William Troutwine Lukens, Jr.

William Troutwine Lukens, Jr. and his wife Barbara had boarded the Eastland for the excursion and picnic. They were sitting on the upper deck when the Eastland began to rock. What they at first thought was fun suddenly turned tragic. The two were tossed into the water as the ship rolled onto its side in the river.

At first, Barbara was concerned about her dress, the one on which she had been working for a month. Then, as their situation became more desperate, she turned her attention to hanging onto the wooden bench that her husband had thrown into the water as the ship turned over. Another passenger in the water who struggled to grab the bench, instead grabbed Barbara and dragged her to her death. William recalled, "She let go and drifted away, and she sank looking straight into my eyes as I tried to get her."

Barbara's body was not discovered until Tuesday, July 27 in the river bottom outside of the hull of the Eastland. While divers searched for victims' bodies, William maintained a vigil on the hull of the ship. Waiting until his wife's body was recovered, William could not return home to their four children until he knew for certain whether or not his wife had survied.