Ruth McCorry was born in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, on the 15th September 1888, the daughter of Henry and Agnes McCorry (née McMillan). She was one of seven known children and the family home was at Cross Street, Ayr. Her father was a joiner.
On the 15th April 1912, she married James Logan, who had been a soldier in the British Army, serving in The Gordon Highlanders. Having left the Army, he was employed as a postman in Ayr Post Office. The couple resided at 6. Tryfield Place, Ayr, and in June 1913, their son, Robert was born.
On the 4th October 1913, her husband boarded the Cameronia in Glasgow, and on arrival in New York City, immediately went to the home of Ruth’s brother, Henry, in Paterson, New Jersey. Ruth and baby Robert followed him to Paterson in December 1913. Upon the outbreak of war, in August 1914, James Logan, who was still an Army reservist, decided to return home and fulfil his duty, by rejoining his old regiment.
In the spring of 1915, Ruth Logan decided to follow him and consequently, she booked herself and Robert as third class passengers on the Lusitania for the crossing from New York to Liverpool. They boarded the liner on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time for her delayed sailing, which actually began just after mid-day.
Six days later, the liner was torpedoed and sunk off The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland, by the German vessel U-20. At that time, she was only hours away from her Liverpool destination. Although Ruth Logan survived the sinking, her baby was killed. Having been rescued from the sea after the Lusitania had gone down; Ruth Logan was landed at Queenstown.
As Robert's body was recovered from the sea and positively identified before it was buried, it is likely that Ruth Logan had to perform this tragic and unenviable task. It is equally likely that she would have attended her son's funeral at The Old Church Cemetery, just outside the town, on 10th May. She herself had been taken to hospital in Queenstown, perhaps because of her ordeal of identification but she was discharged on 10th May, probably in time for the funeral.
Cunard at Queenstown then gave her a boat and train ticket to Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Scotland and travelling expenses of £0-5s-0d., (£0.25p.), to enable her to get home to Ayr. She was 26 years old at the time of the sinking.
Once she had got back to her native home, she applied to The Lusitania Relief Fund, for compensation. This Fund had been set up after the tragedy by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and a group of local businessmen, to help alleviate financial distress caused by the sinking, to second and third class passengers. It was considered that saloon passengers would be financially comfortable enough not to need this help! There is no record of what, if any, payment was made to Mrs. Logan, but the Committee were making enquiries in to her claim.
James Logan survived the war, and on the 16th November 1919, their second son was born. They named him Robert, after their first son!
After James Logan was demobilised, the family returned to the United States of America on board the Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria in November 1920. On the 9th January 1922, their daughter, Jean Mary was born.
Ruth Logan died in Bergan County, New Jersey in March 1929, aged 40 years. Her son, Lieutenant Robert Logan, United States Marine Corps Reserve, was killed in an air crash at USMCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, on the 24th June 1944. He had received his commission and qualified as a pilot a short time previously. He was due to get married a few weeks after his death. He was aged 24 years. James Logan died, aged 58 years, in July 1944, about two weeks after his son was killed.
New Jersey Death Index 1901 – 2017, North Carolina Death Certificates 1909 – 1976, 1891 Census of Scotland, 1901 Census of Scotland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Kilmarnock Herald, Kilmarnock Standard, The Scotsman, The Morning Call, Liverpool Record Office, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv.D92/1/1, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.