Pauline Thieriot
Born: 1858, New York
Died: July 25, 1919, Saranac Lake
Married: Ferdinand M. Thieriot
Children: Charles H. Thieriot, Frederick Thieriot, Mrs. Harold N. Kingsland, and L. Celeste Thieriot
Pauline Elyse Henshel Thieriot was visiting her daughter, L. Celeste Thieriot, a TB patient in Saranac Lake, when she was struck and killed by a train. She saved the life of a friend who fell on the train tracks at the Margaret Street crossing, Mrs. J.B. Ernest [or Ernst] of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mrs. Ernest and Pauline were walking back from Trudeau Sanatorium to the Santanoni Apartments, where both Celeste and Mrs. Ernest had apartments. The women had ignored the crossing guard's warning to stay off the tracks. Pauline pushed Mrs. Ernest off of the tracks but was struck by the locomotive, which was pulling a New York Central passenger train from Lake Placid. She was thrown by the train and hit her head on another train track. According to Dr. John C. Russell, she died instantly. Pauline and her daughter had been at Saranac Lake for four weeks, due to her daughter's ill health after several months overseas as a Red Cross worker. Pauline was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Lakewood, New Jersey.
Woman Gives Life Saving Companion on Rail Crossing -- Reprinted from The Daily Item, Saranac Lake, July 25, 1919
Mrs. F.M. Thieriot Killed by New York Central Train at 11:00 O'Clock this Morning
Mrs. F.M. Thieriot of South Orange, New Jersey, met a shocking but heroic death this morning shortly after eleven o'clock, when, after saving the life of a friend, she was herself struck and hurled aside by the huge locomotive drawing a New York Central passenger train from Lake Placid.
Mrs. Thieriot, who has been a resident of Saranac Lake since the first of July, was returning from a walk to Trudeau Sanatorium to her daughter, who has an apartment at the Santanoni, and was accompanied by Mrs. J.B. Ernst, a friend, who also has an apartment there.
As they approached the Margaret Street crossing the train was nearing it rapidly, and Charles S. Merritt, the crossing guard, hurried toward them, shouting for them not to attempt to cross. As a child and a young woman just ahead of them started to cross, however, they evidently concluded that they too, would have time to get safely over.
With Mrs. Thieriot in the lead they started to hurry over the crossing. Mrs. Thieriot had safely passed the track on which the train was approaching when she was halted by a startling cry from Mrs. Ernst, who had fallen on the rails directly in the path of the train.
Without a moment's hesitation she rushed to the side of her friend--who appeared to be paralyzed with fright at her dreadful situation--and grasping her, she raised her to her feet and pushed her from the track and to safety at the same instant that the engine, with brakes grinding and siren screaming, towered over them.
It was impossible for Mrs. Thieriot to avoid it, and she was struck and hurled forward and to one side many feet, her face and head striking one of the big rails on another track as she fell. Spectators who had witnessed her heroic act and its tragic consequences, rushed to her side. When Dr. J.C. Russell had reached the scene a few moments later he said she had died instantly.
Coroner Farrell arrived shortly afterwards and questioned many witnesses. In the meantime the body was removed to the undertaking parlors of A. Fortune & Company, where they were later examined by Dr. Russell and Coroner Farrell, who found that the immediate cause of death was a fracture at the base of the skull. Coroner Farrell is, this afternoon, further investigating the case.
Mrs. Thieriot was 61 years of age. Besides her daughter at Trudeau she is survived by a son in New York City who is said to be a member of the Stock Exchange. Funeral arrangements are being held up pending his arrival.
Mrs. F.M. Thieriot Killed Saving Life of Friend--Unknown publication, undated
South Orange Woman Struck by Train at Saranac Lake, Helping Companion Off Track--Went to Resort with Daughter
Mrs. Pauline F. Thieriot, widow of Ferdinand M. Thieriot of Nettancourt, 404 Scotland Road, South Orange, was instantly killed by a train at Saranac Lake, N.Y., yesterday morning, after she had saved the life of a Mrs. J.B. Ernest of Cambridge, Mass. According to telegrams received by relatives and friends in the Oranges the two women were hurrying over a grade crossing when Mrs. Ernest fell. A train was approaching and, paralyzed with fear, she was unable to rise. Mrs. Thieriot pushed her companion from the rail, but did not have time to jump before being struck by the train.
Mrs. Thieriot and her daughter, Miss L. Celeste Thieriot, had been at Saranac Lake for four weeks. When the latter returned recently from overseas, after serving several month as a Red Cross worker, her health was somewhat impaired and the trip to the lake was arranged for her benefit.
Mrs. Camillus G. Kidder of Orange, a cousin of Mrs. Thieriot, was at Lake Minnewaska, Ulster County, N.Y., when she received word of the fatal accident and left at once for Saranac Lake.
Born in New York in 1858, Mrs. Thieriot had been a resident of South Orange for thirty years, and was prominent in social circles and philanthropic activities. She is survived by two sons, Charles H. Thieriot of Oyster Bay, N.Y., and Frederick Thieriot of San Francisco, and one daughter, Mrs. Harold N. Kingsland of New York, besides Miss L. Celeste Thieriot.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Church of the Holy Communion, South Orange. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Information and articles provided to Historic Saranac Lake by Whit Dall, Pauline's great-grandson, in August of 2020.