Mr Johan Cervin Svensson

Red Wing Daily Republican, 29th April 1912
(Cameron Bell, Northern Ireland)

Mr Johan Cervin Svensson, 14, was born 5 March 1898 the son of Sven Peter Johansson and Elisabeth Jönsdotter, he had six siblings, Anna, Jenny, John, Leonard, Reinhold and Gösta and lived at Knäred, Halland, Sweden.

Johan Cervin Svensson was the eldest son, Anna and Ellen were older. His father and Jenny had gone to Alcester, Beresford, South Dakota, USA in 1911 and the rest of the family was intending to follow. When Johan was ready to go his mother sewed 15 Kr into his jacket lining as spare cash.

He boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third class passenger . He later recalled that when the Titanic was sinking he sneaked onto the first class boat deck and after being refused twice finally got into lifeboat 13, the third boat he tried to enter.

On board the Carpathia he was at first thought to be a first class passenger but looking upon his clothes it was realized that was not possible and he was sent down to join the other steerage passengers. In New York he was met by his uncle Isak Johnson.

Once he got to South Dakota he changed his name to John C. Johnson and worked as a farmhand. At some point he travelled on to Michigan and later Kentucky before finally settling in Long Beach, California, where he worked as a ship welder.

He made his only visit to Sweden in 1961 and died on 4th July, 1981 in Long Beach, California.

Articles
Sioux Falls Argus Leader (South Dakota), 22nd March, 1998, SD Man survived Titanic's plunge

References
Claes-Göran Wetterholm (1988, 1996, 1999) Titanic. Prisma, Stockholm. ISBN 91 518 3644 0

Contributors
Peter Engberg-Klarström, Sweden
Leif Snellman, Finland