buyer for the Houghton, Lee & Hoyt Company. He was returning from Europe on one of these trips, boarding the Titanic in Cherbourg and travelling in first class.

William Hoyt was heavily built and the survivors of lifeboat 14 struggled to haul him out of the water. He was bleeding from the nose and mouth. Fifth Officer Lowe reported "After we got him in the boat we took his collar off so as to give him more chance to breathe, but unfortunately, he died. He was too far gone when we picked him up." He was buried at sea by sailors from the Carpathia. His brother travelled to Washington, DC to ask crew members if they knew anything about his brother but without success.