Fahīm Rūḥānā al-Za'innī

Fahīm Rūḥānā al-Za'innī, also known as Philip Zenni,  was the first passenger from a different class than First, to escape in a lifeboat. Like the names of so many other immigrants, his name was Anglicized by a well-meaning entry officer at Ellis Island. Zenni had left his wife and young son in his native country and sent for them after he reached Dayton, Ohio.

He was born as the son of Fahim and Jamalie E. Zenni in Tola Batron, Syria. It is unclear whether he was born on 25 October 1886 or somewhere in 1890. He had two siblings, one brother and one sister.  He migrated to the USA on 5 April 1906.

During the winter of 1911-1912 he had come to Syria to get married to Elsie.

In Cherbourg he got aboard Titanic in Third Class, to return to America,  his newly wed wife would come over later. He had a cabin deep in the bow of the ship.

On April 14, 11:40 P.M. Titanic had grazed an iceberg.  When it became apparent to him that the ship was in some serious trouble, his survival skills and instinct jolted him. He had found his way to the lifeboats somehow.

Fahim managed to escape the sinking ship in lifeboat 6. He had tried to take a leap several times and got lucky on the third time. Officer Lightoller had been standing there with a revolver in his hand and prevented him from doing that, but when the latter looked away, Zinni took his chance, and landed in the middle of the lifeboat. He hid underneath the benches. In his gratitude he grabbed an oar to help rowing. Fahim must have been the second male passenger in boat 6 because no male passengers were allowed in the port lifeboats apart from Major Peuchen who received special permission for being enough of a seaman, if he could make it into the boat via the rope. He prayed for a lady that wanted her dog to be safe.

After Carpathia docked in New York, he went on to travel to Ohio and settle there. He had been a machinist first, but then started selling sweets. His fresh bride came over weeks later. She gave birth to 4 children:  Mathilda (Matilia) was born 12 April 1913 or 1914,  Nazzare (Nazera A.) followed on 19 December 1919, Jeffrey on 2 December 1915 and Elizabeth (Frances?) on 11 December 1917.

Zenni toured around Ohio retelling stories of his time on the Titanic. These tours led him to be known as “Mr. Titanic.” His story included of course that he was on the same lifeboat as the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown.

He had quite a few run-ins with the law. In 1920 he wanted US citizenship but he had a problem. He was suspected of assault on a certain Mr. Habeb Joseph, and thus his request for naturalisation was initially denied. But he was not found guilty. So in May 1924 they made him an US citizen at last.

In 1925, Fahīm owned a confectionery store and was found guilty of being in possesion of illegal liquor. A fine of $500 was handed out to him but he refused to pay and apparently dodged it, and wasn't around when they wanted to collect it.

Then he went on to do more crime and  to batter his wife, and make himself a criminal.  When being sent to the workhouse for several months,  he came at his house to find it empty and the confectionery store was sold.

He put an advert in a newspaper to find his family and a reward for those who had any information on their whereabouts. But it's likely they never came together again.

Zinni lived out his life in Ohio, he died on 4 December 1927. Cause of death:  typhoid fever and broncho-pneumonia.