James W. Shinneman was born in Illinois, in the United States of America, in 1883, the son of Benjamin F. and Elizabeth Shinneman (née Jackson), and lived in Oil City, Natrona County, Wyoming. He was a rancher by occupation.
Some time before 1915, he met Margaret MacKenzie, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald McKenzie, who was working in the area, and who came from Shieldaig, by Lochcarron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.
They fell in love and were married in Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming, on the 23rd April 1915. As, presumably, James Shinneman had never met his new in-laws, the newly weds decided to make their honeymoon a surprise visit to Scotland, and without informing Margaret’s parents of their intentions, they booked passage on the Anchor Liner Cameronia which was due to sail from New York to Glasgow on 1st May 1915.
When the liner was requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war service as a troop ship, however, all her passengers and some of her crew and cargo were transferred to the Lusitania, and James and Margaret Shinneman were offered second cabin passage on her instead.
They were no doubt delighted with this turn of fate which gave them the opportunity of a much more comfortable and prestigious voyage but it proved not to be beneficial at all, as they saw New York for the last time ever, after the liner had slipped her moorings at Pier 54, just after mid-day on 1st May 1915.
Six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May 1915 and a mere eleven days after the couple had been married, they were both killed after the liner was torpedoed and sunk off The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland, by the German submarine U-20.
Although Margaret Shinneman’s body was recovered on the evening of the sinking, not far from where the liner went down, her husband’s body was not recovered until over two months later, on 17th July 1915, at Loop Head, near the Doolin and Arran Islands in County Clare on the west coast of Ireland and about 200 miles from where the liner had been torpedoed.
It was not initially identified, however, probably because of its condition after such a long immersion in the sea and having been given the reference number 18, which showed it was the eighteenth body recovered from the sea in the area., it was described as:-
Apparently powerfully built. Feet from ankles and hands from wrists were missing. Flesh gone off head and face. Wore black overalls, royal blue serge trousers with following brand: Hayward W Brand working cloth, guaranteed Full Size, 408, size 3. Long cotton combinations with white buttons and on combinations was printed “Richmond Mesca Quality Closed Crotch.
In pocket was found five small keys tied with a piece of boot lace, also open faced nickel silver watch with one hand. Watch made by Hampden Watch Co., Cantlow, Ohio, No 139313, with name Joshua Hancock inside. On inside plate appears “safety pinion, adjusted to five positions 21 jewells, (sic) John Hancock”.
Attached to watch is small leather guard with brown pendant resembling that of a horse saddle ..... made by Hamley & Co., Pennington, Ohio.
Once it was positively identified as being that of James Shinneman, presumably from other documents found upon it, on 20th July 1915, it was buried in Kiltrillig Graveyard, Carrigholt, County Clare, where it lies today.
On 25th November 1915, the property recovered from it and that of his newly wedded wife was sent to James Shinneman’s mother-in-law, Mrs. D. McKenzie, at her Shieldaig home.
The Mixed Claims Commission later considered a claim for compensation for the loss of the Shinnemans and their personal belongings as a result of the sinking of the Lusitania. The application was made by the First Trust and Savings Bank, Casper, Wyoming, who were administrators of their estates. As Margaret Shinneman’s relatives were all British subjects, the Commission refused to consider any claim on behalf of her estate, but did award the sum of $750.00 in the case of James Shinneman’s estate, in compensation for the loss of his personal property. The Commission made no award in respect of the loss of his life as he did not leave any dependants.
Cunard records spell his name as Shineman, but the correct spelling is Shinneman.
1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Cunard Records, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 2057, Natrona County Tribune, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, White Star Journal, PRO 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv.D92/1/6-2, UniLiv D92/2/286, UniLiv. PR13/6, Graham Maddocks, Denise Deighton, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.