William F. Colbert was born in County Cork, Ireland, on the 25th May 1867. He had at least five siblings, three brothers and two sisters. Nothing is known of his father, but his mother’s name was Mary.
On the 13th April 1891, he arrived in New York City in the United States of America on board the
Etruria, and settled in New York City. He found work as a clerk, and on the 20th October 1897, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
In late 1898 or 1899, he married Helena M. Sherlock, and in 1915, the family home was at 361, West 18th Street, New York City. Living with them were a brother and sister of his wife. Also, by 1915, William’s mother and his three brothers and two sisters were also residing in New York.
William Colbert had worked for some years as a clerk, and then a head porter, but by 1910, he was working as an insurance agent. In 1915, after five years’ service with his employers, he resigned from his job on 26th April 1915. This was because his wife had inherited substantial property from an aunt and uncle in Ireland, and the couple wished to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to take possession of her inheritance. It is not known for how long they intended to stay in Ireland, or if they intended to permanently reside there.
Before leaving his employment, William had booked second cabin passage for himself and his wife on the May sailing of the
Lusitania, which was scheduled to leave the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York, at 10.00 a.m. on 1st May 1915.
Having arrived there in time for this sailing, the couple had to wait until just after mid-day before the vessel actually left port. This was so that she could take on board passengers, cargo and crew from the Anchor Liner,
Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war work as a troop ship at the end of April. Then, six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the
Lusitania was torpedoed twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland by the German submarine
U-20, and sank just eighteen minutes later. At that stage of her voyage, she was only 250 miles from the safety of her home port.
Altogether, nearly 380 second cabin passengers perished as a result of this action and two of these were William and Helena Colbert. He was aged 47 years and she was 51.
Although her body was never recovered from the sea and identified later, his body was recovered from the sea on the 14th May, and having been landed at Queenstown, it was taken to one of the temporary mortuaries set up there. It was then given the reference number 195, and described as: -
William Colbert S/C. Aged 48 years, 5’ 5”. High medium forehead, dark complexion, broad nose, dark brown hair, round face, grey eyes, cropped dark brown moustache.
Property. 18/6 in silver. 1 ¼ dollar, 3 cents, 1 foreign coin, 1 half penny, 1 gold watch and fob with medal attached with the letter “C” engraved, 3 strings of beads, 2 fountain pens, 1 knife, 1 comb, 1 nail clipper, 2 gold links, 1 tie pin slip, 1 scarf pin.
Effects also include a Metal Pencil, chain with 2 medals, book and diary.
On 19th May, a cable was received at Queenstown which simply stated: -
FORWARD REMAINS SECONDS WILLIAM COLBERT.
Queenstown’s reply to this on the 20th May, was equally simple: -
REMAINS WILLIAM COLBERT EMBALMED IN LEAD COFFIN HERE READY FOR SHIPMENT. IF YOU WISH US SHIP CORK STEAMER SATURDAY, WRITE TONIGHT.
This must not have been possible, however and the body was eventually put on board the S.S.
Philadelphia, on Wednesday 26th May, bound for New York. On the morning of 5th June 1915, his body was taken from his home for a funeral service at St. Francis Xavier’s Church, on West 16th Street and later that day, interred at the Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, New York in Section 13, Plot 161, Grave 2. The grave was first purchased in 1891 by his wife’s family. William Colbert lies there to this day the pertinent inscription stating: -
SACRED
TO
THE MEMORY OF .....
WILLIAM F. COLBERT
DIED MAY 7TH 1915
HIS BELOVED WIFE
HELENA M. COLBERT
DIED MAY 7TH 1915 .....
REST IN PEACE
As his wife’s body was never recovered from the sea and identified, her inscription must be a memorial only. Calvary Cemetery records show that William Colbert was 46 years old at the time of his death, which conflict with those of The Cunard Steam Ship Company, given when he bought his ticket which shows him to have been 48! Details given by him when he applied for his passport in April 1915, prove that he was 47!
The property recovered from William Colbert’s body was handed to Mr. Wesley Frost, the United States Consul, at Queenstown on 1st June 1915 for later forwarding to his relatives in America.
William Colbert was survived by his mother, who subsequently died on 10th October 1921, and three brothers and two sisters, all of who were American citizens. One of his sisters was married, and resided with her husband and family, while his remaining three brothers and sister resided in the family home.
Both William and Helena made wills on 29th April 1915, naming Helena’s brother, David J. Sherlock, as executor of both estates. In this capacity, David Sherlock filed a claim on behalf of all the surviving family members, for compensation for the deaths of William and Helena, and also for the loss of their personal belongings in the sinking.
After the war, the Mixed Claims Commission considered the claim, and as all family members had been adequately provided for under the terms of the wills, they awarded David Sherlock the sum of $300.00 as compensation for the loss of the couple’s personal belongings.
1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1905 New York State Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, New York State and Federal Naturalization Records 1794 – 1940, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, New York Wills and Probate Records 1659 – 1999, Calvary Cemetery, Cunard Records, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 2561, New York Times, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/214, UniLiv.PR13/6, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Joe Giulietti, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.