graceandcompany

Everything Perry’s book ‘Ghost of the Canopus’ is a great source of information about the Canopus in the Philippines during the start of WWII

This photo was published in the [Philadelphia] Evening Public Ledger., September 27, 1920, NIGHT EXTRA, Image 26. She was sponsor of the steamship Nora, launched at the New York Shipbuilding yard the previous Saturday. The Nora is number 257 in the list of ships built by New York Shipbuilding at newyorkship.org/ships/. The Library of Congress has a picture of her under construction: hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b39171 The Nora became the F.W. Abrams. See www.aukevisser.nl/inter/id108.htm "Oil tanker (Grace Steamship Co., Inc.), 13,000 grt, 98000 barrels. Named for daughter of J.P. Grace." Lillius Margarita Kent , born 1910, was the daughter of Lillius Juanita Kent, whose maiden name was Grace. See www.geni.com/people/Lillius-Kent/6000000024277262686 Nora, also born 1910, would be www.geni.com/people/Nora-Grace/6000000017251484418 and Lillius and Nora would have been cousins. Nora's father and Lillius' mother were siblings.

There's an interesting difference in the spelling of Miss Kent's first name. Early records show her as "Lillius," spelled the same as her mother. Later records and articles show her as "Lilias." She apparently married James Knott in January 1933. See: New York Times - January 11, 1933 - LILIAS KENT WED TO JAMES KNOTT; Granddaughter of the Late W. R. Grace Becomes Bride in Church Ceremony. She'd later marry Frederick Moseley Jr. See: New York Times - March 11, 1989 - Obituary - Frederick Moseley Jr., 75, Former Banker "He is survived by his wife, the former Lilias Kent Knott; three sons. . ."

TVL1970 : You beat me to it! I had found the Moseley obituary and a different piece about her marriage to James Knott. According to fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2018/New%20York%20NY%20Sun/Ne... she married James Knott in 1933 and was described as having been "Miss Lilias Kent."

Here's more on the June 11, 1942 sinking of SS F.W. Abrams (ex - SS Nora). It seems due to poor weather and navigation, she entered a minefield laid by the US Navy approximately 10 miles south of Hatteras Inlet, and struck a mine resulting in her demise. Her wreck rests 80 feet below the Atlantic Ocean, and is a popular dive destination. See: Dive Hatteras - F.W. Abrams

Link of the Evening public ledger., September 27, 1920, NIGHT EXTRA, Image 26, cited by swanq above: chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045211/1920-09-27/ed-... From www.aukevisser.nl/inter/id108.htm: "The tanker Nora, named after Nora Grace, daughter of Joseph P. Grace, president of the William R. Grace Steamship Company, was launched at the north yard of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation September 18 (1920). The sponsor was eleven-year-old Lilias Kent, niece of President Grace." (which confirms the statements of swanq )