Isidor Straus

Birth Name:

Isidor Straus

Birth Date:

February 6, 1845

Birth Place:

Otterberg, Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany

Death Date:

April 15, 1912

Place of Death:

Atlantic Ocean: 370 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada

Age:

Cause of Death:

Drowning at sea (Titanic)

Cemetery Name:

Woodlawn Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Business and Finance

Associates:

Rowland H. Macy

Isidor Straus (1845–1912) was a German-born American businessman, politician, and philanthropist best known as a co-owner of Macy’s department store and for his tragic death aboard the RMS Titanic. Born in Otterberg, Germany, he immigrated with his family to the United States in 1854, settling in Georgia before moving north after the Civil War. Along with his brother Nathan, Isidor built a successful career in retail, becoming a partner in R.H. Macy & Co. in New York City. Beyond business, he served as a U.S. Congressman for New York’s 15th district from 1894 to 1895 and was widely respected for his integrity and charitable work. Isidor married Ida Blun in 1871, and the two shared a famously devoted relationship. The couple perished together on April 15, 1912, when the Titanic sank—refusing to be separated as the ship went down. Their enduring love story became one of the most poignant and enduring legends of the disaster. While Ida's body was never found, Isidor Straus' remains made their way to New York where he was interred (eventually) at the Straus Family mausoleum at historic Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. Ida is represented by an urn of ocean water recovered at the sight of the sinking of the Titanic.

Fun Fact

After the Civil War, the Straus family moved to New York City, where Lazarus convinced Rowland Hussey Macy, founder of Macy’s, to allow L. Straus & Sons to open a crockery department in the basement of his store. Isidor Straus worked at L. Straus & Sons, which became the glass and china department at Macy’s. In 1888, he and Nathan Straus became partners of Macy’s. In 1893 he and his brother bought a controlling interest in Wechsler & Straus, renamed Abraham & Straus. By 1896, Isidor and his brother Nathan had gained full ownership of R. H. Macy & Co.

And to answer your next question: no, the Straus family does not own Macy’s; the company is now owned by Macy’s, Inc. (formerly Federated Department Stores), which was acquired by Federated in 1994. While the Straus brothers, Isidor and Nathan, purchased the store in 1895 and controlled it for many years, the family lost ownership through a leveraged buyout in 1986.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Woodlawn Cemetery

4199 Webster Avenue

Bronx, New York, 10470

USA

North America

Map:

Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York

Grave Location:

Straus Family Mausoleum, Myosotis Plot, Section 83, Lot 16541

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery and find yourself on Central Avenue that runs through the middle of the cemetery, turn onto Myosotis Avenue (which dead ends at Central Avenue) and drive 150 feet and look to your left for the single-story, U-shaped mausoleum of the Straus Family.

Grave Location GPS

40.8879477881007, -73.87229649943437

Visiting The Grave:

Photos:

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FAQ's

Isidor Straus was born on February 6, 1845.

Isidor Straus was born in Otterberg, Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany.

Isidor Straus died on April 15, 1912.

Isidor Straus died in Atlantic Ocean: 370 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Isidor Straus was 67.

The cause of death was Drowning at sea (Titanic).

Isidor Straus's grave is in Woodlawn Cemetery

Videos Featuring Isidor Straus:

The Macy's Story

Profiles from the Titanic #10 - Isidore and Ida Straus

Isidor and Ida Straus: The Couple Who Never Let Go

Isidor & Ida Straus, Macy's Department Store Owners

Nathan Straus - Macy's Titantic Zion

Watch YouTube video titled From Macy’s to the Titanic – The Straus Family Legacy

Isidor Straus