Posted by Communications Liaison Ellie Simpson, thanks to Archivist Jon Coss.

Henry “Harry” Anderson was born in Manhattan in 1869 to Henry Rhind Anderson, a gold broker, and Elizabeth Antoinette Anderson. His father was Scottish and came to the U.S. in his youth. His mother was born in New York to English and American parents. Harry became a Wall Street broker and married Grace Ryder in1909. They lived in Manhattan and had no children. He was an active member of the New York Athletic Club which he joined in 1902.

Anderson as a young man. The sinking of the Titanic, painted by Willy Stoewer.

In 1912 Anderson planned to return to New York after a business and pleasure trip in England. (Grace had remained in New York.) He boarded the Titanic in Southampton. The liner struck an iceberg at 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912. The collision buckled a number of hull plates and tore open five of the sixteen watertight compartments. By 2:20 am on April 15, the massive liner broke apart and sank with over 1,000 passengers aboard.

Telegram to Grace: “Safe aboard Carpathia. Do not worry.” His pet dog Chow-Chow.

Mr. Anderson traveled first class and was able to board Lifeboat No. 3. It had the capacity for 65 people, but only carried 40 that night. Three hours later the Carpathia arrived and rescued 705 passengers. Anderson’s dog Chow-Chow was kept in a kennel onboard and did not survive.

Back in New York, Anderson resumed his work as a stockbroker and became commodore of the yacht division of the New York Athletic Club. After Grace died in 1915, he was remarried to Florence Makley. They moved to Pelham Manor and lived at 950 Grant Avenue. He joined the Huguenot Church and served as the Clerk of Session from 1930 to 1934.

He didn’t want to talk about it. The Anderson mansion at 950 Grant Avenue.

Encyclopedia Titanica says, “Mr. Anderson reportedly disliked discussion of the Titanic but his experiences did not diminish his love of sailing, although he was uncomfortable traveling aboard larger ships.” In his later years he was a member of the Larchmont Yacht Club. Florence died in 1937 and Harry died in 1951 at age 82. They were buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Sources:

Bell, Blake. “Pelham Resident Harry Anderson Survived the Sinking of the RMS Titanic.” Historic Pelham. 13 November 2015. https://historicpelham.blogspot.com/2015/11/pelham-resident-harry-anderson-survived.html#google_vignette

Encyclopedia Titanica. “Harry Anderson First Class Passenger.” 31 May 2016 https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/harry-anderson.html

Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6753251/harry-anderson

HMC Archives. Series 2. Registers of Pastors, Elders, Baptisms, Marriages, etc.

New York Times. “Titanic Survivor Harry Anderson Dies.” 25 Nov 1951. https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor-dies-3.html

Pinterest. Photo of Chow-Chow. https://www.pinterest.com/j1783/titanic/

Stoewer, Willy. “Sinking of the Titanic.” https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/this-terrible-scene-painted-by-german-artist-willy-stoewer-news-photo/517357578?adppopup=true