Mary Sophie Halaut Abraham

Mrs Safiyah Ibrahim

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/mary-sophie-a...

• Name: Mrs Mary Sophie Halaut Abrahim (née Easu)
• Titanic Survivor
• Born: Saturday 10th February 1894
• Age: 18 years
• Last Residence: in Ayn 'Arab , Syria, Ottoman Empire
• 3rd Class passenger
• First Embarked: Cherbourg on Wednesday 10th April 1912
• Ticket No. 2657 , £7 4s 7d
• Destination: Greensburg United States
• Rescued (boat C)
• Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
• Died: Saturday 11th December 1976
• Cause of Death: Heart Failure / Disease
• Buried: Westmoreland Memorial Park Hempfield Township Pennsylvania United States
• Reference: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-lifeboat-c/ Englehardt Boat "C"
• Reference: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-deckplans/ R.M.S. Titanic deck plans

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8508062/mary-sophie_halaut-abraham

Mrs Joseph Abraham (Mary Sophie Halaut Easu), 18, was born 10th February 1894, in Shwahed, Syria, the daughter of John Easu and Matian (?Marian) Abraham. She was married to Joseph Abraham (born 15th June 1887, died 2nd October 1952) and they lived in Westmoreland, Greesburg, Pennsylvania.

She was returning from visiting friends and family in Syria. She boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg as a third class passenger. She was rescued in collapsible C.

Mrs Abraham's son Zackie Halaut was born 4th October 1913 he died in February 1975.

Sophie Abraham died in Greensburg, PA in 11th December 1976. She is buried in Westmoreland County Memorial Park, Greensburg.

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SURVIVOR OF TITANIC SUCCUMBS

Sophie Halaut Abraham, 82, of South Greensburg, one of the last survivors of the Titanic, died Saturday, Dec. 11. She was born on Feb. 10, 1894, in Shwahed, Syria, the daughter of the late John and Marian Abraham Easu. She was a member of St. Michael's Orthodox Church and the church's lady's guild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, and by a son, Zack Halaut in 1975. Surviving are a daughter, Zackyie Nadur of Lancaster, Pa., Zack Halaut, Jr., of South Greensburg and Mrs. Patsy (Barbara) Willochell, and nine other grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchildren.

Source: Greensburg Tribune-Review, Monday 13 Dec 1976

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YOUNG GREENSBURG WOMAN WAS PASSENGER ON ILL-FATED SHIP

"Oh, I feel bad, ver' bad, los' money, los' friend. When I stand up I see ship come again, when I shut my eyes. I see people go down, down, down--Oh ver' bad time." And, with the remembrance of it, Mrs. Sophie Abraham, 20 years old, shuddered and buried her face in the dark hair of her little niece who leaned against her knee. Mrs. Abraham was one of the few passengers rescued from the Titanic.

At the home of her brother, Samuel Easu, who keeps a store on South Main and Mount Pleasant streets, Mrs. Abraham told her story. Her husband, Joseph Abraham, a Syrian formerly employed at the Kelly and Jones works, but who is now working in Allentown, New York, is expected home to greet his wife today or tomorrow. In a small living room back of Mr. Easu's store, the young woman, rescued after perilous adventures in the sea, sat. About her clustered friends and a number of members of the Syrian colony. Running her fingers through the soft hair of the two little children who stood at her knees, now and then picking them up as if she never could leave them go, and showering their faces with kisses, Sophie Abraham told her story. She wore a light blue dress, a skirt of blue satin, now faded, and about her hair was thrown a scarf of a darker blue, glittering with spangles.

She would have made a subject for a painting as she sat with the children at her knees, with her beautiful regular features, olive skin, and great dark eyes, now and then heavy with weariness, again tragic with the weight of her sorrows and the experiences through which she had passed.

By the aid of her brother who acted as interpreter, Sophie Abraham old of lying awake on her bed in the ship Titanic. Troubled by sleeplessness, Mrs. Abraham had lain down in her clothing, just as she had done several times previously.

All at once came the crash. Gesturing with her expressive hands, Mrs. Abraham illustrated how the great ship rocked and swayed, and how the half dressed people swarmed up on deck. Then she told of the orders from the officers to lower the lifeboats, how women were placed in the boats, how one by one they were filled and rowed away, and then finally, how she was picked up by a sailor and thrown into the sea, the sailor missing the lifeboat in his haste. Crowding around the railing she says were men, fighting for an opportunity to get to the remaining lifeboats. Officers commanded them to stand back and make way for the women and children. Good order was restored and after the first panic, men bravely lowered the women to safety. When she came to the surface, after her plunge, Mrs. Abraham says, she was taken into a crowded lifeboat. A big wave upset it and all were in the water. Another lifeboat picked Mrs. Abraham up with two or three others from the overturned boat. Four sailors in her lifeboat rowed away from the side of the sinking ship. Finally they joined a group of lifeboats, and the little flotilla was fastened together with ropes to afford better protection to the damaged boats.

She watched the big ship with all the lights sinking lower and lower until all the lights were out. The sun was just above the surface of the sea the next morning when she was taken on the Carpathia, she said. All night the women in her boat, sat and shivered in the biting air. Her clothing was frozen to her body after her plunge into the ocean. No one thought of eating, as Mrs. Abraham said: "Everybody scared too much, everybody glad to save life, no think of eat."

In New York she was met by many men, she said, who questioned her if she had a place to go. "I can't remember much," she said, "I get sick. I stay in nice place two nights, lots to eat, good clothes, good bed. They say I stay Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, but I say, "No I go home, to my family." With a grave smile lighting up her beautiful eyes, Mrs. Abraham again showered the little ones with kisses as she went on to tell how one man gave her a ticket to Greensburg and another gave her $30.00 in money.

Mrs. Abraham arrived in Greensburg between 10 and 11 o'clock Sunday morning. None of her relatives knew of her coming, none of her relatives knew she had taken passage on the Titanic. When she descended from the train, she was dazed. Stolidly she stood on the platform, a package on her arm and a suitcase at her feet. Henry Coshey and Baggageman Carns assisted her to the station, and secured Mr. Coleman's taxicab, which Mr. Coleman quickly placed at her service. In a trice after she alighted at the store of her brother in South Main Street, Mrs. Abraham was surrounded by a sobbing, laughing swarm of relatives and friends. Hugging and kissing her by turns, the one Greensburg survivor of the Titanic was greeted. But the long ordeal and the great joy of meeting her people was too much for her and she collapsed in a faint on the pavement. All day Sunday she was too ill to talk much. Monday morning however, she felt better and tried to answer the countless questions put to her by friends. With eagerness she is awaiting the coming of her husband who was notified at once by telegram of her arrival.

Mrs. Abraham had just returned from a several months' visit to her native country. Never again, she says, will she return unless she can go by land.

Source: Greensburg Herald Tribune, PA. Monday 22nd April 1912

• Reference: Full text- https://archive.org/details/truthabouttitani00grac/page/n6 "The Truth About the Titanic" by Colonel Archibald Gracie, IV 1913 pp. 300-311

ENGELHARDT BOAT "C"

Br. Rpt., p. 38, makes this last boat lowered on starboard side at 1.40.

No disorder in loading or lowering this boat.

Passengers: President Ismay, Mr. Carter. Balance women and children.

Crew: Quartermaster Rowe (in charge). Steward Pearce. Barber Weikman. Firemen, three.

Stowaways: Four Chinamen, or Filipinos.

Total: 39.

INCIDENTS

G. T. Rowe, Q. M. (Am. Inq., p. 519, and Br. Inq.):

To avoid repetition, the testimony of this wit- ness before the two Courts of Inquiry is consolidated :

He assisted the officer (Boxhall) to fire distress signals until about five and twenty minutes past one. At this time they were getting out the starboard collapsible boats. Chief Officer Wilde wanted a sailor. Captain Smith told him to get into the boat "C" which was then partly filled. He found three women and children in there with no more about. Two gentlemen got in, Mr. Ismay and Mr. Carter. Nobody told them to get In. No one else was there. In the boat there were thirty-nine altogether. These two gentlemen, five of the crew (including himself), three firemen, a steward, and near daybreak they found four Chinamen or Filipinos who had come up between the seats. All the rest were women and children.

Before leaving the ship he saw a bright light about five miles away about two points on the port bow. He noticed it after he got into the boat. When he left the ship there was a list to port of six degrees. The order was given to lower the boat, with witness in charge. The rub strake kept on catching on the rivets down the ship's side, and it was as much as we could do to keep off. It took a good five minutes, on account of this rubbing, to get down. When they reached the water they steered for a light in sight, roughly five miles. They seemed to get no nearer to it and altered their course to a boat that was carrying a green light. When day broke, the Carpathia was in sight.

In regard to Mr. Ismay's getting into the boat, the witness's testimony before the American Court of Inquiry is cited in full:

Senator Burton : Now, tell us the circumstances under which Mr. Ismay and that other gentleman got into the boat.

Mr. Rowe : When Chief Officer Wilde asked if there were any more women and children, there was no reply, so Mr. Ismay came into the boat.

Senator Burton : Mr. Wilde asked if there were any more women and children? Can you say that there were none?

Mr. Rowe: I could not see, but there were none forthcoming.

Senator Burton : You could see around there on the deck, could you not?

Mr. Rowe: I could see the fireman and steward that completed the boat's crew, but as regards any families I could not see any.

Senator Burton: Were there any men passengers besides Mr. Ismay and the other man?

Mr. Rowe: I did not see any, sir. '

Senator Burton: Was it light enough so that you could see anyone near by?

Mr. Rowe : Yes, sir.

Senator Burton : Did you hear anyone ask Mr. Ismay and Mr. Carter to get in the boat?

Mr. Rowe: No, sir.

Senator Burton: If Chief Officer Wilde had spoken to them would you have known it?

Mr. Rowe : I think so, because they got in the after part of the boat where I was.

Alfred Pearce, pantryman, third-class (Br. Inq.):

Picked up two babies in his arms and went into a collapsible boat on the starboard side under Officer Murdoch's order, in which were women and children. There were altogether sixty-six passengers and five of the crew, a quartermaster in charge. The ship had a list on the port side, her lights burning to the last. It was twenty minutes to two when they started to row away. He remembers this because one of the passengers gave the time.

J. B. Ismay, President International Mercan- tile Marine Co. of America, New Jersey, U. S. A. (Am. Inq., pp. 8, 960) :

There were four in the crew — one quartermaster, a pantryman, a butcher and another. The natural order would be women and children first. It was followed as far as practicable. About forty-five in the boat. He saw no struggling or jostling or any attempts by men to get into the boats. They simply picked the women out and put them into the boat as fast as they could — the first ones that were there. He put a great many in — also children. He saw the first lifeboat lowered on the starboard side. As to the circumstances of his departure from the ship, the boat was there. There was a certain number of men in the boat and the officer called and asked if there were any more women, but there was no response. There were no passengers left on the deck, and as the boat was in the act of being lowered away he got into it. The Titanic was sinking at the time. He felt the ship going down. He entered because there was room in it. Before he boarded the lifeboat he saw no passengers jump into the sea. The boat rubbed along the ship's side when being lowered, the women helping to shove the boat clear. This was when the ship had quite a list to port. He sat with his back to the ship, rowing all the time, pulling away. He did not wish to see her go down. There were nine or ten men in the boat with him. Mr. Carter, a passenger, was one. All the other people in the boat, so far as he could see, were third- class passengers.

Examined before the British Court of Inquiry by the Attorney-General, Sir Rufus Isaacs, Mr. Ismay testified:

I was awakened by the impact; stayed in bed a little time and then got up. I saw a steward who could not say what had happened. I put a coat on and went on deck. I saw Captain Smith. I asked him what was the matter and he said we had struck ice. He said he thought it was serious. I then went down and saw the chief engineer, who said that the blow was serious. He thought the pumps would keep the water under control. I think I went back to my room and then to the bridge and heard Captain Smith give an order in connection with the boats. I went to the boat deck, spoke to one of the officers, and rendered all the assistance I could in putting the women and children in. Stayed there until I left the ship. There was no confusion; no attempts by men to get into the boats. So far as I knew all the women and children were put on board the boats and I was not aware that any were left. There was a list of the ship to port. I think I remained an hour and a half on the Titanic after the impact. I noticed her going down by the head, sinking. Our boat was fairly full. After all the women and children got in and there were no others on that side of the deck, I got in while the boat was being lowered. Before we got into the boat I do not know that any attempt was made to call up any of the passengers on the Boat Deck, nor did I inquire.

And also examined by Mr. A. C. Edwards, M. P., counsel for the Dock Workers' Union. Mr. Ismay's testimony was taken as follows :

Mr. Edwards : You were responsible for determining the number of boats?

Mr. Ismay: Yes, in conjunction with the shipbuilders.

Mr. Edwards : You knew when you got into the boat that the ship was sinking?

Mr. Ismay: Yes.

Mr. Edwards: Had it occurred to you apart perhaps from the captain, that you, as the representative managing director, deciding the number of lifeboats, owed your life to every other person on the ship?

The President : That is not the sort of question which should be put to this witness. You can make comment on it when you come to your speech if you like.

Mr. Edwards: You took an active part in directing women and children into the boats?

Mr. Ismay: I did all I could.

Mr. Edwards : Why did you not go further and send for other people to come on deck and fill the boats?

Mr. Ismay: I put in everyone who was there and I got in as the boat was being lowered away.

Mr. Edwards : Were you not giving directions and getting women and children in?

Mr. Ismay : I was calling to them to come in.

Mr. Edwards : Why then did you not give instructions or go yourself either to the other side of the deck or below decks to get people up?

Mr. Ismay: I understood there were people there sending them up.

Mr. Edwards: But you knew there were hundreds who had not come up ?

Lord Mersey: Your point, as I understand it now, Is that, having regard for his position as managing director, It was his duty to remain on the ship until she went to the bottom?

Mr. Edwards : Frankly, that is so, and I do not flinch from it; but I want to get it from the witness, inasmuch as he took it upon himself to give certain directions at a certain time, why he did not discharge his responsibility after in regard to other persons or passengers.

Mr. Ismay: There were no more passengers who would have got into the boat. The boat was being actually lowered away.

Examined by Sir Robert Finley for White Star Line:

Mr. Finley: Have you crossed very often to and from America?

Mr. Ismay: Very often.

Mr. Finley: Have you ever, on any occasion, attempted to interfere with the navigation of the vessel on any of these occasions?

Mr. Ismay: No.

Mr. Finley: When you left the deck just before getting into the collapsible boat, did you hear the officer calling out for more women?

Mr. Ismay: I do not think I did; but I heard them calling for women very often.

Mr. Edwards: When the last boat left the Titanic you must have known that a number of passengers and crew were still on board?

Mr. Ismay: I did.

Mr. Edwards: And yet you did not see any on the deck?

Mr. Ismay: No, I did not see any, and I could only assume that the other passengers had gone to the other end of the ship.

From an address (Br. Inq.) by Mr. A. Clement Edwards, M. P., Counsel for Dock Workers' Union :

What was Mr. Ismay's duty?

Coming to Mr. Ismay's conduct, Mr. Edwards said it was clear that that gentleman had taken upon himself to assist in getting women and children into the boats. He had also admitted that when he left the Titanic he knew she was doomed, that there were hundreds of people in the ship, that he didn't know whether or not there were any women or children left, and that he did not even go to the other side of the Boat Deck to see whether there were any women and children waiting to go. Counsel submitted that a gentleman occupying the position of managing director of the company owning the Titanic, and who had taken upon himself the duty of assisting at the boats, had certain special and further duties beyond an ordinary passenger's duties, and that he had no more right to save his life at the expense of any single person on board that ship than the captain would have had. He (Mr. Edwards) said emphatically that Mr. Ismay did not discharge his duty at that particular moment by taking a careless glance around the starboard side of the Boat Deck. He was one of the few persons who at the time had been placed in a position of positive knowledge that the vessel was doomed, and it was his clear duty, under the circumstances, to see that someone made a search for passengers in other places than in the immediate vicinity of the Boat Deck.

Lord Mersey: Moral duty do you mean?

Mr. Edwards: I agree; but I say that a managing director going on board a liner, commercially responsible for it and taking upon himself certain functions, had a special moral obligation and duty more than is possessed by one passenger to another passenger.

Lord Mersey: But how is a moral duty relative to this inquiry? It might be argued that there was a moral duty for every man on board that every woman should take precedence, and I might have to inquire whether every passenger carried out his moral duty.

Mr. Edwards agreed that so far as the greater questions involved in this case were concerned this matter was one of trivial importance.

From address of Sir Robert Finlay, K. C, M. P., Counsel for White Star Company (Br. Inq.) :

It has been said by Mr. Edwards that Mr. Ismay had no right to save his life at the expense of any other life. He did not save his life at the expense of any other life. If Mr. Edwards had taken the trouble to look at the evidence he would have seen how unfounded this charge is. There is not the slightest ground for suggesting that any other life would have been saved if Mr. Ismay had not got into the boat. He did not get into the boat until it was being lowered away.

Mr. Edwards has said that it was Mr. Ismay's plain duty to go about the ship looking for passengers, but the fact is that the boat was being lowered. Was it the duty of Mr. Ismay to have remained, though by doing so no other life could have been saved? If he had been impelled to commit suicide of that kind, then it would have been stated that he went to the bottom because he dared not face this inquiry. There is no observation of an unfavorable nature to be made from any point of view upon Mr. Ismay's conduct. There was no duty devolving upon him of going to the bottom with his ship as the captain did. He did all he could to help the women and children. It was only when the boat was being lowered that he got into it. He violated no point of honor, and if he had thrown his life away in the manner now suggested it would be said he did it because he was conscious he could not face this

Sophie was 18 when the Titanic sank. She was holding ticket number 2657 and was a third class passenger. Her destination was Greensburg, USA traveling from Ayn' Arab Lebanon.

She was a widowed housewife married to Joseph Abraham. her parents were John Easu and Matian Abraham. Cause of death: ASHD

Friday, January 25, 2013 Sophie Abraham, Titanic Survivor account Gazette Times (Pennsylvania) April 22, 1912, P. 7 Woman Back in Greensburg.

Greensburg, PA---April 21---One of the titanics rescued passengers arrived in Greensburg today---Mrs. Mary Abraham, aged 28, wife of Joseph Abraham, a Syrian, employed by the Kelly & Jones Companys iron and brass works here. All the Syrian population here and many Americans crowded about the Pennsylvania railroad station to meet the woman. She had resided here four years. Several months ago she visited her native country. She said she was sleeping when the titanic struck. She fell from her berth. Others went up on deck to see what was the matter. They did not return. After a while, she went up to what was wrong. A man took her by the arm and tried to put her into a lifeboat about to be lowered. Another man pushed her away and tried to get in. The first man fired a revolver. The second man was not wounded, but he began to cry and wave his arms as if mad.

Falls Into Sea The first man trid to push the woman into the boat, but she missed it and fell over the side. When she came to the surface after her plunge she was taken into a lifeboat. This boat was crowded. A big wave upset it and all were in the water. Another lifeboat picked Mrs. Abraham up with two or three others that had been in the boat that upset. She looked at the big ship with all the lights lit. Everybody was making a noise. The Titanic went down lower and lower until finally it was all gone and the lights were out.

Greensburg Daily Tribune Saturday, June 5, 1915 P. 1 Woman Assaulted In Her Home During Absence of Husband

Survivor of Titanic Disaster Suffers More Misfortune at Hands of Miscreant Misfortune and trouble seems to follow Mrs. Joseph Abraham, a pretty little Assyrian woman, who resides in the Eighth ward. Mrs. Abraham was a passenger on the ill-afted (sic)ship Titanic that went to the bottom of the ocean about two years ago. After a heroic escape and a long siege of illness superinduced by the exposure she encountered, she arrived in Greensburg to be with her husband who tenderly nursed her to health. A new terror came to her on Wednesday of this week. During the absence of her husband, who is employed at the works of the Kelly and Jones company, she alleges that Sam Abraham, said to be a small storekeeper in Mount Pleasant, appeared at her home and made an assault upon her. She opposed the man's advances as well as she could, but claims that she was cruelly treated. When the husband returned from work she told of the circumstances and Mr. Abraham hastened to the office of Squire James B. Small, and made information against Abraham, charging him with the crime. On Friday afternoon, Detectrive Dan Dunmire arested the accused man. He succeeded in securing a bail bond to the extend of $500. He will be given a hearing before Squire Small on Tuesday.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Oct 23 2019, 18:23:18 UTC