One hundred and eleven years ago today, in the frigid North Atlantic Ocean, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg at 11:40pm ship's time.  Two hours and forty minutes later, in the early morning hours of April 15th, the ship that was considered "Unsinkable" disappeared below the surface and entered history as one of the greatest disasters of all time.

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The tragedy immediately captured the public's attention.  An inquiry into the tragedy began in the United States less than a week after the sinking.  In Great Britain it began at the beginning of May.  The fascination with the Titanic continued for decades, partially because the wreckage has not been discovered.  That changed in 1985 when an expedition led by Robert Ballard found the final resting place of the famed ship.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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The Death Toll

It remains one of the largest maritime disaster death tolls during peacetime in history as just over 1,500 men, women, and children lost their lives.  Some, like John Jacob Astor, were titans of society.  Others, like Sidney Leslie Goodwin at 19 months old, were just beginning their lives.

Where Were Most of the Passengers From?

Twenty-Eight nations were represented aboard the Titanic with the majority from Britain (327), followed by the United States (306), Ireland (120), and Sweden (113).  Of those 306 passengers that were American, three were from Washington State.  There were a total of Eighteen passengers whose final destination was Washington State.  Of those, three survived, but three passengers lived in the Evergreen State at the time they were passengers aboard the ship.

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Johan Werner Salonen 29-years-old

Not much is known about Mr. Salonen.  At the time he was a passenger on the Titanic he was living in Aberdeen, WA and was a general laborer.  He was traveling with Manta Nieminen, also 29, who was from Karinainen, Finland in third class.  It is believed they were both traveling back to Aberdeen via train after arrival in New York City.  Neither Salonen or Nieminen survived and their bodies were never recovered.  Nieminen's parents received a payment of 50 pounds for their loss.

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Hugh Roscoe Rood 39-years-old

Hugh Roscoe Rood was born in Iowa and moved to Seattle sometime after 1900.  He was vice president and general manager of the Perfection Pile Preserving Company (later the Pacific Creosoting Co.) as well as a member of the private Rainier Club. Rood and his wife were in Paris when he was called back to Seattle on unknown business.  He booked a first class ticket on the Titanic while his wife, mining magnate Lena Stoiber, and their maid  would book passage on a different ship at a later time.  He settled in to cabin A-32.  Rood did not survive and his body was never recovered.

County Court House, Pomeroy/Google Street View
Pomeroy City Hall/Google Street View
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John Bertram Brady 41-years-old

John Bertram Brady was the only native Washingtonian aboard the Titanic.  He was born in Satsop, Wa (in Grays Harbor County) in 1870.  Brady's parents were farmers who also owned and operated a family store.  After finishing school at an academy in Portland, OR, Brady returned to Pomeroy to take over the management of the family store.

In 1903 Brady would sell the store and become the vice president of Pomeroy Savings Bank.  He was a member of the local Masonic Lodge and held a third interest in the Weller Livestock Company.  Brady was on vacation in Europe with his sister when he booked passage on the Titanic to return to the United States.  He was in Cabin A-21.  Brady did not survive and his body was never recovered.

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There is More to Brady's Story

A memorial Service was held for Brady in Pomeroy on April 28th, 1912.  A monument to his memory was erected at Oak Hill memorial Cemetary in San Jose, CA (where his sister lived).  A push is currently on, and being spearheaded by residents in Pomeroy, to erect something to John Bertram Brady's memory in City Cemetary.

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