Lucian Philip Smith was born to Norval Preston and Anne Houston Smith, a family in the coal business.

He married Mary Eloise Hughes after a short courtship and the newlyweds had a world tour planned as their honeymoon.  They left the US on the Olympic under command of Captain Edward John Smith but by early Apri the couple were homesick and so made plans to return to West Virginia. They boarded Titanic in Cherbourg.

On the night of the disaster, Lucian was playing bridge with Paul Chevré, Alfred Fernand Omont and Pierre Maréchal. After the collision he rturned to his cabin to wake his wife.  "We are in the north and have struck an iceberg.  It does not amount to  anything, but will probably delay us a day getting into New York.   However, as a matter of form, the captain has ordered all ladies on  deck."

He assured his wife he would board a lifeboat laterand ensured she got on lifeboat 6. He kissed her goodbye and told her to keep her hands in her pockets. .

Lucian would not survive the diaster while his bridge paying companions all found safe passage on lifeboat 7 on the starboard side..

A memorial service was held in the same church in which he had been married three months prior. Eloise was already pregnant on the night of the disaster and gave birth to Lucian Philip Smith II in November 1912.