Isidor Straus

Isidor Straus (February 6, 1845 – April 15, 1912) was a Bavarian-born American businessman, politician and co-owner of Macy's department store with his brother Nathan.

He also served for just over a year as a member of the United States House of Representatives.^[2]

He died with his wife, Ida, in the sinking of the *Titanic*.

Straus was born into a Jewish family in Otterberg in the former Palatinate, then ruled by the Kingdom of Bavaria.

He was the first of five children of Lazarus Straus (1809–1898) and his second wife and first cousin, Sara Straus (1823–1876).^[3]

His siblings were Hermine (1846–1922),

Nathan (1848–1931),

Jakob Otto (1849–1851) and

Oscar Solomon Straus (1850–1926).

In 1854 he and his family immigrated to the United States, following his father, Lazarus, who immigrated two years before.

They settled first in Columbus, Georgia, and then lived in Talbotton, Georgia, where their house still exists today.

Traveling back from a winter in Europe, mostly spent at Cape Martin in southern France, Isidor and his wife were passengers on the Titanic when, at about 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, it hit an iceberg.

Once it was clear the Titanic was sinking, Ida refused to leave Isidor and would not get into a lifeboat without him.^[16]

According to friend and Titanic survivor Colonel Archibald Gracie IV, when he offered to ask an officer if Isidor could enter a lifeboat with Ida, Isidor refused to be made an exception while women and children were still on board, while Ida is reported to have said, "I will not be separated from my husband.

As we have lived, so will we die, together."

Ida gave her maid her fur coat and insisted she get into a lifeboat.

Isidor and Ida were last seen on deck arm in arm; eyewitnesses described the scene as a "most remarkable exhibition of love and devotion".^[17]

The ship sank at 2:20 am.