David Charters

Who was David Charters?

David Charters was a young Irish laborer and Titanic passenger who tragically lost his life in the infamous maritime disaster of 1912. Born on June 5, 1891, in Garvagh, Currygrane, Ballinalee, Co Longford, Ireland, David was just 20 (twenty) years old when he embarked on his ill-fated journey to America.

Early Life and Family

A Large Irish Family

David Charters was born into a large, hardworking Irish family. His parents, William Charters (born circa 1860) and Mary Anne Vance (born February 7, 1865), married on July 23, 1890. The Charters were a Church of Ireland family, with William working as an illiterate farmer.

As the eldest of ten children, David grew up with a significant amount of responsibility. His siblings included:

• William (born August 1, 1893)
• Robert (born February 17, 1895)
• Anne (born February 26, 1897)
• John (born July 12, 1898)
• Sarah Elizabeth (born February 22, 1901)
• Richard (born June 18, 1902)
• Mary Jane (born July 2, 1904)
• Alexander (born August 12, 1906)
• James Walter (born August 1, 1908)

Life in Garvagh

The Charters family had deep roots in Garvagh, Co Longford. In the 1901 census, David is recorded as living at house 11, Garvagh, on a farm run by his grandfather David Charters (1808-1901) and his father. Following his grandfather’s passing, it appears that William Charters took sole responsibility for managing the farm.

By the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to house 13 in Garvagh. At this point, young David, now 19 (nineteen) years old, was described as a general servant, likely contributing to the family’s farming operations.

The Fateful Journey

Why was David Charters on the Titanic?

David Charters boarded the Titanic at Queenstown (now Cobh) as a third-class passenger. His destination was New York City, where he planned to stay with his uncle, David Vance. This journey was likely seen as an opportunity for young David to seek better prospects in America, a common aspiration for many Irish youth of his time.

Titanic Ticket Details

• Ticket Number: A/5. 13032
• Ticket Cost: £7 14s 8d
• Class: Third Class

Family Connections in America

David’s uncle, David Vance (born 1872), had emigrated to the USA around 1892. Vance had married Annie Taylor (born 1873) in 1902 and had two children:

1. William John (1903-1985)
2. Annie Elizabeth (born 1904)

By 1910, David Vance was living in Manhattan with his two children, having been widowed in 1907. It was to this household that young David Charters was headed when he boarded the Titanic.

The Tragedy and its Aftermath

David’s Fate

Tragically, David Charters lost his life in the Titanic disaster on April 15, 1912. He was just 20 (twenty) years old. His body, if recovered, was never identified. Today, he is commemorated on a family headstone in Ballinalee, Co Longford, a poignant reminder of a young life cut short.

Impact on the Charters Family

The loss of David was just the beginning of a series of tragedies for the Charters family:

• On October 8, 1914, David’s youngest brother James died at age 6 from complications of an oedema of the larynx.
• David’s mother, Mary Anne, died from pneumonia on February 2, 1919.
• William, David’s eldest surviving sibling, was executed by the Irish Republican Army on January 22, 1921, at the age of 27 during Ireland’s War of Independence.
• Robert, another brother who had served in World War I, died on April 20, 1920, after moving to Belfast.

David’s father, William Charters, continued to live in Garvagh until his death on April 6, 1944.

Legacy and Family Resilience

Despite the tragedy that befell David, his family showed remarkable resilience. In 1926, two of David’s younger brothers, Richard and Alexander, emigrated to America aboard the Cunard liner RMS Samaria.

• Richard established a grocery store in Southold, Suffolk, New York, and lived until November 30, 1995, reaching the age of 93.
• Alexander worked as an elevator operator in Manhattan but died relatively young on April 21, 1947, following a brain hemorrhage.

The story of David Charters and his family serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the Titanic disaster and the indomitable spirit of Irish immigrant families in the face of tremendous adversity.