Mrs Mary Graham Carmichael Marvin

Who was Mary Graham Carmichael Marvin?

Mary Graham Carmichael Marvin was a Scottish-American first-class passenger and survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster. Born on January 30, 1894, in Edinburgh, Scotland, she was 18 (eighteen) years old when she boarded the ill-fated ship. Her journey on the Titanic was part of a return trip from her honeymoon in Europe with her husband, Daniel Warner Marvin.

Early Life and Background

What was Mary’s family background?

Mary was the only surviving child of Frank Farquharson, a carpenter from Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, and Jessie Janet Davidson Carmichael, a dressmaker from Edinburgh. Her parents married around 1893 and emigrated to the United States in 1900.

Departed from Glasgow on April 21, 1900
Traveled aboard the Anchor Line’s City of Rome as second-class passengers
Settled in Manhattan, New York

Mary’s mother and aunt later established a successful modiste business, Farquharson & Wheelock, at 23 West 57th Street, New York.

Marriage and the “Cinematographed” Wedding

On January 8, 1912, Mary married Daniel Warner Marvin in Manhattan. Daniel was the son of a motion picture production house founder. Their wedding ceremony was unique in its time:

The London Daily Mirror reported it to be the very first wedding to be “cinematographed”.

While their actual wedding wasn’t filmed, the ceremony was restaged for the camera on March 12 at Mary’s parents’ home on 317 Riverside Drive.

The Titanic Journey

How did Mary and Daniel come to be on the Titanic?

After their wedding, the couple embarked on a European honeymoon, departing aboard the Mauretania. For their return journey to the USA, they boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as first-class passengers.

Titanic Journey Details:

Ticket number: 113773
Fare: £53 2s
Cabin: D-30
Port of embarkation: Southampton

The Fateful Night

On the night of April 14, 1912, as the Titanic struck an iceberg, Daniel Marvin assisted his wife to a lifeboat with the poignant words:

“It’s alright, little girl. You go. I will stay.”

Mary survived the sinking, but tragically, Daniel did not. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

Life After the Titanic

How did Mary cope with the tragedy?

Upon arrival in New York aboard the Carpathia, Mary collapsed with grief when she realized her husband had not been rescued. She recuperated at her parents’ home and later gave birth to a daughter, Mary Margaret “Peggy” Marvin, on October 21, 1912.

Mary’s Second Marriage

Mary’s period of mourning was relatively brief. She began a courtship with Horace Silliman DeCamp, a lumber businessman from Canastota, New York. Their engagement was announced in August 1913, and they married on Christmas Day of the same year at the Harlem Presbyterian Church in New York.

Key events in Mary’s life after the Titanic:

Married Horace Silliman DeCamp on December 25, 1913
Honeymooned in Egypt
Lived in Great Neck, Long Island
Had two more children: Julia Janet (1915-1983) and Frank Graham (1920-2000)
Horace adopted Mary’s daughter from her first marriage in 1916

Later Life and Legacy

Mary chose not to discuss the Titanic disaster as it deeply upset her. She and Horace divided their time between Manhattan and their home in Old Forge, Herkimer, New York. They were also frequent travelers across the Atlantic.

Mary was widowed a second time when Horace died on July 14, 1954. She spent her final years at 12 Birch Road in Thendara, Herkimer, New York.

When did Mary pass away?

Mary Graham Carmichael Marvin DeCamp died on October 17, 1975, at the age of 81 (eighty-one). She was buried with her second husband in Riverview Cemetery, Old Forge, Herkimer.

Mary’s remarkable life spanned from the Victorian era through two World Wars and into the Space Age. Her story of survival and resilience in the face of tragedy serves as a poignant reminder of the human impact of the Titanic disaster.