Clifton Museum
7135 Main Street
Clifton Va. 20124
703-830-9036
Operated by:
The Acacia Foundation, Inc.
| Oscar Scott Woody lived in Clifton. Mr. Woody was one of five postal clerks on the Titanic when after hitting an iceberg sank on April 15, 1912. and he was also a member of Acacia Lodge No. 16. |
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"I urged them to leave their work. They shook their heads
and continued at their work. It might have been an inrush of water later that
cut off their escape, or it may have been the explosion. I saw them no more."
Albert Theissinger
Steward aboard R.M.S. Titanic and survivor
Oscar Scott Woody was happily celebrating the approach of his 44th birthday at the stern of the ship with his colleagues when it struck the iceberg. Woody died on his birthday. A native of Roxboro, North Carolina, Woody was ordered to travel to Europe aboard S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, that sailed from New York on April 2. Upon arriving in Plymouth, Woody was instructed to make his way to Southampton. From there, Edwin Sands, Assistant Superintendent of Foreign Mails, ordered him to “return to New York as a clerk in the sea post office on the S.S. Titanic, sailing from Southampton, on April 10th.”
His body was recovered (#167) and buried at sea because of the poor state of his corpse.
It seems that the heroism of one of Titanic's postal clerks has been a source of inspiration for the governing officials of North Carolina. Oscar Scott Woody was a native of Roxboro, North Carolina. He had been a postal clerk on trains between Greensboro, NC and Washington, D.C. prior to joining the crew of the R.M.S. Titanic at the age of 44. On that fateful night of April 14, Woody and four other postal clerks were among the first to suffer from the impact with the iceberg. These men refused to leave their post and struggled to save the mail in their charge. All five men perished in the line of duty. In November of 2003, Governor Mike Easley declared "Oscar Scott Woody Day." In addition, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences released a commemorative envelope with a cancellation stamp honoring Woody. Raleigh Democratic Congressman Brad Miller introduced a bill in the N.C. congress to give Woody a post office. All members of the congressional delegation have signed the bill. In a statement, the congressman said, "I believe recognition of Oscar Scott Woody's heroic efforts is long overdue. This legislation named the Roxboro Post Office in honor of a native son who gave his life upholding his duties to the U.S. Postal Service."
Governor Mike Easley proclaimed November 24, 2003 as 'Oscar Scott Woody Day' in North Carolina. http://www.house.gov/bradmiller/prpr051804.html In addition, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences released a commemorative envelope with a cancellation stamp honoring Woody.
Below is a photo copy of Mr. Woody's original dues card to Acacia Lodge No. 16 that was recovered from his body. The water stains are evident. It took 96 years, but as of November 11, 2006 the original dues card is on display at The Grand Lodge of Virginia museum in Richmond Virginia.
