was the wife of a Colorado mining millionaire. Intelligent
though self-taught -- she spoke several languages -- she was a plain-spoken woman without background in high society, who was generally shunned by the socialites of Denver. When Titanic was sinking, she was evacuated in lifeboat #6, under the command of Quartermaster Hichens. Having been at the wheel of Titanic when she struck the iceberg, Hichens was completely unnerved and directed the boat away from the sinking ship as fast as possible. He was terrified that they would be swamped by the suction as the ship went down, or overwhelmed by swimmers desperate to be saved. Mrs. Brown and several more women wanted to return to help save others, but they were overruled by Hichens' bullying and by the
frightened silence of the majority of the lifeboat's passengers. As Hichens' fears became less and less rational, Mrs. Brown effectively took over command of the boat and persuaded the women to help with the rowing. Her heroism and selflessness during the disaster was much talked about afterwards and earned her the moniker "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."
