Mary Bringhurst Floyd was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, on the 25th January 1863, the daughter of David and Anna Floyd (née Bringhurst). Her father worked as a salesman, and later as a clerk in a store.
Mary became a school teacher, and principal of a public school, and then, on the 11th April 1904, she married Harry J. Keser, who was a banker, and later became a vice president of The Philadelphia National Bank. They set up home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and had a son, appropriately named Floyd Bringhurst, who was born in 1897. By 1915, their home was at Jenkintown, Philadelphia.
In the spring of 1915, Harry Keser was required to go to Europe on business, and having also decided to take his wife with him, he booked, through his Philadelphia bank, saloon passage, (with ticket number 14678) on the Lusitania, which was scheduled to leave New York for Liverpool on the morning of 1st May 1915.
As a result, the couple left their home at the end of April and traveled to New York to arrive at the liner’s berth at Pier 54, on that morning. Once on board, they were escorted to room B11, which was under the personal supervision of First Class Bedroom Steward Robert Morse, who came from Birkenhead, Cheshire, which is opposite Liverpool, on the other bank of the River Mersey.
The liner’s sailing was delayed until the afternoon to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Lines steamer the Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for service as a troop ship. The Lusitania finally left New York just after mid-day and just six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the U-20, off The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland, only 250 miles away from her Liverpool destination.
Both she and her husband were killed as a result of the sinking and although eventually both bodies were recovered, hers was washed up first, towards the end of May. It was initially taken to a temporary mortuary set up in Queenstown and given the reference number 255, and described as: -
Mrs. H.J. Keser, Aged 40 years, 5’ 4” high, medium build, dark brown eyes, short small features, short nose, very tiny hands, wore a long gray tweed coat, green skirt, black buttoned patent boots, wore a black veil.
Property 1 plain gold ring with initials “H.J.K. to M.B.F. dated 11th April 1904, 1diamond platinum ring, 1 gold ring with three diamonds, 1 gold ring with blue stone, 1 platinum circular brooch set in diamonds and pearls, 1 small gold diamond pin, 1 heart shaped brooch set with diamonds and pearls, 1 gold locket (diamonds in back) with initials “H.J.K” containing 2 photos with very light gold chain, i pearl necklace, 1 lady’s grey steel hand purse, 1 lady’s small grey steel purse, 1 chamois purse, 2 5 cent pieces, 4 cents, 1 dime, ¼ dollar, page 10 of book Friends Coming - Wire Sent, 1 wrist watch, 1 pearl brooch with diamond. Effects also include a Double heart brooch with blue stone and 2 pearls.
Then, what was left of the body after a fortnight in the sea, was embalmed and prepared for overseas shipment. S
On 26th May, her body was put on board the American Lines vessel the S.S. Philadelphia, (appropriately enough) and shipped to New York. Once there, it was dispatched to Messrs. Kirk & Nice, Undertakers, of Germanstown, Philadelphia, for burial there. On the 5th June 1915, her remains were interred in St. Thomas Episcopal Church Cemetery, Whitemarsh, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The property described above which maybe aided the identification of the body, was handed over to the American Consul, Mr. Wesley Frost, at Queenstown on 31st May 1915, for forwarding to Philadelphia.
Bedroom Steward Morse, who had looked after Mr. and Mrs. Keser in room B11, did survive the sinking, however and eventually got back to his Birkenhead home.
Charles Hunsicker was appointed executor of the estates of both Harry and Mary Keser, and with Floyd Bringhurst Keser, filed a claim for compensation for their deaths and loss of their personal belongings, which was decided by the Mixed Claims commission. The Commission awarded Floyd Keser the sum of $25,000.00 for the loss of his parents, and Charles Hunsicker the sum of $2,710.11 in compensation for the loss of their personal property, and the expenses incurred in transporting their remains from Ireland to the United States, and burial expenses. In addition, the Commission awarded the sum of $1,000.00 to the Insurance Company of North America.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey Church and Town Records 1669 – 2013, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, Cunard Records, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 1336 & 1337, New York Times, Tragedy of the Lusitania, PRO BT 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv..D92/1/8-11, UniLiv D92/2/310, UniLiv.PR13/6, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.