Who was Mrs Amīnah Mubārik?

Mrs Amīnah Mubārik, born around 1887 in Hardīn, Lebanon, was a Syrian-Lebanese Titanic survivor who courageously escaped the sinking ship with her two young sons. Her harrowing journey from Lebanon to America, punctuated by the Titanic disaster, exemplifies the resilience of early 20th-century immigrants seeking a better life.

Early Life and Family

Amīnah was born to Jirjis Nāsīf Iskander and Kattūr Hannā in the late 1880s. At a young age, she married Jirjis Mubārik Bū Tannūs, born in 1874. The couple had two sons:

Jirjis (born 1904)
Halīm (born 1907)

A Family Separated by Immigration

In 1908, Amīnah’s husband emigrated to the United States, establishing a grocery store in Houtzdale, Clearfield, Pennsylvania. This separation, while difficult, was not uncommon for families seeking better economic opportunities in America.

The Fateful Journey

How did Amīnah come to be on the Titanic?

In 1912, Amīnah’s husband arranged for her and their sons to join him in America. The journey was to be facilitated by a family friend, Antūn Mūsà Yazbak, who was returning to Lebanon to marry Amīnah’s younger sister, Sīlānah.

The traveling party included:

Amīnah and her two sons
Her sister Sīlānah and new brother-in-law Antūn
Other relatives, including her cousin Thamīn Tannūs and son As’ad

Their journey took them from Hardīn to Beirut, then to Marseille, and finally to Cherbourg, where they boarded the Titanic on April 10, 1912.

Titanic Passage Details

Class: 3rd Class
Ticket Number: 2661
Ticket Cost: £15, 4s, 11d
Embarked: Cherbourg

The Night of the Sinking

On the fateful night of April 14-15, 1912, Amīnah and her sons found themselves in the midst of chaos. With the help of Antūn and Sīlānah Yazbak, they made their way to the upper decks. In a stroke of fortune amidst tragedy, Amīnah and her sons escaped in one lifeboat, while her sister Sīlānah was rescued in another. Tragically, Antūn Yazbak did not survive the sinking.

Rescue and Arrival in America

What challenges did Amīnah face upon arriving in New York?

After being rescued by the Carpathia, Amīnah and her sons faced immediate health challenges:

They were treated for shock and exposure
The boys had contracted measles during the ordeal

Following their recuperation, the family finally made their way to Pennsylvania, reuniting with Amīnah’s husband and other family members.

Life in America

Adopting the name “Minnie” in America, Amīnah settled with her family in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Her husband, now known as George, operated a dry goods store. The couple expanded their family, welcoming two more sons:

Roy (1916-1990)
Daniel (1918-1986)

Interestingly, the 1920 census also lists two additional children:

James (born 1917)
Arael (born 1919)

However, the fate of these two children remains unknown.

A Tragic Turn of Events

What led to Amīnah’s untimely death?

In the early 1920s, Amīnah contracted tuberculosis. Hoping that the climate of her homeland might improve her condition, she made the difficult decision to return to Hardīn, Lebanon. Tragically, this move meant she would never see her husband and children again.

Amīnah passed away around 1922, at the young age of 35 (thirty-five).

Legacy

After Amīnah’s death, her widower George relocated with their children to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he had family support to help raise the children. George lived until 1953, ensuring their children grew up with a strong family network despite the loss of their mother.

Amīnah Mubārik’s life, while cut short, is a testament to the courage and resilience of immigrants in the early 20th century. Her survival of the Titanic disaster, followed by her establishment of a new life in America, only to be tragically separated from her family once again, paints a poignant picture of the struggles faced by many during this era of mass migration and societal change.