Elizabeth Weed Shutes

Who was Elizabeth Weed Shutes?

Elizabeth Weed Shutes was an American governess and Titanic survivor who gained recognition for her vivid eyewitness account of the ship’s sinking. Born on April 30, 1871, in Newburgh, New York, she was 40 (forty) years old when she boarded the ill-fated RMS Titanic as a first-class passenger, accompanying her employers, the Graham family.

Early Life and Family

Elizabeth was the youngest daughter of Samuel E. Shutes, a commercial traveler of French ancestry, and Sarah B. Berrian. She grew up in a large family with six siblings:

• Carrie L. (1856-1926)
• Sarah (b. 1859)
• Frank A. (b. 1861)
• Charles Berrian (b. 1866)
• Marianna (b. 1869)
• Edwin (1873-1938)

The family lived in Manhattan, and by 1900, Elizabeth had established herself as a teacher.

Career as a Governess

By 1912, Miss Shutes had secured a position as a governess for the wealthy Graham family. She was employed by William Thompson Graham, president of the American Can Co., to care for his teenage daughter, Margaret. This role would lead to her fateful journey on the Titanic.

The Titanic Experience

Boarding and Accommodation

Elizabeth boarded the Titanic at Southampton with Mrs. Edith Graham and Margaret. They traveled as first-class passengers, with Elizabeth and Margaret sharing cabin C125, while Mrs. Graham occupied C91. Their ticket (number 17582) cost a substantial £153 9s 3d, reflecting their affluent status.

The Night of the Sinking

Miss Shutes provided one of the most detailed and poignant accounts of the Titanic’s final hours. She described the initial impact with the iceberg:

“Suddenly a strange quivering ran under me, apparently the whole length of the ship. Startled by the very strangeness of the shivering motion, I sprang to the floor.”

Her narrative captures the growing sense of unease and the confusion among passengers:

“No confusion, no noise of any kind, one could believe no danger imminent. Our stewardess came and said she could learn nothing.”

Lifeboat 3 and Rescue

Elizabeth was rescued in lifeboat 3, along with Mrs. Graham and Margaret. Her account of the lifeboat experience is particularly moving:

“The first touch of our lifeboat on that black sea came to me as a last good-bye to life, and so we put off – a tiny boat on a great sea – rowed away from what had been a safe home for five days.”

She described the bitter cold of the night and the emotional turmoil of those in the lifeboat:

“Sitting by me in the lifeboat were a mother and daughter. The mother had left a husband on the Titanic, and the daughter a father and husband, and while we were near the other boats those two stricken women would call out a name and ask, ‘Are you there?’”

Life After the Titanic

Travel and Work

After surviving the Titanic disaster, Elizabeth continued her adventurous spirit. By 1919, she had visited numerous countries, including Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Japan. That same year, she took a one-year appointment as secretary of the National War Work Council of the US YMCA, serving with American troops in France.

Physical Description and Later Years

A 1923 passport describes Elizabeth as 5'7" tall, with brown hair and eyes, a dark complexion, an oval face, pointed chin, and high forehead. Interestingly, it noted she had a large mole on her right leg.

Elizabeth never married. She lived with her sister Marianna in Manhattan and continued her career in teaching. The 1940 census shows them residing at 169 Morningside Drive, Manhattan.

Elizabeth’s Legacy

Elizabeth Weed Shutes died on October 27, 1949, in Oneida, New York, at the age of 78 (seventy-eight). She was cremated at Waterville Cemetery, Oneida. Her ashes were given to the Owens-Pavlot funeral home in Clinton, though their final resting place remains unknown.

Her detailed and eloquent account of the Titanic’s sinking continues to provide historians and enthusiasts with valuable insights into one of the most famous maritime disasters in history. Elizabeth’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the human experiences behind the tragedy, preserving the memory of that fateful night for generations to come.