Amelia Macdona (1856 – 1915), 59, was an American national and an actresses who had performed under the stage name of Amelia Herbert. Amelia was traveling aboard Lusitania in saloon cabin. Her ticket number was 13047 and she stayed in cabin E-45. Amelia was lost when the ship was torpedoed and sunk on 7 May 1915. Her body was recovered, #63, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York.
Life
Amelia was born in 1856 as a subject of Great Britain. She was twice married, the second time on 22 July 1908 to Henry D. Macdona, an American national and lawyer, who died in 1909. Presumably, Amelia became a United States citizen through this marriage. Amelia had no children of her own, but had a stepson Henry Russell Macdona and step-grandson Henry Harding Macdona from Henry D. Macdona’s previous marriage.
Amelia was a woman of culture and refinement who lived comfortably from the income of her investments. The statement is made that from time to time she made contributions to the support of her stepson, who was 30 years of age at the time of her death.
Family described Amelia as a “warm” woman close to her step-grandson, Henry Harding Macdona. Henry Harding Macdona was originally supposed to travel with Amelia aboard Lusitania to England for school, but the plans fell through. Henry Harding Macdona has living descendants as a result.
Amelia’s death notice was in The New York Times, 4 June 1915, page 11. Her funeral service was held at St. Stephen’s Chapel, West 69th Street, between Broadway and Columbus Avenue on Friday, 4 June 1915, at 10:00 a.m. She was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
In Amelia’s will, her property seemed to have been substantial and was divided into three parts. One-third was bequeathed to John B. Coleman, an American citizen formerly associated with her second husband Henry in the practice of law; a life interest in one-third was bequeathed to her brother-in-law, George Macdona, an American citizen, with the remainder to Henry Harding Macdona, son of her stepson, Henry Russell Macdona.
Related pages
Amelia Macdona at the Mixed Claims Commission
Contributors
Shelley Dziedzic, USA
Jim Kalafus, USA
Judith Tavares
References
“Amelia Herbert (Mrs Henry Macdona).” Encyclopedia Titanica Message Board. Web. 14 July 2011. <http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/discus/messages/10245/87922.html?1089425116>.
Mixed Claims Commission. Docket No. 2485, page 534.
George Macdona for whom the town of Macdona Texas is named. He laid the town out. Located west of San Antonio, Texas. I grew up there and currently reside close by.
Hello Ellen
I visited the basement archives in San Antonio City Hall and copied the land agreements that George Macdona had signed. It appears he bought 60,000 acres and sold to the Railroad. I visited Macdona Texas as well while living in San Antonio for the summer 1990. Look forward to talking to you. My father was Harding H Macdona as mention above. This May 7th is thw 100th anniversary of the Lusitana sinking. There is a new book released by Eric Sauder “The Unseen Lusitania” which you might like. You can reach me at Zip2131@aol.com