This article was written by Martha Hayden and originally published on The Restless Viking website on September 13, 2022
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic! Last month my husband, Chuck, and I found the grave of William Edward Minahan located in Green Bay, Wisconsin at Woodlawn Cemetery. His captivating story deserves recognition, as does all who have lived. Our fluid lives often take turns on a course that frequently isn’t in our control. Let’s learn about Dr. William Edward Minahan, his wife, Lillian and sister, Daisy, and their journey on the Titanic.
William Edward Minahan’s Life Path
William Edward was one of eleven children born to Limerick, Ireland natives, William B. Minahan and Mary Shaughnessy. William Sr. was a Wisconsin County school superintendent.
William Edward and his two brothers earned their medical degrees as physicians. Dr. John Robert Minahan and Dr. Robert Edward Minahan have been given credit for St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin. William’s resounding career as a surgeon was well known in the city Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.
At 26 years old William married an Oshkosh Normal School classmate, Mary Elizabeth Dignin, on August 2, 1893. They became parents to Maude Olive on October 15 the following year. The couple soon divorced.
A decade later in 1903 William married Lillian Mae Thorpe from Indiana. They had settled in Fond Du Lac where William’s surgical skills were earning him praise.
The Journey On The Titanic
The couple along with William’s sister, Daisy, purchased first class tickets on The RMS Titanic for their return trip following a six month visit to Ireland in 1912. The trio were the only first class passengers to board in Queenstown. Their ticket cost L90 and was numbered 19928. I imagine that Dr. William Edward Minahan, his wife, Lillian and his sister, Daisy, were thrilled to be riding on The Titanic’s maiden voyage aboard this “unsinkable” ship on April 14, 1912.
This vessel was a marvel in engineering and décor!
Daisy reportedly was suffering from appendicitis and the group wanted to return to the United States.
The trio spent the evening in the Café Parisien. They socialized with Major Archibald Butt, the Wideners, the Thayers and Captain Smith. The food was said to be remarkable!
The three were awakened by a woman crying outside their cabin. They dressed and headed down the hallway stumbling over loaves of bread which had fallen to the floor. Heeding the warnings, Daisy and Lillian boarded lifeboat “14.” William’s final words to them were, “Be Brave!”
Lillian and Daisy survived this disaster. The Carpathia had picked up 705 people from lifeboats and brought them to New York on April 18th. Sadly, William was one of the 1,500 people who had perished.
Dr. William Edward Minahan’s Pockets
Dr. William Edward Minahan’s pockets were cascading with personal belongs which made identifying him easier. Besides money he had a checkbook, American Express, an engraved gold watch, “Dr. W.E. Minahan,” a pocket knife, diamond ring, clinical thermometer, keys, fountain pen, gold cuff links, comb and nail clippers.
When William’s family was notified, his brother, Victor, arranged to have William interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Grave Robbery
Sadly, in 1985 William’s skull was stolen by grave hunters. The police cracked the case and reinterred William’s bones where they belonged.
What Happened To Daisy, Lillian, Mary and Maude?
Ida “Daisy” Manihan, William’s sister, entered a sanitorium less than a month following her rescue. She suffered from “pneumonia and emotional disturbances.” After her release, Daisy moved to Los Angeles, California. Sadly, tuberculosis caused Daisy to succumb at only 40 years old on April 30, 1919.
Lillian, William’s wife, had moved to California, where she married two more times before her death in 1962.
Mary, William’s first wife, had continued living in Wisconsin until her death in 1952.
Maude, William’s daughter, never married. She worked as a school teacher. Maude passed away in 1961 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Ponderings
Becoming familiar with personal stories from the Titanic tragedy creates a connection for me. I feel more attuned to these individuals. Every life is valuable. We can learn from others and from history.
As we stride down our individual paths of life, I hope each of us can take time to appreciate the magic around us. My hope is that as our paths intersect we can leave others with a sense of being seen and being valued. I believe listening to others is the key to gaining understanding. Our differences make us unique. Let’s be gracious to others and look for ways to help, making all of our journeys brighter. After all, our time on Earth is finite.
Chuck and Martha Hayden, aka The Viking and Poppins, enjoy going on adventures off the beaten path. They also like to share their explorations with others. The Viking is a retired expedition leader while Poppins is a retired teacher. The two offer independent views of their journeys showcasing places, people, and cultures as they explore the world. Visit and follow them on their website and social media accounts. Website | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube
Martha –
This is an very interesting read. Thank you! I also just read the one about your carriage ride. It’s fun to watch what the Restless Viking & Poppins are up to!
Nicely shared, Martha. Appreciate your thoughts, ponderings and approach to sharing our earthly journey.
I enjoyed the research this individual did on the Manihan gravesite. I have an interesting tidbit on this site as well. In the late 90’s I was taking a college course that involved our professor taking us to this cemetery in Green Bay/DePere. Our assignment was to spend 20 minutes browsing amongst the headstones and then choose one that would later be written up into an account of what you interpreted the individual’s life to be like according to the dates on the headstone. I walked as far back into the cemetery and found the little stone mausoleum on the hill. I decided to write about this Dr. Minihan as a sea captain that was lost to the sea when his ship went down in a terrible storm. After I read my story to my class, which we all took turns doing, another student raised he hand and proceeded to tell the class that my story was indeed very intriguing because she knew the Dr. had perished on the Titanic and that his body was retrieved and buried where I found his tomb. All of us were very surprised, including me, to know my fictitious story was very close to the actual reality of his life. I sure enjoyed all the research she did on finding out the true story.