Encyclopedia Titanica

Martta Maria Hiltunen

Second Class Passenger

Martta Hiltunen

Miss Martta Maria Hiltunen was born in Kuopio, Finland on 7 February 1894, the daughter of Pekka Hiltunen (b. 1860) and Iida Muinonen (b. 1864).

Martta and her family had lived for some years in Kontiolahti, Utra where she was educated. On 21 March 1912 she was issued with a passport which entitled her to work in the USA for five years. She was travelling to the USA with Anna Hämäläinen and her infant son Wiljo who were residents of Detroit, Michigan. Martta would act as their housekeeper whilst in America.

Martta left Finland from Hanko on 3 April 1912 aboard the steamer Polaris. She boarded Titanic at Southampton on 10 April 1912 as a second class passenger (ticket number 250650 which cost £13) and may have shared a cabin with the Hämäläinens.

On the night of the sinking Anna Hämäläinen entrusted Martta with her suitcase during the evacuation. Martta accompanied Mrs Hämäläinen and her son to the upper decks but did not join them in a lifeboat, the reason for which is unknown. 

Martha was there just a little while before we left,' said Mrs. Hamlin (sic), but there was a crowd and so much excitement that we became separated....

Martta Hiltunen died in the sinking and her body, if recovered, was never identified.
 

References and Sources

Detroit Free Press, 21 April 1912

Research Articles

Peter Engberg-Klarström Titanica! (2018) Lost Ladies
Who were they and why did they die?

Credits

Gavin Bell, UK
Peter Engbeg, Sweden
Claes-Goeroan Wetterholm, Sweden
Leif Snellman

Comment and discuss

  1. Arun Vajpey

    Arun Vajpey

    In that first interview, Anna... Read full post
  2. hlydia

    hlydia

    Mr Pekka Pietari Hakkarainen.... I wonder if this man was her older brother or relative. They are from the same town and share male given names within their immediate family. Finnish Surnames are a mess. Anyway, so the story with Pekka is that he rose when he heard the first sounds and went to investigate but he did not return to his new wife who never saw him again. What if this man was looking for his little sister? What if this little sister would never leave without her brother? After all, the man Pekka and his wife changed their tickets last minute. Something of this emotional magnitude would cause such a woman to freeze. Not shaky knees, I don't think. Not this woman.
  3. Arun Vajpey

    Arun Vajpey

    There was no relation between Martta Hiltunen and Pekka Hakkarainen; they probably did not even know each other. Martta did have 4 brothers and 2 sisters but none of them were travelling with her. In fact, Martta received her passport only on 21st March 1912, less than a month before the voyage. Martta Hiltunen's father's name was also Pekka, which I believe was a common first name among Savonian Finns in those days. Pekka Hakkarainen was also a Savonian but he was living and working in the USA for several years previously and his wife was a naturalized American Finn. I do not believe he was a relative or even close acquaintance of Martta Hiltunen but they might have met on board the SS Polaris, which almost all Titanic bound Finns took from Hanko to Newcastle before catching the train to Southampton. Unlike almost all other Finns on board the Titanic (including Pekka Hakkarainen) who were in steerage, Martta was travelling in Second Class with Anna Hamalainen and her baby son... Read full post

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Titanic Passenger Summary

Name: Miss Martta Maria Hiltunen
Age: 18 years 2 months and 8 days (Female)
Nationality: Finnish
Marital Status: Single
Last Residence: in Utra, Finland
Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 250650, £13
Died in the Titanic disaster (15th April 1912)
Body Not Identified

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