Mr Karl Johan Salander was born on 25 July 1887 ¹ in Eldsberga, Halland, Sweden.

He was the son of Magnus Salander (a gardener b. 28 April 1849 at Brönninge, Kristianstad County) and Kerstin ² Persson (b. 28 February 1855 at Vellinge, Malmöhus County); they had married 4 June 1881.

His known brothers and sisters were: Kristina, b. 29 November 1881, Valfrid, b. 12 October 1883, Mella, b. 9 August 1885, Theodor, b. 23 September 1889, Gustaf, b. 19 October 1891, Gotthard, b. 31 July 1893, Magnus, b. 25 February 1896, and Erik Rudolf, b. 29 August 1901. All children had been born in Eldsberga except Magnus and Erik who were natives of nearby Tjärby, where the family moved to live at 3 Daggarp, Genevad.

His father is believed to have died around 1902.

Karl was a gardening student and had studied to that end in England and Germany.

Karl's brother Gustaf had emigrated in 1911, later living at 1906 West Main Street in Red Wing, Minnesota. Karl left Tjärby and travelled via Malmö and boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third class passenger intent on joining him there. He travelled under ticket number 7266 which cost £9, 6s, 6d.

Salander died in the sinking, his body, if recovered, was never identified.

The Mansion House Fund paid 874.08 Kr (£48) to his mother. A further 1366.50 Kr (£75) damage claims were paid to his mother on 29 May 1914. After his death Kerstin had asked for aid from the fund but the "Halland County Sheriff" wrote to ministry for foreign affairs that she wasn't in need of any help. Even so £48 was paid via the local vicar. What became of his mother is not clear but it is believed she died around 1922.

His brother in America, Gustaf, a florist, later moved to Wisconsin where he married a lady named Sophia Nelson (1889-1954) and they had a son named Leon (b. 1930). Gustaf died in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1973.