Edward Gifford Crosby

Captain Edward Gifford Crosby was a First Class passenger travelling aboard the maiden voyage of Titanic with his wife Catherine Elizabeth Crosby and their 39 year daughter Harriette Rebecca Crosby. Edward Crosby and his wife had sailed to Europe, where they joined their daughter. They all joined Titanic at Southampton on 10th April 1912 for their journey home from Europe to their home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Edward Crosby shared cabin B-22 with his wife.

Edward Crosby, the son of Warren and Louisa Crosby, was born near Rochester, New York, United States on 18th February 1842. During the American Civil War he served with the 1st Regiment, Michigan Cavalry. By around 1870 he had married Catherine Elizabeth Halstead (born on 26th October 1847), and they had three children: Martha (born in around 1870), Harriette (born on 8th October 1872) and Frederick (born in around 1882). Sadly Martha died in 1880 due to Appendicitis.

Crosby married Catherine Elizabeth Halstead and they lived in Muskegon, Michigan before moving to Milwaukee in 1897. They had 3 children together. Their first child, Martha, was born in around 1870, followed by Harriette on 8th October 1872 and by Frederick in around 1882. Martha sadly died in 1880 from Appendicitis. Edward Crosby progressed in his career and his business interests in marine construction and transportation. In 1903 Crosby founded the Crosby Transportation Company, with its own fleet of cargo carrying ships. By 1910 was operating four steamers out of Milwaukee: Nyack, E. G. Crosby, Conestoga and May Graham. Edward Crosby was soon the head of the the Great Lakes Shipping Company.

One other ship belonging to his company, the John V. Moran, was sunk by ice on Lake Michigan in February 1899. All aboard were rescued before the ship sank. The wreck was discovered in 2015.

At the time of the Titanic's maiden voyage, Edward Crosby and his wife lived at 474 Marshall Street, Milwaukee. They were now an older couple and Edward was retired.

On the evening Titanic struck the iceberg Edward Crosby went to bed at around 9 P.M. His wife came to bed later, and around 11:40 P.M., his wife felt a thump, which was the collision and he left his cabin presumably to investigate. Hereturned to tell his family the ship was damaged. His wife and daughter were rescued from the sinking by boarding lifeboat 5, the second to leave the ship. Unfortunately, Edward Crosby was not with them, if he had been he may have been able to join them in that lifeboat because men were allowed on that boat and it wasn't even half full.

He had been trying to calm down a few First Class passengers by saying Titanic would not really sink and could at least stay afloat for 8 to 10 hours, at which time they should and they believed him. It's unsure if he actually thought it'd take that long or that a high-ranked officer told him this (as he was also a captain), perhaps he was trying to keep the optimism in order to diminish any potential panic.

He did not survive the sinking of Titanic.

Edward Crosby’s body was recovered from the sea by the MacKay Bennett. Listed as body number 269, he is described by 1912 documents concerning the recovery of Titanic’s victims, held by the Nova Scotia Archives, as wearing a tweed suit and overcoat, and carrying: $500 and £80 in notes, £6 in gold in purse, 8/6 in silver, a pipe and a memo book.

Edward Crosby’s funeral was held aboard one of his ships, the Nyack on 7th May 1912. He was then cremated, and his ashes were laid to rest within Fairview Mausoleum, Milwaukee. Unfortunately, by the mid 1990’s the mausoleum was in a state of disrepair, and so it was decided to remove the remains of the people laid to rest there and demolish the building. Edward Crosby’s remains along with those of his wife (who died in 1920) and is daughter (who died in 1941) were buried at Graceland Cemetery, Milwaukee.