Anne Shymer
Anne Justice Shymer (born May 30, 1879 in Logansport , Cass County , Indiana , † May 7, 1915 in the North Atlantic off Ireland ) was an American chemist and President of the United States Chemical Company .
Life
Anne Shymer was born in 1879 in the small town of Logansport in the US state of Indiana to the lawyer James Monroe Justice (1838-1889) and his wife Grace (née Heikes; 1846-1924). Her older sister Maibelle Heikes Justice (1871-1926) was a novelist (her novel Durand of the Bad Lands was filmed twice) and an early screenwriter for Hollywood . Her mother nurtured Shmer's interest in chemistry and provided her daughter with an extensive education. Shymer graduated from Cornell University . On December 31, 1892, she married Alexander Craigie Paterson in Chicago . The couple lived in the UK until Paterson died unexpectedly in 1910. The young widow returned to the United States and resumed work. She independently carried out various experiments and series of tests in a private laboratory in New York City .
On January 16, 1911, Shymer married the British businessman Robert Delmo Shimer (1879-1935) in Manhattan for the second time. The wedding was organized by Rev. Dr. Edward Octavus Flagg, brother of George Whiting Flagg and friend of the Justice family. The couple separated after just four weeks and she Americanized the last name to Shymer . Meanwhile Shymer achieved greater and greater success as a chemist and founded the United States Chemical Company. Among other things, she discovered a new bleaching agent for textiles and a germicidal substance that should be used in hospitals. Her achievements brought her a lot of recognition and prestige, and after a short time she enjoyed worldwide recognition. Shymer received an invitation from Britain's Prime Minister Herbert Asquith and his wife. In early 1915, the court physicist heard about Shmer's discoveries from King George V of Great Britain and was very impressed by them.
On May 1, 1915 Shymer went as a first-class passenger on board the British luxury liner RMS Lusitania , which departed from New York for Liverpool , England . She was to be presented to King George and Queen Mary of England at the court of St James . She also wanted to make new business contacts in London and patent her latest formulas. Before leaving, she wanted to file for a divorce from her husband, which was prevented by the fact that she did not know his current whereabouts. On the day of departure, her mother, sister Maibelle and other relatives came to Pier 54 to see them off. When the casting off was delayed, the family used the time to take Shymer's farewell photo. This photo of her smiling and leaning her left arm on the railing on the B-deck promenade is one of the more well-known images related to the Lusitania disaster.
Six days later, in the early afternoon of May 7, 1915, the Lusitania was sunk by the German submarine U2 0 with a torpedo off the coast of southern Ireland . The steamer sank within a few minutes and took two thirds of the passengers and crew with it. Shymer was despite the strong list to get and the panic on board able to her cabin B-98 and bring their jewelry they completely docked in order not to lose him in an emergency. What then happened to the chemist is unclear. Her body has been identified and given the serial number # 66. The jewelry found on her body was worth about $ 4,000 for the money. On the way from Ireland to the American Embassy in London, he disappeared without a trace and has not reappeared to this day. Shmer's body made it safely to the United States aboard the Philadelphia steamer and was given to her family.
Shmer's husband and mother and sister sued the Cunard Line for damages for the loss of their loved ones . Robert Shimer's lawsuit was dismissed on the grounds that he had been separated from his wife for four years. Grace and Maibelle Justice's lawsuit was granted, but not until October 1925, more than ten years after the accident. Shmer's mother had passed away by that time. Maibelle Heikes Justice received $ 7,527.
Web links
- Anne Shymer biography
- Summary biography
- Photo by Anne Shymer
- Anne Shymer in the database of Find a Grave (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Shymer, Anne |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Justice, Anne C. (maiden name); Justice Paterson, Anne C. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American chemist and President of the United States Chemical Company |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 30, 1879 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Logansport , Cass County , Indiana |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 7, 1915 |
| Place of death | North Atlantic off Ireland |