Edith Corse Evans 

On the sad night of April 15, 1912, Edith Corse Evans, showed an act of pure selflessness and bravery that would make people remember her forever. She was one of four first class women to die, but she made a selfless sacrifice when she allowed the last Lifeboat. A decision that ended her life. Her bravery was memorialized on a plaque at Grace Church in New York City,  it's there to remember her story and not only all the lives that were lost but all the lives that were saved by selfless people such as Evans. 

Edith Corse Evans was born September 21, 1875 and died April 15 1912; she was 36 years old. She was the daughter of Cadwalader Evans and Angeline Burr Corse. Edith was born in Philadelphia where she was raised by her family; she was brought up by wealth. Edith’s father, Cadwalader Evans died of kidney failure shortly after she was born leaving her, her mother, and her older sister, Lena alone for a time. “The loss of her father at a young age showed Edith how fragile life could be” (Edith Corse Evans First Class Passenger). She later found out about another family member who died at sea on the Arctic in 1854, her father’s cousin and her daughter. This always being in her mind might have been a reason for her selflessness. 

The Evans family was very active in New York after moving from Pennsylvania; they did a lot of work in Colonial Dames and churches. In 1888 there was a blizzard that killed over  200 people in New York. It was said that she and her older sister Lena walked to school through this. Their mother later died in 1909. There isn't much we know about her day-to-day life, but her family was pretty big in the New York City upper class society.

Edith was a New York City resident and was visiting cousins in Paris as a part of her European vacation when she boarded the Titanic on April 10, 1912. She was in Cabin A-29  when she boarded the Titanic in the first class seats. As for her life, normally she was used to being comfortable and sitting in the upper class.“Her family roots were equally impressive, being a direct descendant of Andrew Hamilton” (Edith Corse Evans First Class Passenger). Now, we don't know exactly what Edith was doing on the Titanic between the days of the 10th and the 14th. Life on the boat, especially for her status, was very leisurely. She would have had access to games and first class dining rooms, luxurious rooms and access to more parts of the ship; she had a lot to do. On the night of the 14th, it was cold and windy; around 11:40 p.m, the Titanic hit the iceberg. Staff called all the passengers to the deck and this is where Edith found Colonel Gracie and her family. As the light slowly went in and out, men on board took care and reassured the women and other passengers that things would be fine. Evans didn't believe what these men were saying. Edith, “Not trusting what she heard, Miss Evans related to Colonel Gracie that she had been warned by a fortune teller in London to “beware of water.” Although he tried to persuade her otherwise, she was convinced the prophecy would come true” (Edith Corse Evans First Class Passenger). The colonel didn't believe Edith and just reassured her, but Edith believed that what the fortune teller said would come true. Starting with women and children, passengers were rushed onto boats. They put on life jackets and were taken off the ship. Caroline Brown and Evans were still on the Titanic. Evans had been trying to find Caroline’s sisters, who got disconnected through all the heat of what just happened. 

Colonel Gracie got on a boat and realized Edith wasn't with her. Ms. Brown found her sisters and Edith thought there was enough space on the next lifeboat, so she said she would wait for the next one. At this point Edith might have already set into her mind that she might not make it off of the Titanic because she believed in the reading that she had got in London. We don't exactly know who told her that another boat was coming, but she believed one was coming. Yet, one never did. As Caroline made her way back to New York, hearing the news that Evans didn't get on a boat, she and her family arranged a memorial at Grace Church. Caroline spoke in front of a congregation saying, “It was a heroic sacrifice, and as long as I live I shall hold her memory dear as my preserver, who prefered to die so that I might live” (Edith Corse Evans First Class Passenger). A plaque serves as a memory for her heroism. There's another plaque, Saint Ann's Episcopal Church in Long Island who also has a tablet commemorating and acknowledging her memory. On April 22nd, 1912 a memorial service was held for her at Grace Church in New York City, and a plaque was dedicated in her honor. 

Edith Corse Evans' life was cut short, but because of the plaque at these two churches and the countless people who walk in and out reading them, she has and will be remembered for many many years to come. Her decision to let another passenger take her spot on the boat shows countless amounts of selflessness and courage within her. And the plaques at Grace Church and Saint Ann's are plaques that will ensure people remember her.

Works Cited

“Caroline Lane Brown : Titanic Survivor.” Encyclopedia Titanica, 21 Aug. 2017. 

Kalson, Melissa. "Ladies of the Titanic: Edith Corse Evans." Heart of the Titanic. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024. 

Lord, Walter. A Night to Remember: The Classic Account of the Final Hours of the Titanic. United States, Henry Holt and Company, 2005.

Poirier, Michael. “Edith Corse Evans.” Encyclopedia Titanica, 7 Apr. 2012.