Catherine Ruane was born in Cloonacannana, Swinford, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 24th April 1890, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Ruane (née Henry). Her family were farmers.
She immigrated to America in May 1908 when she departed Queenstown on the
Campania. There she married John Henry, a fireman, who was also from Swinford, County Mayo, on 26th November 1914 in Manhattan, New York City. John Henry became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1913. Prior to her marriage, Catherine had been a trained baby nurse, earning a salary of $40.00 per month, plus board.
In the spring of 1915, she decided to travel home to Ireland for the first time since going to America. Her mother, a widow, was in poor circumstances, farming 25 acres of land on her own. Catherine, who was four months pregnant with her first child, intended staying in Ireland for two years, and was bringing a sizeable amount of cash, as well as household possessions and gifts, with her. She travelled alone, leaving her husband behind. As a consequence, she booked as a third class passenger on what became the
Lusitania's final voyage from New York and having joined the vessel at the Cunard berth in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, she was on board as the vessel left the harbour just after mid-day on that date.
When the Cunarder was sunk, six days later, she was lucky enough to be counted amongst the survivors. Having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, she eventually made it back to the family home in County Mayo. She was aged 25 years at the time.
Her survival was reported by a local newspaper, the Mayo News in the edition of 15th May 1915: -
….She was in her cabin when the first torpedo struck the vessel at a distance of about 30 yards. She remained on the ship until the portion of the deck on which she was standing was submerged and then she was carried away by the water, where, with her lifebelt on, she remained for two long hours, when she was taken on top of an upturned boat on which there were 35 already, excluding her.
On this they remained until a Greek trawler came along and picked them up. Hundreds of dead bodies with heads above the water, kept there by means of lifebelts, were observed by her all round, and the cries of others, especially mothers, was heartrending.……
Luckily, Catherine did not suffer any serious injuries as a result of her ordeal, save for a blackened eye and facial cuts and bruises
Some time after that, she applied to The Lusitania Relief Fund, for some financial help. This fund had been set up after the liner had been sunk, by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local businessmen. The award committee could not have thought she was in dire financial need, however, as it only awarded her a once and for all grant of £3-0s-0d.
On the 12th September 1915, Catherine gave birth to a healthy baby boy, whom she named Michael Lusitania Henry. In October 1917, John Henry travelled to Ireland, staying with his wife until October 1918. During this period, Catherine gave birth to twins, Patrick Joseph and Mary Agnes, who were born on the 28th July 1918.
In December 1922, Catherine returned to her husband at 525. West 40th Street, New York City, leaving her three children in the care of her mother.
John and Catherine Henry filed a claim for compensation which was decided by the Mixed Claims Commission. The claim included $10,000.00 for injuries to Catherine during the sinking of the
Lusitania, $4,700.00 for the loss of personal belongings, gifts, and cash in the sinking, and a claim from John Henry to the amount of $5,000.00 for the loss of his wife’s services, maintaining her in Ireland from May 1915 until December 1922, and expenses incurred by him in visiting his wife in Ireland from October 1917 until October 1918. The Commission awarded them, jointly, the sum of $7,500.00.
Catherine had two more children – Catherine Veronica, born on the 4th April 1923, and Margaret, born on the 6th April 1926, before she made another visit home to her mother in 1928, bringing Catherine and Margaret with her to meet their Irish relatives. When she returned to New York City in July 1928, she was accompanied by all five of her children.
In late 1929, her sixth child, a son named John Thomas was born, and her seventh and final child, a daughter named Frances was born in 1932. By now, the family was residing at 365. Sackett Street, Brooklyn, New York City.
Catherine Henry died in New York City on the 30th April 1962, aged 72 years. She was buried in St. Charles Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, beside her husband, who had died in 1956.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Irish Catholic Parish Registers 1655 – 1915, New York Extracted Marriage Index 1866 – 1937, 1925 New York State Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 407, Mayo News, Newark Evening Star, Western People, IWM GB62, Liverpool Record Office, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.