Milton Hershey narrowly missed being on the Titanic’s doomed maiden voyage in 1912. As a luxurious and highly anticipated ship at the time, the Titanic had attracted some celebrities who had tickets for the voyage, including J. Pierpont Morgan and Milton Hershey. However, both men ended up not boarding the ship, thus avoiding the tragic disaster that unfolded on April 15, 1912.
The sinking of the Titanic continues to fascinate people today, with various forms of media and tours dedicated to the historic event. Interest in the ship led to a modern-day tragedy in 2023 when an OceanGate submersible disappeared en route to the wreckage, resulting in the loss of all five individuals on board.
Following the 2023 incident, stories emerged about individuals who were invited to join OceanGate’s expedition but chose not to participate, mirroring a similar situation over a century ago with notable figures who almost sailed on the Titanic. Here are seven prominent individuals, some of whom were among the wealthiest in the world, who were scheduled to be on the Titanic’s maiden voyage but ultimately did not embark on the ship. Additionally, four well-known figures had reservations for a future voyage on the Titanic.
J. Pierpont Morgan, a key figure in business and industry, had a personal suite reserved on the Titanic but altered his plans due to extended travel in France, thus avoiding the disaster. On the other hand, Milton Hershey, the founder of Hershey’s, had intended to sail on the Titanic but had to cut short his European vacation for pressing business matters, opting to return home on a different vessel instead.
Guglielmo Marconi, renowned for his invention of the wireless radio, played a pivotal role in the aftermath of the Titanic sinking by helping other ships locate the lifeboats. Interestingly, Marconi himself was nearly a passenger on the Titanic, highlighting the close calls of various historical figures with the ill-fated ship.
In Degna’s book “My Father, Marconi,” it is noted that Marconi was offered a free ticket to sail aboard the Titanic. However, due to his stenographer falling ill, Marconi chose to board the Lusitania to the US instead, trusting the ship’s stenographer more than the Titanic’s. Henry Clay Frick, the chairman of the Carnegie Steel Company and a renowned figure in New York City, almost sailed on the doomed Titanic voyage. The Fricks had booked a suite on the ship, but Mrs. Frick’s ankle injury during their European trip led to a delay, ultimately saving them from the tragedy. J. Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, controversially boarded a lifeboat and survived, facing criticism thereafter.
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family, narrowly escaped the Titanic disaster only to tragically perish aboard the Lusitania in 1915. Theodore Dreiser, an American journalist, wrote about his decision to sail on a different ship before the Titanic sank in his memoir. John Mott, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and YMCA leader, had two close calls with death, first by choosing to skip the Titanic and later narrowly avoiding a train crash. J.C. Penney, founder of JCPenney, was among the celebrities who had tickets for the Titanic’s second voyage, had the ship not met its tragic fate.
Frank Seiberling, the co-founder of Goodyear Tires, was scheduled to sail back to Southampton on the Titanic’s upcoming voyage. The Akron Beacon Journal noted that Seiberling and his wife were avid travelers to England, with a keen appreciation for English architecture. However, their travel plans were disrupted when the Titanic, the ship they were supposed to board in the United States, tragically sank.
Similarly, it was reported by Smithsonian Magazine that John Alden Dix, the former governor of New York (1911-1913), was listed as a passenger on the Titanic’s return journey to England.
Henry Adams, a historian and descendant of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, had also made arrangements to travel on the Titanic. In a letter dated April 12, 1912, Adams expressed his excitement for the voyage, stating, “My ship, the Titanic, is on her way, and unless she drops me somewhere else, I should get to Cherbourg in a fortnight.” Regrettably, Adams never boarded the ill-fated ship and had to find alternate passage, as recounted by Timothy Noah in The New Republic.
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