James Joseph Leary was born in New York City, New York, in the United States of America, on the 21st August 1879, the son of John and Margaret Leary (née Corcoran). He was the third eldest of thirteen known children, and his father was a teamster and truck driver. On completing his education, James found employment as a salesman.
In late 1898 or early 1899, he married Frances Doubleday in New York City, and they had a son, Raymond Edward, born on the 15th December 1899, and a daughter, Norma Marie, born on the 29th May 1903. On the 31st December 1909, Norma Leary died at Kingston Avenue Hospital, Brooklyn, New York City, aged 6 years. The cause of her death was recorded as being from Scarlet Fever and Broncho Pneumonia. At that time, the family were residing at 256. Stuyvesant Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City.
By 1915, he was employed by Brokaw Brothers, of 1757 – 1463. Broadway, New York City, who specialised in the merchandising of woollen cloth and textiles. He was a buyer of gent’s haberdashery and hats for the company. The family home at this time was at 404, Eighth Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City.
In the spring of 1915, James Leary was asked to go to Huddersfield in Yorkshire, England, on a cloth buying trip to accompany Mr. Tom King, who was the Managing Director of Brokaw Brothers. Accordingly they both booked saloon passage on the Lusitania which was scheduled to leave New York on 1st May. With ticket number 46063, (Tom King’s was 45064), James Leary joined the liner at the Cunard berth, at Pier 54 in New York harbour on that morning and was escorted to his first class room. He was allocated room B16, which was the personal responsibility of First Class Bedroom Steward William Williams who came from Liverpool. Thomas King was next door in room B14.
The liner's departure from the port was delayed until the afternoon of May Day, as she had to embark passengers, some crew, and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which was requisitioned by the British Admiralty at the end of April for use as a troop ship. She finally got under way just before 12.30 p.m. and only six days later, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20, off the southern coast of Ireland and only hours away from her Liverpool destination.
James Leary survived the sinking and having been rescued from the sea he was landed at Queenstown, where he afterwards spoke of his experiences. These were published in the New York Times on 10th May 1915. He stated: -
I was standing with T.B. King, a director of the firm of Brokaw Brothers, whose body I have just identified, when I felt the shock of the first torpedo. The Captain ordered an examination.
On receiving the report, he said in our hearing that he had closed certain bulkheads which would render the ship seaworthy long enough to reach an
Irish port, and that consequently, he would not order the lowering of boats.
Captain Turner had barely finished speaking when a second explosion was heard. Within five minutes I was in the sea, fighting to keep my head above water. I had on a big life preserver, but a piece of wreckage had become fastened to my leg and was dragging me down.
When my strength was almost exhausted I worked my foot clear and swam to an overturned lifeboat, to the sides of which twenty persons were clinging.
One by one, weakened by chill and exhaustion and buffeted by the waves, they dropped back into the water to be seen no more, until only six of us were left. We were picked up by a trawler four hours after the ship sank. I do not know how many times I was washed from my hold, but I was always strong enough to regain the boat.
Two things I fail to understand - why the order for a general lowering of the boats was not given, and why ships are not provided with a convoy when so close to the Irish coast.
In fact, James Leary’s ankle had been fractured, presumably when he broke free from the piece of wreckage that was dragging him down, and once in Queenstown, he was taken to hospital, where his injury was treated. At first, he was not counted amongst the survivors; however, as he had been taken to the home of a country gentleman from the area and it is probable that it was his injury that brought his survival to light and to the attention of The Cunard Steam Ship Company!
Thomas Boyce King, James Leary‘s travelling companion and boss, was unfortunately killed as a result of the action and his body having been recovered from the sea, it was eventually sent to New York for burial.
James Leary returned to New York City on board the St. Paul, arriving home on the 14th June 1915. He continued to work for Brokaw Brothers, making frequent trans-Atlantic voyages while conducting business for his company. He went on his next trip to Europe on board the s.s. St. Louis on the 14th October 1916, therefore he was not put off crossing the Atlantic Ocean during the War years as a result of his experiences on the Lusitania.
James Leary died as a result of a heart attack at the Southern California Hospital, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on the 10th September 1933, aged 54 years.
New York Index to Birth Certificates 1866 – 1909, New York Index to Death Certificates 1862 – 1948, California U.S. Death Index 1905 – 1939, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1905 New York State Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1915 New York State Census, 1925 New York State Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards 1917 – 1918, New York Times, Illustrated Daily News, Los Angeles Times, Tragedy of the Lusitania, PRO BT 22/71, UniLiv.D92/1/8-10, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.