Thomson Beattie (1875 - 1912)

Born 25 Nov 1875 in Fergus, Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Died 15 Apr 1912 at age 36 in Titanic, Atlantic Ocean

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Biography

Thomson Beattie was aboard the RMS Titanic.

Thomson Beattie, born 25 Nov 1875, in Fergus, Wellington, Ontario, Canada, was the youngest son of John Beattie and Janet Wilson of Fergus, Ontario. ^[1][2] Thomson's parents were emigrants from Scotland, farmers in Fergus, and Presbyterians. They had ten children (William, Margaret, Elizabeth, Jean, John, James, George, Christina, Frederick) before the birth of Thomson.^{[3][4] [5]}

Thomson's father died in 1897 and he and his brother Fred moved to Winnipeg.^[6]

Thomson and Richard Waugh, later Mayor of Winnipeg, became partners in the Haslam Land Co. He was able to buy a house located at 560 River Ave. that he shared with a medical doctor.^[7]

Beattie, his best friend Thomas McCaffry, superintendant of the Union Bank in Vancouver, and another friend John Hugo Ross, took a vacation. They sailed in January 1912 on the "Franconia" from New York to Trieste, Italy.^[7]

Initially, they had planned a longer vacation, but in March Ross became ill and the other two were also ready to return home. They decided to sail home on the Titanic. Beattie paid £75 4s 10d for first class cabin C-6 (ticket number 13050). ^[7]

The "unsinkable" Titanic hit an iceberg and began its descent into the icy waters of the Atlantic. Inadequately equipped with lifeboats, women and children boarded the lifeboats and men remained on board. Collapsible lifeboat A was stored on the roof of the officers’ quarters. Crew members were making the effort to safely put the boat into the water, but were unable to do so. As the Titanic sank the lifeboat slipped into the ocean. Several people scrambled aboard, but most were then washed overboard by a wave. About seventeen people were able to swim to and board the boat, whose collapsible canvas sides had never been raised and could not be set. Fortunately, they were rescued from the unstable lifeboat by Lifeboat 14 and later picked up by the Carpathian. Three persons, including Thomson Beattie, dead from exposure, were left in Lifeboat A and an attempt was made at the time to sink it.^[8]

Almost a month later, on the 13th of May, the White Star Line ship "Oceanic" spotted the lifeboat still floating, 300 km southeast of the location of the Titanic sinking. The bodies of a fireman, a sailor and Thomson Beattie were respectfully given a burial at sea.^[9]

He is remembered on a stone in the family plot in Fergus, Ontario.

Will

Although he was only 37 when he died, Thomson had written a will on 18 Dec 1906.

From the last Will and Testament of Thomson Beattie of the City of Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba, Real Estate Agent. National Trust Company Limited – executors and trustees. His debts and death expenses etc. were to be paid, and his assets were directed to be turned into cash:

To his mother Janet Beattie of the village of Fergus in the Province of Ontario: $700 per year for her lifetime. To each of his siblings $2500: namely to Margaret Mills, wife of Alexander Mills of the village of Fergus, merchant; Elizabeth Black, wife of Hugh Black of Fergus, lumber merchant; Christina Phillips, wife of Robert Phillips of Fergus, druggist; Jean Murray of Rapid City, Manitoba, wido of William Murray; John Thomas Beattie of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Commercial traveler; Charles M. Beattie of Rapid City, financial agent; George Beattied of Boise, Idaho, USA, Railroad employee, Frederick Beattie of Swan River, Manitoba, Banker. Mabel M Dass, formerly of Fergus, now of Saint Paul, Minnesota, clerk - $2000. Maud MacArthur of Winnipeg, stenographer - $2000 One tenth of the remainder divided between Winnipeg General Hospital, The Children’s Aid Society and The Children’s Home of Winnipeg. The remainder was divided equally among his siblings.

In Manitoba his estate was valued at $38,903.73 dated 10 July 1912 Saskatchewan estate after encumbrances valued at $8,662.65 ^[10][11]

Sources

• Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])

Alan Hustak (1999) Titanic: The Canadian Story. Véhicule Press. ISBN 1 55065 113 7 Robert A. Stevens (1996) Titanic's Last Victim: Wellington County History, Vol 9, Toronto, ISSN 1186-6195

• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVN-XFR9 : 4 March 2017), Thomson Beattie, 1912; Burial, Fergus, Wellington, Ontario, Canada, Belsyde Cemetery; citing record ID 18188146, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• "British Newspaper Archives, Obituaries", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D1-R6FP : 8 March 2017), Thompson Beattie, 1912.

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:9H1T-XQM : accessed 2017-04-12), entry for Thomson Beattie, submitted by hwatson2738652.

See Also:

• Wikipedia-Passengers of the RMS Titanic

• Titanic Pages

• Find A Grave Memorial 18188146

1. ↑ "Canada Births and Baptisms, 1661-1959," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F2NR-1P8 : accessed 1 June 2016), Thomson Beattie, 25 Nov 1875; citing Fergus, Wellington, Ontario, 25 Nov 1875, reference no24, cn22841, p411; FHL microfilm 1,845,048.
2. ↑ "Ontario Births, 1869-1911," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-159392-170278-30?cc=1784212 : 15 January 2016), Births > 1875 > no 16547-24162 > image 692 of 823; citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto.
3. ↑ Census of Canada 1871 Ontario p.60 district 34, subdistrict: township of Nichol
4. ↑ "Canada Census, 1881," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVF2-RST : 18 November 2014), Thomson Beattie in household of John Beattie, Fergus, Wellington Centre, Ontario, Canada; citing p. 17; Library and Archives Canada film number C-13259, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 1,375,895.
5. ↑ "Canada Census, 1891," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWG2-N9D : 13 November 2014), Thomson Beattie, Fergus, Wellington Centre, Ontario, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; Library and Archives Canada film number 30953_148178.
6. ↑ "Canada Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHK9-ZHG : 13 November 2014), Thompson Beatty in household of Fred Beatty, B, Winnipeg (city/cité), Manitoba, Canada; citing p. 10, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Encyclopedia Titanica. "Mr. Thomson Beattie."
8. ↑ [http://www.titanicpages.com/lifeboat/a Titanic Pages, Titanic History Website. Titanic Lifeboat A
9. ↑ "Picks up Boat from Titanic Steamship Oceanic Finds Collapsible from Wreck Containing Three Bodies New York, May 15" Date: Thursday, May 16, 1912 Paper: Duluth News-Tribune (Duluth, Minnesota) Volume: 44 Issue: 7 Page: 1
10. ↑ Saskatchewan, Judicial District of Moose Jaw, Surrogate Court docket books, 1902-1931, and estate files, 1902-1930 Estate files, no. 891-925, 1912-1913
11. ↑ Estate files, 1871-1930; index ca. 1884-1930 Estate files, 6699-6838 1912