Helen Monypeny Newsom

Who was Miss Helen Monypeny Newsom?

Miss Helen Monypeny Newsom was a 19-year-old American first-class passenger who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born into a prominent Ohio family, she became known not only for her Titanic experience but also for her subsequent marriage to fellow survivor and tennis star Karl Behr.

Early Life and Family

Helen Monypeny Newsom was born on December 30, 1892, in Columbus, Ohio. She was the daughter of Logan Conway Newsom, a realtor, and Sarah Maybell Monypeny. Helen’s family background was one of privilege and social standing:

• Parents: Logan Conway Newsom (1851-1901) and Sarah Maybell Monypeny (1865-1955)
• Sibling: William Monpeny Newsom (born 1887)
• Maternal grandmother: Maria Monypeny (1834-1920)

Tragedy struck the family early when Helen’s father passed away on June 28, 1901, leaving her mother a widow. However, Sarah Maybell remarried in 1903 to Richard Leonard Beckwith, a realtor from Connecticut, providing Helen with a stepfather.

Education and Upbringing

Following her mother’s remarriage, the family relocated to Manhattan, New York. This move opened up new educational opportunities for young Helen:

• Attended Briarcliff Manor School in Manhattan
• Received an education befitting a young woman of her social status

The family’s move to New York would prove pivotal in shaping Helen’s future, particularly her fateful journey on the Titanic and her subsequent romantic involvement.

The Titanic Journey: A Tale of Romance and Survival

Why was Helen on the Titanic?

In early 1912, Helen embarked on a European tour with her mother and stepfather. However, this trip had an ulterior motive: to discourage Helen’s budding romance with Karl Behr, a young tennis player. Little did they know that this attempt would lead to one of the most dramatic love stories of the Titanic disaster.

Titanic Booking Details

• Ticket Number: 11752
• Ticket Cost: £26, 5s, 8d
• Cabin: D47
• Class: First Class
• Port of Embarkation: Southampton

A Surprise Encounter

In a twist of fate, Karl Behr boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg, having traveled to Europe to pursue his courtship with Helen. This unexpected reunion set the stage for a dramatic series of events.

The Night of the Sinking

On that fateful night of April 14-15, 1912, Helen’s experience was one of terror and eventual relief:

1. The Beckwith party assembled on the starboard boat deck following evacuation orders.
2. They waited alongside Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Nelson Kimball, soon joined by Karl Behr.
3. When Mrs. Kimball inquired about their group’s evacuation, Bruce Ismay, who was assisting with lifeboat 3, replied, “Of course madam, every one of you.”
4. Helen, along with the Beckwiths, Kimballs, and Behr, entered lifeboat 5 and were saved.

Life After the Titanic

A Titanic Love Story

The harrowing experience seemed to solidify Helen and Karl’s relationship. On March 1, 1913, less than a year after the disaster, Helen married Karl Behr in the Church of the Transfiguration, Manhattan. Their union produced four children:

1. Karl Howell (1913-2002)
2. Peter Howell (1915-1997)
3. James Howell (1920-1976)
4. Sally Howell (1928-1995, later Mrs. Samuel Leonard Pettit)

Second Marriage and Later Years

Following Karl Behr’s death in 1949, Helen found love again. She married Dean Mathey, a prominent figure in the financial world and a close friend of her late husband. Mathey’s credentials were impressive:

• Chairman of the board of the Empire Trust Company in New York
• Charter trustee emeritus of Princeton University
• Accomplished tennis player who had reached the US National Championships in 1910

Helen’s later years were marked by continued activity and social engagement:

• Resided at Pretty Brook Farm on Great Road in Princeton, New Jersey
• Maintained memberships in various organizations:
  • Stetney Champ Committee
  • Colony Club New York
  • Present Day Club
  • Princeton Garden Club

Helen’s Legacy

Helen Monypeny Newsom’s life was one of remarkable experiences and connections. From surviving one of history’s most famous maritime disasters to her marriages to notable figures, she led a life that intersected with significant events and personalities of the 20th century.

Helen passed away on September 7, 1965, at the age of 72 (seventy-two). She was laid to rest in a private family plot at Princeton Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy that intertwined personal survival, romance, and historical significance. Her story remains a fascinating chapter in the broader narrative of the Titanic and its enduring impact on those who lived to tell the tale.