On April 14th, 1912, the greatest ship ever built by mankind sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage. Over 1500 people from all walks of life perished that night, mostly due to exposure in the 28 degree air and water, taking with them the last innocence of the era.

I have been fascinated with this ship all my life, inspired by the painting on glass of the Titanic hanging over the mantel in my great-grandmother's room. Even before I knew about the history and tragedy of the ship, I stared at pretty painting and thought about the Titanic.

There was one family of COMPTONs traveling in first class on the maiden voyage:

Mr. A. T. Compton, Jr. his mother Mrs. A. T. Compton who was the former Mary Ingersoll and sister Miss S. P. Compton

Mr. Compton said goodbye to his family and sank with the Titanic. His mother and sister were saved in lifeboat number 14.

From the British Report, page 38, which states that this was the fifth boat on the starboard side, lowered from the ship into the sea at 1:30

Passengers:

No male passengers

Female passengers included:

Mrs. Compton, Miss Compton, Mrs. Minahan, Miss Minahan, Mrs. Collyer, Miss Collyer

Picked up out of the sea:

W. F. Hoyt (who later died), Steward J. Stewart, and a plucky Japanese.

Women: 50

Volunteer when crew was short: C. Williams

Crew: Fifth Officer Lowe, Seaman Scarrot, 2 firemen, Stewards Crowe and Morris

Stowaway: 1 Italian

Bade goodbye and sank with the ship: Mr. Compton, Mr. Collyer, Mr. Minahan

Total in lifeboat: 60

From Archibald Gracie's account of the sinking:

Miss Compton, who lost her brother, I had the pleasure of meeting on the Carpathia. She is still a sufferer from injuries received in the wreck, and yet has been very kind in sending me an account of her experience, from which I cite the following:

As she stood on the rail to step into boat No. 14, it was impossible to see whether she would step into the boat or into the water. She was pushed into the boat with such violence that she found herself on her hands and knees, but fortunately landed on a a coil of rope. This seemed to be the general experience of the women. All the passengers entered the lifeboat at the same point and were told to move along to make place for those who followed. This was difficult to climb over them, encumbered as the ladies were with lifebelts. It was a case of throwing one's self over rather than climbing over.

Miss Compton from her place in the stern of the lifeboat overheard the conversation between Officer Lowe and another officer, which the former gave in his testimony.

Just before the boat was lowered a man jumped in. He was immediately hauled out. Mr Lowe then pulled his revolver and said: 'If anyone else tries that this is what he will get.' He then fired his revolver in the air.

She mentions the same difficulties, elsewhere recorded, about the difficulties in lowering the boat, first the stern very high, and then the bow; also how the ropes were cut and No. 14 struck the water hard. At this time the count showed 58 in the boat, and a later one made the number 60. A child near her answered in neither of the counts.

"Mr. Lowe's manly bearing," she says, "gave us all confidence. As I look back now he seems to me to personify the best traditions of the British sailor. He asked us all to try and find a lantern, but none was to be found. Mr. Lowe had with him, however, an electric light which he flashed from time to time. Almost at once the boat began to leak and in a few moments the women in the forward part of the boat were standing in water. There was nothing to bail with and I believe the men used their hats.

"Officer Lowe insisted on having the mast put up. He crawled forward and in a few moments the mast was raised and ready. He said this was necessary as no doubt with dawn there would be a breeze. He returned to his place and asked the stewards and firemen, who were acting as crew, if they had any matches, and insisted on having them passed to him. He then asked if they had any tobacco and said: 'Keep it in your pockets, for tobacco makes you thirsty.' Mr. Lowe wished to remain near the ship that he might have a chance to help someone after she sank. Some of the women protested and he replied: 'I don't like to leave her, but if you feel that way about it we will pull away a little distance.'"

Miss Compton's account corroborates other information about boat No. 14, which we have elsewhere. She as among the number transferred to Engelhardt boat D. " I now found myself," she said, " in the stern of a collapsible boat. In spite of Mr. Lowe's warning the four small boats began to separate, each going its own way. Soon it seemed as though our boat was the only on one the sea. We went through a great deal of wreckage. The men who were supposed to be rowing-one was a fireman- made no effort to keep away from it. They were all the time looking towards the horizon. With daylight we saw the Carpathia, and not so very long afterwards Officer Lowe, sailing towards us, for . as he had predicted, quite a strong breeze had sprung up. We caught the rope which he threw us from the stern of his boat. Someone in ours succeeded in catching it and we were taken in tow to the Carpathia."