By By the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery
What an adventure it might have been!
Even in today's shrinking globe, what young woman freshly graduated from secondary school would not tremble with excitement at the prospect of an ocean trip to continue her studies abroad? Imagine how thrilled Anna Eisner, 19, of Niles must have been as she prepared for the trip of her life.
However, it takes little imagination to feel the deep sorrow of her parents when the large slab, engraved in both English and German was first laid across the large, horizontal vault – her final resting place – in Silverbrook Cemetery less than three months after her adventure was to begin.
The young woman described in the Niles Republican of June 24, 1875, as "one of the brightest as well as one of the most modest and unassuming young ladies of her class," never got to begin her European classes. Her ship never docked.
The SS Schiller left New York City for Hamburg, Germany, April 27, 1875. This 3,421 ton German ocean liner, with her 380 foot length and 40 foot beam was one of the largest vessels of her time.
She was operating her usual route carrying 250 mail bags intended for Australia, highly valuable general cargo and 300,000 $20 coins totaling $6,000,000 in the currency of the day, which would be valued today at more than $119,500,000.
The ship was near her first port of call at Plymouth on the coast of England, carrying her 254 passengers, Anna Eisner included, having made excellent time.
Was Eisner to disembark at Plymouth? Or had she perhaps retired for the evening to be rested when they arrived in Hamburg as her ultimate destination? The reports do not say.
The fog was thick as the ship entered the English Channel. Captain Thomas and crew calculated they were in the region of the Isles of Scilly within range of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. (The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Great Britain)
Volunteers from the passengers were brought on deck to see if they might spot its light off the starboard side of the ship. In fact, the light was well to the portside of the ship and went unseen.
The ship sailed between the islands heading toward the Retarrier Ledges. It grounded on the reef at 10 p.m. sustaining significant damage.
Was it the decisions made at that moment that resulted in Anna Eisner's death? Or were the mistakes made earlier?
When the captain attempted to reverse the Schiller off the rocks it pulled free exposing the ship to heavy seas which flung the vessel crashing onto the rocks broadside three times.
As the ship listed dangerously, its lights snuffed out, pandemonium broke out as panicked passengers fought to get into lifeboats, several of which were not seaworthy. As the vessels funnels fell amongst the passengers, the captain drew his pistol and sword in an attempt to restore order.
It was then the only two serviceable lifeboats launched, carrying far short of their capacity, taking only 27 passengers; only one of which was a woman and not Anna Eisner.
Reports say that more than 50 women and children were then hurried into the deckhouse in hopes they would escape the worst of the storm. Crew and the remaining men watched in horror as a huge wave ripped off the deckhouse roof and swept the women and children to their deaths in the unforgiving sea.
By the time rescue efforts were abandoned, Anna Eisner was but one of 335 persons to lose their life that day. Of the original 254 passengers and 118 crewmen, only 37 survived. The disaster remains one of the worst in British history.
In gratitude to the Scillians who tried to rescue and assist all they could during the tragedy, the Germans were given orders during both World Wars that the Isles of Scilly were to be spared any attack.
The official decision on the loss of the SS Schiller, published in the New York Times that July, suggested that some basic navigation rudiments had not been followed. It further commented that the entire event could had been avoided but for that error.
It would be late June of 1875 before the young Niles woman's funeral was held.
"The sad funeral was the occasion for liberal manifestation of genuine sympathy for the deeply affected parents as well as a tribute to the character of the young lady whose life was too tragically cut short in the day of her youth," the Republican article said.
It stated that more than 100 vehicles participated in the procession from her father's home to the church and that "no less than fifteen hundred people assembled at Silverbrook Cemetery before the procession arrived there from the church.
Some reports placed the number at close to 4,000, which is impressive considering in 1870, the population of Niles itself was recorded at 4,648 with another 1,910 living in Niles Township.
Perhaps nothing could speak to the tragedy more than the rider-less and draped black horse which followed the hearse. The beloved horse Anna would never ride again.
Almost a year later, Common Council minutes of June 12, 1876 record a request by one Will Eisner, that a certain tree deemed responsible for the discoloring of the marble monument he had placed there, be removed from the cemetery. This was refused due to the beauty the tree, which was there when the lot was purchased, added to the cemetery. It was pointed out that it takes a long time to grow a tree, while marble's beauty is enhanced with age.
The Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery are now renewing their efforts of cleaning and restoring the many stones, added to Anna's since the time she was returned home from her ill-fated voyage.
If you are interested in joining our efforts in caring for our local history and the legacies left us within the borders of Silverbrook Cemetery, contact: Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery c/o 508 E. Main St. Niles MI 49120, Tim and Candace Skalla at 684-2455, wskalla@sbcglobal.net or contact Ginny Tyler at 684-3687, SPHINX1974@aol.com.