Jack Thayer

(Pictured above is Jack Thayer at age 17)


Jack Thayer
Jack Thayer was 17 when he boarded the R.M.S.Titanic after traveling in Europe for 2 months with his parents. His father was a wealthy Philadelphia banker and his mother
was a socialist. He spent most of the voyage exploring the ship or talking with Harry
(son of George Widner a friend of the Thayers in Philadelphia) about his rare books he bought in France. He also liked strolling on the promonade and swimming in the pool.

On the night of April 14, Jack was finished eating by himself, while his parents ate at Captain Smith’s Dinner Party. He was thinking about what his mother said earlier about icebergs in their path while listening to the ships band. “May I borrow your match box sir?” Jack handed him the matchbox and he struck up a conversation with Milton Long.
Milton told the story of how he survived a shipwreck in Alaska. After that, Jack got into bed and heard the engines stop, go and stop. He went on deck to see that his mother into a boat. Jack found and after the last boat was gone, Jack and Milton jumped, Jack swam to boat B and survived. Later Jack learned that his father,Milton Long,Harry and George Widner,and many others died that night. Jack soon took over his father's place. Years later, Jack Thayer was so upset over his son's death in a war, he committed suicide in 1945.

There was peace when the world hadn't even tenored to it's way. It seems to me that the disaster about to occur was the event that not only made the world rub it's eyes and awake, but awoke it with a start. To my mind, the world of today awoke on April 15, 1912. by: Jack Thayer.