Key facts about Alice Gray Silvey
- Alice Gray Munger was born into a prominent Duluth family in 1872.
- She married civil engineer William Baird Silvey in 1893 and they had one daughter, Alice Melville Silvey.
- Alice and William boarded Titanic at Cherbourg after a European trip and occupied cabin E44.
- Alice survived in Lifeboat 11 after a final separation from William on the Boat Deck.
- William died in the sinking; Alice later filed a substantial claim for his loss.
- Alice remarried Richard Steedman Patrick and remained active in Duluth cultural and civic life until her death in 1958.
Born into one of Duluth’s prominent early families
Alice Gray Munger was born in Duluth, Minnesota, on October 19, 1872. Her father, Roger Sherman Munger, became a prominent businessman associated with some of Duluth’s early commercial development. Her mother, Olive Gray Munger, was active in the city’s Pilgrim Congregational Church.
Alice was educated in Duluth and later spent time studying in New York and France. In June 1893 she married William Baird Silvey, a Brown University graduate and civil engineer with business interests in the Duluth area. Their daughter, Alice Melville Silvey, was born in 1894.
A European trip without their daughter
In 1912 Alice and William travelled in Europe while their daughter Melville remained in the United States, studying in Farmington, Connecticut. For the journey home, the couple boarded Titanic at Cherbourg on ticket 13507 and occupied cabin E44.
That detail made the disaster a family crisis spanning both sides of the Atlantic: Alice and William were aboard the ship, while their teenage daughter waited in the United States for news of whether either parent had survived.
Alice became uneasy before the danger was obvious
Alice later recalled feeling that something had shifted and telling William that they should go on deck. They dressed warmly and left their cabin. William encouraged her to remain calm and follow the officers’ instructions, reflecting the uncertainty many first-class passengers still felt during the early evacuation.
When Alice was ordered into Lifeboat 11, she and William embraced before she entered the boat. The separation was final. William remained aboard Titanic and died in the sinking; his body was later recovered and identified.
Lifeboat 11 and the return to the United States
Lifeboat 11 left Titanic carrying a large group of passengers, including Alice. After Carpathia reached New York, she faced the immediate practical work of mourning her husband, reconnecting with family and dealing with the financial consequences of his death.
Alice later filed a claim against the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company for the loss of William. Her father died in 1913, adding another major family loss less than a year after Titanic.
A second marriage and a long life in Duluth
Alice lived in New York for several years and remarried in 1918. Her second husband, Richard Steedman Patrick, was a Scottish-born businessman involved in mining and real estate. The couple settled in Duluth, where Alice remained active in musical and civic organizations, including the Duluth Symphony organization.
Richard died in 1949. Alice remained in Duluth and died there on May 2, 1958, aged 85. She was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery with members of the Munger family.
Sources used for this biography
Alice’s specialist biography preserves extensive Duluth family research as well as her cabin, Lifeboat 11 and later-life history. William’s record provides the other half of the couple’s Titanic story.
- Encyclopedia Titanica: Alice Gray Silvey Detailed family history, marriage, ticket, cabin E44, Lifeboat 11, claim, second marriage and death.
- TitanicSurvivors.com: William Baird Silvey Companion biography for Alice’s husband, who died in the sinking.
- Encyclopedia Titanica: Titanic survivors Confirms Alice Gray Silvey in the specialist survivor roll.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Alice Gray Silvey?
Alice Gray Silvey, born Alice Munger, was a first-class Titanic passenger from Duluth, Minnesota, travelling with her husband William Baird Silvey.
Which cabin did Alice and William Silvey occupy?
They occupied first-class cabin E44.
Which lifeboat did Alice Silvey survive in?
Alice survived in Lifeboat 11.
Did William Baird Silvey survive Titanic?
No. William died in the sinking. Alice survived and returned to the United States aboard Carpathia.