Isidor Straus

Isidor Straus (February 6, 1845 – April 15, 1912) was a German-born American businessman and co-owner of Macy's department store with his brother Nathan. He also served briefly as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He died with his wife, Ida, in the sinking of the passenger ship RMS Titanic.

Early life

Isidor Straus was born in Otterberg in Kaiserslautern county in the Pfalz, Germany. He was the first of five children of Lazarus Straus (1809–1898) and his second wife Sara (1823–1876). His siblings were Hermine (1846–1922), Nathan (1848–1931), Jakob Otto (1849–1851) and Oscar Solomon Straus (1850–1926). In 1854 he and his family immigrated to the United States, following his father Lazarus who immigrated two years before. They settled in Talbotton, Georgia, where Lazarus had convinced Rowland Hussey Macy to allow L. Straus & Sons to open a crockery department in the basement of his store.

Later life

In 1871, Isidor Straus married Rosalie Ida Blun (1849–1912). They were parents to seven children (one of whom died in infancy):