Wife of (1) William Henry TROUT (1876-1911) and (2) Harvey Walter BORTNER (1883-1964)
Survivor of the Titanic Disaster, 15 Apr 1912
Jessie Laird BRUCE was born 1 Nov 1885 in Old Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the daughter of George BRUCE (1857-1940) and Mary Ann BOOTH (1856-1938)
Jessie immigrated to America with her parents, arriving 19 May 1904 in Montréal, Canada from Aberdeenshire, Scotland aboard the ship S/S Corinthian (2)(Allen Lines), and then eventually arriving in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan 25 Nov 1906 from Canada on board a Canadian Pacific train, her father George BRUCE having sent train fare for her to rejoin her family now settled in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio. Jessie was listed by US Immigration officials as being 21 years old, 5'5", light hair, blue eyes, and working as a Domestic.
Jessie, at age 26, married 1st on 28 Mar 1911 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio to Spanish American War veteran William Henry TROUT (1876-1911) as his 2nd wife.
William worked as a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway and was crushed in a tragic accident on 22 Sep 1911 in the Mound Street Yard in Columbus when he was struck and run over by a moving train. The young couple had been married for only six months.
Distraught by the loss of her husband, Jessie briefly returned home to Scotland on 12 Jan 1912 on board the RMS Oceanic to visit her grandparents. On booking her passage for return to the US, Jessie once again purchased first class tickets on the RMS Oceanic, only to have the voyage canceled due to a local coal strike then in progress, and she was instead transferred to second class passage on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic (White Star Lines ticket #240929; fare £12 13s). Jessie, dressed only in her night clothes, survived the sinking and was rescued at about 4am next morning from Lifeboat #9 by the RMS Carpathia. Upon landing in New York, she was given $25 and sufficient new clothing to return home by train to Columbus. Since Jessie had originally been expected to sail home on the RMS Oceanic, family members had not even realized she had instead been on board the doomed Titanic.
Jessie L. TROUT's first-hand account of her survival ordeal can be seen in the (Columbus) Citizens Reporter (22 Apr 1912, pg 1), as well as the Columbus Dispatch and the Ohio State Journal.
Jessie later remarried to Harvey Walter BORTNER (1883-1964) in Columbus, and after 7 years, the couple relocated and raised their three children in Arbella Twp near Millington, Tuscora, Michigan. Harvey farmed and also took work as a molder in the Buick assembly plant in Flint.
Although Jessie had survived her violent encounter with an iceberg much larger than even the massive RMS Titanic, she died tragically on 30 Dec 1930 from an encounter with a relatively small patch of "black ice" while riding with her family on a country road about a mile and a half from their family farm. Her 2nd husband and three children escaped with relatively minor injuries, but Jessie was killed instantly when the car rolled over and pinned her in the ice and snow beneath the wreckage.
Ice had helped define Jessie, both in life and then finally in death.
∼Mrs William Henry Trout was born as Jessie Laird Bruce in Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 1 November 1884.
She was the daughter of George Bruce (1857-1940), a cattle farmer, and Mary Anne Booth (1856-1938), both natives of Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and she had eight known siblings from a total of eleven: Margaret (b. circa 1881), Nellie (b. 1887), Jemima (b. 1888), Alexander (b. 1890), John (b. 1892), Charles (b. 1884), Robert (b. 1889) and Lottie (b. 1891).
The family appear on the 1901 census living at Uppermill Cottage in Tarves, Aberdeenshire but they would emigrate to North America in 1904. Her parents would eventually settle in Minnesota.
Jessie was married in Franklin, Ohio on 28 March 1911 to William Henry Trout (b. 4 October 1876 in Alexandria, Licking, Ohio), a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway. He was the son of Oscar Trout and Jane Showbough and had a previous marriage in 1900 to Cora Worley (b. 1878) but it seems they were divorced sometime before 1910.
Jessie and William settled in Columbus, Ohio but had no children. William died on 22 September 1911 aged 35 when he was crushed in an accident at work. Whilst in mourning, Jessie returned home to Britain to visit family, including her grandparents and sister Margaret and arrived in early 1912.
For her return to Columbus Jessie boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger (ticket number 240929 which cost £12, 13s).
Jessie survived the sinking, escaping in lifeboat 9.
She returned to Columbus and shortly remarried to Harvey Walter Bortner (b. 15 July 1883 in Pennsylvania). The couple settled in Michigan and had three children: Bruce (1915-1977), Mary Elizabeth (1920-1975) and Frances Isabel (1922-1990). Their first born, Bruce, was born on 14 April 1915. The family made their home in Arbela, Tuscola, Michigan and they lived on a farm which her husband worked.
Ice was again to play a part in Jessie's eventual demise. On 30 December 1930 Jessie and her family were travelling in their car several miles from home when it struck black ice and veered off the road. Jessie panicked during the vehicle's skid and threw herself out onto the road where the car rolled over and crushed her; she was 46. Her husband and children escaped with minor injuries.
Jessie was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Millington, Tuscola, Michigan. Her widower Harvey never remarried and continued to live in Arbela. He died in 1964 aged 80. All her children were married and raised families and, with exception of her son Bruce (who moved to Iowa) continued to live in Michigan.
Survivor of the Titanic Disaster, 15 Apr 1912
Jessie Laird BRUCE was born 1 Nov 1885 in Old Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the daughter of George BRUCE (1857-1940) and Mary Ann BOOTH (1856-1938)
Jessie immigrated to America with her parents, arriving 19 May 1904 in Montréal, Canada from Aberdeenshire, Scotland aboard the ship S/S Corinthian (2)(Allen Lines), and then eventually arriving in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan 25 Nov 1906 from Canada on board a Canadian Pacific train, her father George BRUCE having sent train fare for her to rejoin her family now settled in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio. Jessie was listed by US Immigration officials as being 21 years old, 5'5", light hair, blue eyes, and working as a Domestic.
Jessie, at age 26, married 1st on 28 Mar 1911 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio to Spanish American War veteran William Henry TROUT (1876-1911) as his 2nd wife.
William worked as a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway and was crushed in a tragic accident on 22 Sep 1911 in the Mound Street Yard in Columbus when he was struck and run over by a moving train. The young couple had been married for only six months.
Distraught by the loss of her husband, Jessie briefly returned home to Scotland on 12 Jan 1912 on board the RMS Oceanic to visit her grandparents. On booking her passage for return to the US, Jessie once again purchased first class tickets on the RMS Oceanic, only to have the voyage canceled due to a local coal strike then in progress, and she was instead transferred to second class passage on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic (White Star Lines ticket #240929; fare £12 13s). Jessie, dressed only in her night clothes, survived the sinking and was rescued at about 4am next morning from Lifeboat #9 by the RMS Carpathia. Upon landing in New York, she was given $25 and sufficient new clothing to return home by train to Columbus. Since Jessie had originally been expected to sail home on the RMS Oceanic, family members had not even realized she had instead been on board the doomed Titanic.
Jessie L. TROUT's first-hand account of her survival ordeal can be seen in the (Columbus) Citizens Reporter (22 Apr 1912, pg 1), as well as the Columbus Dispatch and the Ohio State Journal.
Jessie later remarried to Harvey Walter BORTNER (1883-1964) in Columbus, and after 7 years, the couple relocated and raised their three children in Arbella Twp near Millington, Tuscora, Michigan. Harvey farmed and also took work as a molder in the Buick assembly plant in Flint.
Although Jessie had survived her violent encounter with an iceberg much larger than even the massive RMS Titanic, she died tragically on 30 Dec 1930 from an encounter with a relatively small patch of "black ice" while riding with her family on a country road about a mile and a half from their family farm. Her 2nd husband and three children escaped with relatively minor injuries, but Jessie was killed instantly when the car rolled over and pinned her in the ice and snow beneath the wreckage.
Ice had helped define Jessie, both in life and then finally in death.
∼Mrs William Henry Trout was born as Jessie Laird Bruce in Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 1 November 1884.
She was the daughter of George Bruce (1857-1940), a cattle farmer, and Mary Anne Booth (1856-1938), both natives of Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and she had eight known siblings from a total of eleven: Margaret (b. circa 1881), Nellie (b. 1887), Jemima (b. 1888), Alexander (b. 1890), John (b. 1892), Charles (b. 1884), Robert (b. 1889) and Lottie (b. 1891).
The family appear on the 1901 census living at Uppermill Cottage in Tarves, Aberdeenshire but they would emigrate to North America in 1904. Her parents would eventually settle in Minnesota.
Jessie was married in Franklin, Ohio on 28 March 1911 to William Henry Trout (b. 4 October 1876 in Alexandria, Licking, Ohio), a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway. He was the son of Oscar Trout and Jane Showbough and had a previous marriage in 1900 to Cora Worley (b. 1878) but it seems they were divorced sometime before 1910.
Jessie and William settled in Columbus, Ohio but had no children. William died on 22 September 1911 aged 35 when he was crushed in an accident at work. Whilst in mourning, Jessie returned home to Britain to visit family, including her grandparents and sister Margaret and arrived in early 1912.
For her return to Columbus Jessie boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger (ticket number 240929 which cost £12, 13s).
Jessie survived the sinking, escaping in lifeboat 9.
She returned to Columbus and shortly remarried to Harvey Walter Bortner (b. 15 July 1883 in Pennsylvania). The couple settled in Michigan and had three children: Bruce (1915-1977), Mary Elizabeth (1920-1975) and Frances Isabel (1922-1990). Their first born, Bruce, was born on 14 April 1915. The family made their home in Arbela, Tuscola, Michigan and they lived on a farm which her husband worked.
Ice was again to play a part in Jessie's eventual demise. On 30 December 1930 Jessie and her family were travelling in their car several miles from home when it struck black ice and veered off the road. Jessie panicked during the vehicle's skid and threw herself out onto the road where the car rolled over and crushed her; she was 46. Her husband and children escaped with minor injuries.
Jessie was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Millington, Tuscola, Michigan. Her widower Harvey never remarried and continued to live in Arbela. He died in 1964 aged 80. All her children were married and raised families and, with exception of her son Bruce (who moved to Iowa) continued to live in Michigan.
Wife of (1) William Henry TROUT (1876-1911) and (2) Harvey Walter BORTNER (1883-1964)
Survivor of the Titanic Disaster, 15 Apr 1912
Jessie Laird BRUCE was born 1 Nov 1885 in Old Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the daughter of George BRUCE (1857-1940) and Mary Ann BOOTH (1856-1938)
Jessie immigrated to America with her parents, arriving 19 May 1904 in Montréal, Canada from Aberdeenshire, Scotland aboard the ship S/S Corinthian (2)(Allen Lines), and then eventually arriving in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan 25 Nov 1906 from Canada on board a Canadian Pacific train, her father George BRUCE having sent train fare for her to rejoin her family now settled in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio. Jessie was listed by US Immigration officials as being 21 years old, 5'5", light hair, blue eyes, and working as a Domestic.
Jessie, at age 26, married 1st on 28 Mar 1911 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio to Spanish American War veteran William Henry TROUT (1876-1911) as his 2nd wife.
William worked as a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway and was crushed in a tragic accident on 22 Sep 1911 in the Mound Street Yard in Columbus when he was struck and run over by a moving train. The young couple had been married for only six months.
Distraught by the loss of her husband, Jessie briefly returned home to Scotland on 12 Jan 1912 on board the RMS Oceanic to visit her grandparents. On booking her passage for return to the US, Jessie once again purchased first class tickets on the RMS Oceanic, only to have the voyage canceled due to a local coal strike then in progress, and she was instead transferred to second class passage on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic (White Star Lines ticket #240929; fare £12 13s). Jessie, dressed only in her night clothes, survived the sinking and was rescued at about 4am next morning from Lifeboat #9 by the RMS Carpathia. Upon landing in New York, she was given $25 and sufficient new clothing to return home by train to Columbus. Since Jessie had originally been expected to sail home on the RMS Oceanic, family members had not even realized she had instead been on board the doomed Titanic.
Jessie L. TROUT's first-hand account of her survival ordeal can be seen in the (Columbus) Citizens Reporter (22 Apr 1912, pg 1), as well as the Columbus Dispatch and the Ohio State Journal.
Jessie later remarried to Harvey Walter BORTNER (1883-1964) in Columbus, and after 7 years, the couple relocated and raised their three children in Arbella Twp near Millington, Tuscora, Michigan. Harvey farmed and also took work as a molder in the Buick assembly plant in Flint.
Although Jessie had survived her violent encounter with an iceberg much larger than even the massive RMS Titanic, she died tragically on 30 Dec 1930 from an encounter with a relatively small patch of "black ice" while riding with her family on a country road about a mile and a half from their family farm. Her 2nd husband and three children escaped with relatively minor injuries, but Jessie was killed instantly when the car rolled over and pinned her in the ice and snow beneath the wreckage.
Ice had helped define Jessie, both in life and then finally in death.
∼Mrs William Henry Trout was born as Jessie Laird Bruce in Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 1 November 1884.
She was the daughter of George Bruce (1857-1940), a cattle farmer, and Mary Anne Booth (1856-1938), both natives of Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and she had eight known siblings from a total of eleven: Margaret (b. circa 1881), Nellie (b. 1887), Jemima (b. 1888), Alexander (b. 1890), John (b. 1892), Charles (b. 1884), Robert (b. 1889) and Lottie (b. 1891).
The family appear on the 1901 census living at Uppermill Cottage in Tarves, Aberdeenshire but they would emigrate to North America in 1904. Her parents would eventually settle in Minnesota.
Jessie was married in Franklin, Ohio on 28 March 1911 to William Henry Trout (b. 4 October 1876 in Alexandria, Licking, Ohio), a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway. He was the son of Oscar Trout and Jane Showbough and had a previous marriage in 1900 to Cora Worley (b. 1878) but it seems they were divorced sometime before 1910.
Jessie and William settled in Columbus, Ohio but had no children. William died on 22 September 1911 aged 35 when he was crushed in an accident at work. Whilst in mourning, Jessie returned home to Britain to visit family, including her grandparents and sister Margaret and arrived in early 1912.
For her return to Columbus Jessie boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger (ticket number 240929 which cost £12, 13s).
Jessie survived the sinking, escaping in lifeboat 9.
She returned to Columbus and shortly remarried to Harvey Walter Bortner (b. 15 July 1883 in Pennsylvania). The couple settled in Michigan and had three children: Bruce (1915-1977), Mary Elizabeth (1920-1975) and Frances Isabel (1922-1990). Their first born, Bruce, was born on 14 April 1915. The family made their home in Arbela, Tuscola, Michigan and they lived on a farm which her husband worked.
Ice was again to play a part in Jessie's eventual demise. On 30 December 1930 Jessie and her family were travelling in their car several miles from home when it struck black ice and veered off the road. Jessie panicked during the vehicle's skid and threw herself out onto the road where the car rolled over and crushed her; she was 46. Her husband and children escaped with minor injuries.
Jessie was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Millington, Tuscola, Michigan. Her widower Harvey never remarried and continued to live in Arbela. He died in 1964 aged 80. All her children were married and raised families and, with exception of her son Bruce (who moved to Iowa) continued to live in Michigan.
Survivor of the Titanic Disaster, 15 Apr 1912
Jessie Laird BRUCE was born 1 Nov 1885 in Old Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the daughter of George BRUCE (1857-1940) and Mary Ann BOOTH (1856-1938)
Jessie immigrated to America with her parents, arriving 19 May 1904 in Montréal, Canada from Aberdeenshire, Scotland aboard the ship S/S Corinthian (2)(Allen Lines), and then eventually arriving in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan 25 Nov 1906 from Canada on board a Canadian Pacific train, her father George BRUCE having sent train fare for her to rejoin her family now settled in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio. Jessie was listed by US Immigration officials as being 21 years old, 5'5", light hair, blue eyes, and working as a Domestic.
Jessie, at age 26, married 1st on 28 Mar 1911 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio to Spanish American War veteran William Henry TROUT (1876-1911) as his 2nd wife.
William worked as a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway and was crushed in a tragic accident on 22 Sep 1911 in the Mound Street Yard in Columbus when he was struck and run over by a moving train. The young couple had been married for only six months.
Distraught by the loss of her husband, Jessie briefly returned home to Scotland on 12 Jan 1912 on board the RMS Oceanic to visit her grandparents. On booking her passage for return to the US, Jessie once again purchased first class tickets on the RMS Oceanic, only to have the voyage canceled due to a local coal strike then in progress, and she was instead transferred to second class passage on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic (White Star Lines ticket #240929; fare £12 13s). Jessie, dressed only in her night clothes, survived the sinking and was rescued at about 4am next morning from Lifeboat #9 by the RMS Carpathia. Upon landing in New York, she was given $25 and sufficient new clothing to return home by train to Columbus. Since Jessie had originally been expected to sail home on the RMS Oceanic, family members had not even realized she had instead been on board the doomed Titanic.
Jessie L. TROUT's first-hand account of her survival ordeal can be seen in the (Columbus) Citizens Reporter (22 Apr 1912, pg 1), as well as the Columbus Dispatch and the Ohio State Journal.
Jessie later remarried to Harvey Walter BORTNER (1883-1964) in Columbus, and after 7 years, the couple relocated and raised their three children in Arbella Twp near Millington, Tuscora, Michigan. Harvey farmed and also took work as a molder in the Buick assembly plant in Flint.
Although Jessie had survived her violent encounter with an iceberg much larger than even the massive RMS Titanic, she died tragically on 30 Dec 1930 from an encounter with a relatively small patch of "black ice" while riding with her family on a country road about a mile and a half from their family farm. Her 2nd husband and three children escaped with relatively minor injuries, but Jessie was killed instantly when the car rolled over and pinned her in the ice and snow beneath the wreckage.
Ice had helped define Jessie, both in life and then finally in death.
∼Mrs William Henry Trout was born as Jessie Laird Bruce in Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 1 November 1884.
She was the daughter of George Bruce (1857-1940), a cattle farmer, and Mary Anne Booth (1856-1938), both natives of Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and she had eight known siblings from a total of eleven: Margaret (b. circa 1881), Nellie (b. 1887), Jemima (b. 1888), Alexander (b. 1890), John (b. 1892), Charles (b. 1884), Robert (b. 1889) and Lottie (b. 1891).
The family appear on the 1901 census living at Uppermill Cottage in Tarves, Aberdeenshire but they would emigrate to North America in 1904. Her parents would eventually settle in Minnesota.
Jessie was married in Franklin, Ohio on 28 March 1911 to William Henry Trout (b. 4 October 1876 in Alexandria, Licking, Ohio), a brakeman for the Hocking Valley Railway. He was the son of Oscar Trout and Jane Showbough and had a previous marriage in 1900 to Cora Worley (b. 1878) but it seems they were divorced sometime before 1910.
Jessie and William settled in Columbus, Ohio but had no children. William died on 22 September 1911 aged 35 when he was crushed in an accident at work. Whilst in mourning, Jessie returned home to Britain to visit family, including her grandparents and sister Margaret and arrived in early 1912.
For her return to Columbus Jessie boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger (ticket number 240929 which cost £12, 13s).
Jessie survived the sinking, escaping in lifeboat 9.
She returned to Columbus and shortly remarried to Harvey Walter Bortner (b. 15 July 1883 in Pennsylvania). The couple settled in Michigan and had three children: Bruce (1915-1977), Mary Elizabeth (1920-1975) and Frances Isabel (1922-1990). Their first born, Bruce, was born on 14 April 1915. The family made their home in Arbela, Tuscola, Michigan and they lived on a farm which her husband worked.
Ice was again to play a part in Jessie's eventual demise. On 30 December 1930 Jessie and her family were travelling in their car several miles from home when it struck black ice and veered off the road. Jessie panicked during the vehicle's skid and threw herself out onto the road where the car rolled over and crushed her; she was 46. Her husband and children escaped with minor injuries.
Jessie was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Millington, Tuscola, Michigan. Her widower Harvey never remarried and continued to live in Arbela. He died in 1964 aged 80. All her children were married and raised families and, with exception of her son Bruce (who moved to Iowa) continued to live in Michigan.
