The White Star Line ticket office at Skeppsbreon 10 in Stockholm as it appeared in 1908 and 2020
(Photo: Larssons ateljé, 30 July 1908, Stockholms Stadsmuseum. Fotonummer: C 848; Google Streeview; Juxtapose)
There were many Swedish passengers on board the Titanic. Quite a few of them lived or had lived (at some point) in Stockholm. Here you will find their stories.
Håkan Mauritz Björnström Steffanson
He was born 9 November 1883 at Österfärnebo, Gävleborg's County, Sweden, and was the son of engineer Erik Samuel, b. 10 July 1844 at Sunnemo, Värmland's County, Sweden, and Bertha Maria (nee Björnström; she was born 28 January 1852 at Uleåborg, Finland) Steffanson. His parents had married 21 September 1873. His father owned the Ruda estate and was involved in various industrial and philanthropical movements. He had at least two brothers; Gustaf Erik Albin, b. 7 July 1876 at Söderfors, and Sigfrid Staffan, b. 30 November 1880 at Östra Färnebo, and one sister; Siri Maria Mathilda, b. 30 March 1887 at Österfärnebo.
He had studied at the Technical High School (University) in Stockholm and had been an employee of Rydö Bruks Sulfitfabriker (a chemical manufacturing firm). He moved to Stockholm 21 July 1902, to 'Första Svea Artilleriregimentet,' and returned to his home in Mackmyra 19 October 1906; he was described as a sub-lieutenant in the military reserve. He left Copenhagen, Denmark, as a first cabin passenger on the steamer United States 9 November 1909 and was described as an unmarried engineer aged 26. He came to New York 16 November 1909, and was bound for Marquette, Kansas.
It is said he went to the USA on a scholarship; in (late) 1910, however, he was back at Mackmyra Sulfit Aktiebolag in Gävleborg's County. He then went back to the USA and sailed from Southampton, England, 6 April 1913 as a first cabin passenger on the steamer George Washington, bound for New York City.
He married Mary Pinchot Eno 12 December 1917 at the bride's home at 56 East 57th Street. He was 6' tall, had light hair and grey eyes. He became rich through real estate business and by business in the wood industry and in 1917 he was president of his own business, Steffanson & Co.
He died 21 May 1962 in New York.
Left: The Royal Technical High School (Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan) where Mr. Steffanson studied; Right: His home at Kommendörsgatan 2
(Photos: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
She was born 18 December 1856 in Ängelholm, Skåne County, Sweden, to count Knut Lage Fredriksson (10 March 1821-24 October 1900) Posse, and Louisa (nee Aminoff; 21 December 1829- 5 February 1890) Posse, who had married 12 May 1852 in Malmö, Malmöhus County, Sweden. She had been christened 9 May 1856 at Garnison, Ängelholm, in the Church of Sweden. Knut Posse was a count (greve) and a Major General in the Swedish army. Her brothers and sisters were Ebba, b. 4 September 1853, Arvid, b. 14 April 1855, and Christer, b. 5 December 1858 (he died 1886 in the Congo). Her uncle Arvid had served as Swedish Premier from 1880 to 1883.
She married Captain Carl Johan Lindström (b. 21 July 1849 at Växjö; his father was a country squire) on 24 July 1888 and they had at least three daughters; Ebba, b. 7 August 1892 in Linköping (d. 2 June 1893), Sigrid, b. 23 August 1889 in Linköping, and Mary, b. 25 October 1894 in Linköping.
They had lived in Växjö from 1888, but had moved to Linköping later the same year and then moved to Stockholm 2 September 1910, living in Hedvig Eleonora parish, at Östermalmsgatan 20. In 1912,
Sigrid Lindström lived at Östermalmsgatan 20, Stockholm and she was going to a Mrs. Norbert in New York, having travelled via Paris to get to the Titanic at Cherbourg. When the Titanic sank, Håkan Björnström-Steffanson claimed he had met her on deck and had helped her into a lifeboat. According to the Carpathia, she was going to 63 Riverside Drive, New York City. She stood 5'4'', had brown hair, grey eyes and a light complexion. She became a widow in 1917 and she passed away on 3 November 1946 in Lidingö, Sweden, aged 89.
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
He was born 1 March, 1894, to Carl Johan, a former marine petty officer born 20 August 1846 at Karlskrona, Blekinge, and Erika Kristina (nee Johansdotter, born 11 January 1850 at Långemåla, Kalmar County) Björklund in Skeppsholmen, Stockholms County, Sweden, who had married 10 November 1878. He had four siblings; Emil Helge, b. 13 December 1877, Carl Eugen, b. 2 November 1881, Elsa Viktoria, b. 10 July 1885 in Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, and a brother, Jan Harald, b. 2 November 1883 in Skeppsholmen.
In 1910, the Björklund family lived in Uppvaktaren No. 7 in Stockholm, in Klara parish.
In 1912, Ernst Björklund lived at Grevgatan 62, Stockholm. He was going to relatives (a married brother?) in New York – they had promised him there was work for him in that city. His father was a retired army officer with a small income.
He left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and arrived at Hull, England on 7 April 1912. From there he went to Southampton where he joined the Titanic on 10 April.
From the Red Cross files:
047. (Swedish) A boy 18 years old was lost. He had with him $270 and many things sent from home to a married brother in New York, who with a sick wife and three infant children was in poor circumstances. The father in Sweden, a retired army officer with a small income, has an aged wife and a daughter to support. Immediate relief was given to the needy brother here, during the illness of his wife, and $125 was placed with the Charity Organization Society to be used as needed for the benefit of his family. Information concerning the family in Sweden was sent to the English Committee, which gave $50 to the father. ($150) Charity fund: £48 paid to his parents. Compensation claim: £50 paid 29 June 1914 to his parents.
Grevgatan 62, where the Björklunds lived at some point just prior to his sailing.
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström, Google Streetview)
She was born 5 February 1890 in Västerhaninge, Stockholms County, Sweden. Her parents were Karl Magnus, a police official b. 16 August 1842 at Muskö, Stockholm County, and Margareta Ulrika (nee Persdotter; b. 4 April 1850 in Västerhaninge, Stockholm County) Dahlberg, who lived in Norrlöt, Tungelsta, Södertörn, Stockholms County, and who had married 29 June 1871. Her brothers and sisters included Erik Gustaf, b. 6 August 1883, Viktor Ludvig, b. 23 October 1888, Signe Margareta, b. 29 March 1892, Katrina Lovisa, b. 3 August 1893, and Knut Albert, b. 29 January 1886. Gerda had moved to Stockholm in November 1906 and lived at Karlavägen 69 between 1 May and 25 July 1907, when she moved back to Västerhaninge. In 1910, she lived with her family in Västerhaninge, listed as having no particular occupation. Her family lived in rather poor circumstances and Gerda was on her way to a sister, Mrs. Augusta (?) Spetz, 1734 Sedgwick Avenue, Chicago. The vicar of her home parish noted that she had left Västerhaninge 26 March 1912, bound for North America. The vicar also noted that she had perished in the sinking of the Titanic 13 (sic) April 1912.
She left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and arrived in Hull, England on 7 April 1912. From there she went to Southampton where she joined the Titanic on 10 April. Charity fund: £48 paid to her parents. Compensation claim: £50 paid 30 June 1914 to her parents.
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
He was born 16 December 1888 in Adolf Fredrik parish, Stockholm, Sweden, to Gustaf Fredrik, a merchant/shopkeeper b. 9 January 1835 in Katarina parish in Stockholm, and Anna Lovisa (nee Andersson; b. 24 March 1844 in Norrköpings Borg, Östergötland County) Dyker. His parents had married 30 October 1887.
In 1890, the family lived in Södertälje, Södermanland's County (directly to the south of Stockholm). In 1891, the family lived in Kungsholmen, Stockholm (Fleminggatan 12?) and in 1900, they lived at Upplandsgatan 11.
He came to Boston, Massachusetts 6 March 1905 and was bound for a Mr. Fuleke, c/o American Telephone Company in Boston. He was noted as an unmarried student aged 16. He had worked as a tramway ticket collector or a streetcar conductor in New Haven, Connecticut.
He had married Anna Anderson 24 June 1908 at New Haven, Connecticut. He may also have worked in a bank in New York. His father had been a cafe owner at 11 Upplandsgatan, Stockholm, for 23 years, but he had died recently (1 December 1911) and the Dykers had been in Stockholm to see to the inheritance and were now on their way back to New Haven.
In 1910, they lived at Center Street in New Haven, together with Mrs. Dyker's parents, Carl A. and Johanna M. Anderson. Mr. Dyker was described as a streetcar conductor. He had come to the USA in 1905. He stood 6'2.5'', had hazel eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion.
Mr. and Mrs. Dyker left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there they went to Southampton where they joined the Titanic 10 April.
From the Red Cross files:
131. (Swedish) The husband was drowned. His wife was saved. He was twenty-three years of age, a street car conductor in New Haven, earning $14 a week, was considered an unusually valuable employe, and was in line for rapid promotion. His wife, American born, is twenty-two years of age. She has never been in robust health and, after the wreck, was confined in bed for many weeks. She had been studying in the Yale Music School, and occasionally sang in churches. As a result of her experience her voice left her entirely and there was uncertainty for some time that she would ever regain it. She is making her home with her mother who is in moderate circumstances. From other American relief funds she has received $1,161.20 ($1,200) Charity fund: £48 paid to his mother 23 January 1913. Compensation claim: no information.
Upplandsgatan 11 (To the right in the left-hand picture), where Adolf Fredrik's father ran a café.
(Photo: Herbert Lindgren (1919-1987). Photo from 1962. Stockholms Stadsmuseum, fotonummer Fg 9775, Google Streetview)
She was born 21 December 1883 at Österplana, Skaraborg's County, Sweden, to Per Henrik, a blacksmith b. 10 March 1855 at Medelplana, Skaraborg, and Mathilda Charlotta (nee Gustafsdotter; b. 4 September 1854 at Wing, Skaraborg) Larsson. Her parents had married 14 November 1880. Her mother died before 1890 and her father married Emma Kristina Pettersdotter on 19 October 1890. She had a foster sister; Augusta Vilhelmina Alfredsdotter, b. 3 June 1889 at Österplana, Skaraborg, and two brothers; Karl Adolf, b. 30 September 1881, and John Birger, b. 16 January 1887; she also had three half-brothers, Gustav Fridolf, b. 14 July 1891, David Rudolf, b. 30 December 1894, and Erik Hugo, b. 25 April 1900 (their mother was Per Henrik's second wife).
She moved to Skara, Västergötland, 22 October 1901 and had at one point been a housekeeper at the Lustig family there (and subsequently knew the Bryhls). She seems to have lived there for a year only.
She moved to Kulletomten in Norra, Skaraborg's County, 18 November 1902, where she worked as a maid at a farm called Almkullen.
She moved to Stockholm 22 October 1906 and her first address was Humlegårdsgatan 19 and then Sturegatan 8 (the addresses appear to be adjacent0.
She then, in 1910, worked as a housekeeper for bank clerk/law clerk Karl Fredrik Leonard Påhlman (b. 1858) in Stockholm, at Barnhusgatan 10 in Adolf Fredrik's parish.
She left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there she went to Southampton where she joined the Titanic 10 April. She was en route to Olaus Rask, 805 East 2nd Street, Iron Mountain, Michigan, together with her cousin Ellen Petterson; also with the Skoog family. All would be lost when the Titanic went down.
Charity fund: £48 paid to her parents. Compensation claim: £50 paid 4 May 1914 to her father.
Her body may have been recovered and identified (No. 3) and she was buried at Fairview Cemetery.
(Photo: Karl Ransell. 24 November 1918. Stockholms Stadsmuseum Fotonummer E 11506)
Born 29 September, 1878, in Östra Ny, Östergötland, Sweden, to Anders (listed 'and') Samuel, a carpenter born 22 September 1849 at Å in Östergötland County, and Augusta Kristina (nee Andersdotter; b. 15 July 1857 at Östra Ny, Östergötland) Karlsson. His parents had married 30 October 1874. His brothers and sisters included Judit Cecilia Antonia, b. 1875, Jenny Celinda, b. 9 April 1884, Justus Erik Konstantin, b. 1888, and Julia Carolina Elisabet, b. 1900.
In 1890, he lived with his family in Norrköping, Östergötland, in a block of flats called 'Barken.' He moved to Maria Magdalena parish in Stockholm 5 March 1898 and then lived at Brännkyrkagatan 84, but soon moved to No. 148, where he apparently lived for six years.
In 1910, he was described as a worker in a woollen factory, living in Maria Magdalena parish, ''rote 16;'' he had in fact left Stockholm in 1904 and moved to Malmö, and was noted in the records as ''non-resident since 1904.'' He is said to have studied weaving in Finland and had allegedly got a degree from Lenning School of Weavery in Norrköping. After that, he is said to have worked at a textile factory in Vejle, Denmark, and constructed weaving machines. It is not known when he went to Finland or Denmark; there is no documentation of this in the church records.
He had an extramarital son, Klas Julius Öjvind Holtsberg, who later lived in Christiania, Norway. The mother of his son was Alerine Margarethe Sörensen, a Danish girl who worked in a shop. At some point he had moved to Gothenburg, where he lived at Annielund 5, Krokslätt. He is said to have worked at Claes Johannesson-Marks Mechanical Works in Gothenburg.
He married Adelaide Fredrika (nee Gran; she was born 27 May 1879 in Gothenburg) Karlsson 18 February 1910. The vicar of their home parish in Fässberg, Gothenburg and Bohus County, noted that Mr. Karlsson had left his home parish 27 March 1912 and that he had died in the sinking of the Titanic. The vicar noted Mr. Karlsson's occupation was 'engineer.' Mr. Karlsson left Malmö 5 April 1912 and was bound for Chicago, Illinois. His widow stated she was supposed to join him in the USA later in the summer of 1912.
Julius Carlson, nephew of C. W. Carlson, Sixteenth street and Second avenue, Moline, is supposed to have been of those in the Titanic disaster. Carlson notified his relatives here that he would sail for America on a certain date, which was the same the Titanic weighed anchor. Nothing has been heard from him since that time and the name Julius Carlson is on the list of those not saved. - Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa, 19 April 1912, p. 9
Charity fund: £48 paid to his parents, 100£ to his wife and £70 paid to his mother-in-law. Compensation claim: £300 paid 28 August 1914 to his wife (half) and to his parents (half).
(Photo: Lennart af Petersens (1913-2004). Stockholms Stadsmuseum. Bildnummer SSMF064738)
The whole area where Mr. Karlsson worked and lived was demolished in or about 1912.
He was born 5 December 1882 at Norra Vi, Östergötland, Sweden, to crofter Gustav Edvard, b. 24 March 1839 at Axforska gården (farm), Sjöhult, and Hedda Charlotta (nee Petersdotter, b. 28 August 1846) Larsson. His parents had married 2 July 1875. His brothers and sisters were Karl Gustav David, b. 24 December 1875, Lars/Karl Viktor Ivan, b. 19 February 1877, Gerda Cecilia, b. 1 September 1879, Salomon Rickard, b. 22 July 1884, Benktina Sofia, b. 18 October 1887, and Signe Elisabeth, b. 20 January 1890.
In 1910, he lived with his family at Wästergården, Tullerum near Norra Vi, and was described as a buyer born 1882. He moved from Norra Vi to Apelbergsgatan 37 in Klara parish, Stockholm, 14 March 1912, and must have gone to England to join the Titanic very shortly after moving there; it was reported he had emigrated to America 2 April 1912 . He was also described as a bookkeeper, who had worked in a grocer's store in Drottninggatan, Stockholm (albeit he cannot have worked there very long).
He left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there he went to Southampton where he joined the Titanic 10 April. He was bound for Axel Pettersen, 70, Smith Street, Hartford, Connecticut. However, his father stated Bengt had no specific destination in the USA. Charity fund: £48 paid to his parents. Compensation claim: £50 paid 25 August 1914 to his parents.
(Photo: Lennart af Petersens (1913-2004). Photo from 1958. Stockholms Stadsmuseum. Fotonummer F58636)
This area of Apelbergsgatan does not exist any longer - not in the 1912 version, at least.
Agda Thorilda Victoria Lindahl
She was born on 19 December 1886 in Jakob and Johannes parish, Stockholm, Sweden. Her parents were Carl Peter, a tailor b. 9 January 1864 in Vissefjärda, Småland, and Johanna Matilda (nee Carlsdotter; b. 31 October 1863 in Vissefjärda) Lindahl. Her brothers and sisters were noted as Carl Gustaf, b. 14 July 1885 (d. 7 March 1909 in New York), Hugo Vilgot Fabian, b. 20 July 1888 (d. 31 August 1907 in New York), Vilma Klotilda Isabella, b. 4 June 1890, Vara Lavina Matilda, b. 26 July 1895, and Alf Helge Tycho Roland, b. 31 March 1903. Her father had been a tailor with a shop at Kommendörsgatan 16 in Stockholm. He died 22 June 1904, listed as having lived at Humlegårdsgatan 14/16, Stockholm. There was no money left from the father's shop, and the family was left in rather poor circumstances.
After the death of her father, she and her family had emigrated to the USA, but apparently not at the same time. Agda and her sister Vilma, both described as 'servants,' first left Gothenburg 29 November 1905 and then went to England, from where they left Liverpool 2 December 1905 as steerage (i. e. third class) passengers on the steamer Carmania and came to New York 11 December 1905. They were both able to read and write and they were headed for 28th Street in New York City, which was the home of a friend, Mrs. M. Samuelsson.
Her mother and sister Vera came to New York in December 1906. Two of her brothers became sick and died soon after their arrival in the USA, in 1907 and 1909, respectively.
There is no trace of her in the 1910 census.
She had been to Stockholm to visit her uncle August Lindahl at Apelbergsgatan 34 for about three months. Her real purpose with the trip was said to have been to collect her brother Alf Helge, who in 1910 lived as a foster son in the family of shoemaker Peter Elof Niklasson (b. 1867) and his wife Karolina (nee Karlsdotter, b. 1869) in the Vissefjärda parish of Skinnabo, Kalmar County. Her brother, however, refused to come with her to the USA. Her widowed mother worked as a laundress.
Agda left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there she went to Southampton where she joined the Titanic 10 April. The White Star Line stated her destination in the USA was 'Alfred Johnson, 421, East Carlisle Avenue, Spokane, Wash.'
From the Red Cross files:
265. (Swedish) A girl, 19 years old and the principal help of her widowed mother, was drowned, while returning from a visit to her young brother in Sweden. The mother is a laundress, earning $8 a week. Since coming to this country five years ago, the eldest son died of tuberculosis. Of the three other children, the elder daughter has tuberculosis, but works as a waitress in a sanatorium, earning $20 a month; the younger, who is 16 years old, has a decided tendency toward the disease. The family live in a famous resort for tubercular patients. The son is with his grandparents in Sweden, to whom the mother pays board. The daughter who was drowned was the only strong one of the children, earning regularly $25 a month. The mother is getting old and will not be able long to continue the laundry work, which is her only means of support. The income of the daughter now working as a waitress is irregular and may stop at any time, as her health is precarious. The other daughter is likely to gain robust health, if cared for properly during the next few years. Of the appropriation made by this Committee $100 was used by the mother for immediate needs. The remainder has been placed in trust with a Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, which will keep close watch of the welfare of the family and pay a pension as it is needed. From other American relief funds the family has received $600. ($2,600)
Charity fund: £48 paid to mother and brother. Compensation claim: details unknown.
(Photo: N. E. Grundén; 1962. Stockholms Stadsmuseum. Fotonummer Fö 590)
Born 29 July 1886 in Julita, Södermanlands County, to Per Ulrik, a farmhand working for the state (b. 29 October 1854) and Kristina Mathilda (nee Larsdotter; b. 12 October 1859) Persson. His known brothers and sisters were Elna Mathilda, b. 3 August 1882 (a victim of the sinking of the Titanic), Emilia Sofia, b. 8 April 1888, Edith Kristina, b. 17 May 1891 and Ester Karolina, b. 20 June 1896, all born at Julita. His parents had married on 30 October 1881.
Persson seems to have had a variety of occupations. Around 1903, he was a farmhand at Julita Gård. In 1907-1908 he was noted as a carpenter; the census of 1910 listed him as a ''dammsugarförman'' (which translates into ''vacuum hoover supervisor,'') at Holländargatan 4 and in 1912, he was listed as a ''postvakt'' (meaning ''post guard'', probably some kind of doorkeeper or concierge). The Red Cross stated he was a chauffeur... perhaps he stated this as an aspiration.
He married Anna Sofia Johansson 8 December 1907 and had two small sons; Ernst Tage and Bertil. In the census of 1910 they were listed living at Kungsgatan, Stockholm, his address, however, seems rather to have been Apelbergsgatan 50 only a few metres from Holländargatan 4.
He left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there he went to Southampton where he joined the Titanic 10 April.
He was travelling with his sister Elna and niece Thelma Ström, and was probably going to Indiana Harbour with them. Alternatively, he may have been going to 3546 LaSalle Avenue, Chicago. The Carpathia listed him as going to an aunt, Mrs. E. Carlsson, 3546 South Seeley Avenue, Chicago.
In 1917, he was a furnace heater working for the Standard Steel Forging Company, living in Indiana Harbor, Indiana. He was of medium height, slender, had blue eyes and brown hair. He stated he had three children at the time. He stated his left hand was disabled by a piece of st (rest illegible).
He was made a naturalized citizen of the USA 1 April 1920; at the time, his address was 7129 Champlain Avenue, Chicago, which also was the address of his brother-in-law, Oscar Wilhelm Ström.
He died on 17 October 1951 in Hammond, Lake County, Indiana.
Red Cross files:
No. 376: 'Chauffeur, 25 years of age, coming with his sister and her little daughter, both of whom were drowned, lost baggage and $50 in cash. He has wife and two young children in Sweden. ($50).'
Left: Apelbergsgatan 50 as it looks today (this building, apparently built in the 1930s, seems to have replaced the one in which Mr. Persson lived in 1912).
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
Right: The area where Mr. Persson lived (ca. 1900).
Photographer unknown. Stockholms Stadsmuseum, fotonummer C1185.
She was born 19 July 1893 at Österplana, Skaraborg's County, Sweden. Her parents were Gustaf, a crofter b. 14 December 1865 at Österplana, and Anna Nathalia (nee Andersdotter, b. 13 March 1870 at Forshem) Pettersson. Her parents had married 28 March 1890. Her brothers and sisters were Elin Maria, b. 20 June 1890 (d. 16 July 1890), Axel Wilhelm, b. 24 June 1891, Harald William, b. 18 September 1895, Swen Fridolf, b. 5 March 1898, and Åke Gunnar, b. 11 January 1908 at Medelplana. All of her siblings except Åke were born at Österplana.
It is not immediately known when she left Österplana, but in 1910, she lived in the household of grocer Klara Kristina Pettersson, b. 1872 in Huddinge, Stockholm, at Rörstrandsgatan 24 in the parish of Matteus in Stockholm. Klara Kristina had a daughter, Emma, and a foster son, Hugo, who also lived there. Ellen was described as a domestic servant in the household (there were two in all).
In 1912, she is said to have lived with relatives in Stockholm and was emigrating to the USA together with Jenny Henriksson (they are said to have been related), who lived relatively close by in Stockholm, and the Skoog family Wilhelm Skoog was her uncle (her mother's brother). Their destination was said to have been c/o Olaus Rask, 805 East 2nd Street, Iron Mountain, Michigan.
She left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there she went to Southampton where she joined the Titanic 10 April. All were lost when the Titanic went down. Charity fund: £48 paid 23 January 1913 to her father. Compensation claim: £25 paid 15 July 1914 to her father.
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
Anna Bernhardina Skoog, nee Karlsdotter, was born on 13 November 1866 in Kinne-Vedum, Skaraborgs County, Sweden, to Karl (b. 3 April 1828 at Undenäs) and Maja Greta (nee Andersdotter; b. 2 December 1828 at Bellefors) Eriksson. Her parents had married 22 August 1858. She had three known sisters; Hedda Sofia, b. 3 December 1858, Eva Charlotta, b. 5 November 1869, and Kristina Elisabet, b. 15 July 1873.
She moved to Stockholm 13 June 1891 and first lived at Vasagatan 14 in Klara parish, where she worked as a maid, apparently in the household of clerk Gösta Miles Karlström (b. 1857) and his widowed mother Sofia Ulrika Karlström (b. 1831). In early April 1894, she served for two months as a maid in the household of grocer Friedrich Weisner and his family, and 30 April 1894, she lived at Brahegatan 4 in Hedvig Eleonora parish, working as a maid and in 1895 her address was Riddargatan 4, still working as a maid; the landlady seems to have been a Mrs. Widstrand, a widow whose late husband had been a master painter. There were several other maids living in the house at the time.
She moved from Hedvig Eleonora parish in Stockholm to Sjörås, Forshem, in 1898 (before June). She married Vilhelm Skog 5 June 1898 in Skaraborg's County, and they moved to Österplana 16 November 1899, but they did not stay there for very long.
The couple left for America 25 April 1900 going first to Gothenburg from where they made their way to Hull. They left Liverpool, England, 8 May 1900 as passengers on the steamer Ultonia and came to Boston, Massachusetts, about 15 May 1900. Mr. Skoog was noted as a labourer and they were both able to read and write. They were bound for 1011 Bullan or Bukan Street in Iron Mountain, Michigan, where a friend, John Olsson, lived.
Their last place of permanent residence in Sweden was noted as Östeplana (should be Österplana). They had five children, four of whom were born in Michigan; Johan Erik, b. 18 June 1899 at Forshem (d. 16 September 1899), Karl Torsten, b. 13 July 1900, Mabel C., b. 22 July 1902, Harald V., b. 22 August 1906, and Margit Elizabeth, b. 14 April 1900. The vicar noted in the parish church record that they had gone to America 25 April 1900.
In 1910, they lived at 318 West Street in Iron Mountain, listed as the Skogg family. Mr. Skoog was described as a mining fireman and it was stated he was a naturalized citizen of the USA.
The family left Iron Mountain in 1911 to settle in Hällekis, Sweden, but changed their minds after a few months, and were now going back to Michigan accompanied by Jenny Henriksson and Ellen Nathalia Pettersson, (Wilhelm Skoog's sister Anna Nathalia was Ellen Nathalia's mother).
The group left Gothenburg 5 April 1912 on the steamer Calypso of the Wilson Line and came to Hull, England, 7 April 1912. From there they went to Southampton where they joined the Titanic 10 April.
Mr. Skoog sold out his property at Iron Mountain last fall and went to Sweden for a visit. If he liked it there he intended to purchase property and settle in the old country but the ways of his native land seemed slow after having lived so long in America and he decided to return with his family and continue his residence in this country. He sailed on the Titanic and is numbered among the missing. - The Diamond Drill, Crystal Falls, Michigan, 27 April 1912, p. 1
Charity fund: £48 paid by mistake to her father, who had died in 1893. Through an agreement between the consulate and the charity fund, the sum was instead given to her brothers and sisters. Compensation claim: no information.
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
He was born 2 March 1887 in Jakob and Johannes parish, Stockholm, Sweden, to Hilda Carolina Blom (father's name is not revealed in the records; she was born 19 or 29 February 1860 at Tuna, Södermanland County, possibly Hilda Carolina Olsson) and Gustaf Walfrid Tenglin (b. 8 February 1860 in Nysätra, Uppsala). His parents had married 22 April 1889, i. e. after his birth. He had one known brother: Einar Valfrid Hilding, b. 25 July 1893.
In 1910, he was a butcher's assistant living at Västmannagatan 80 in the parish of Matteus in Stockholm.
He was going to a friend, Erik Moberg, 502 South Marshall Avenue, Burlington, Iowa. He was listed as a fireman.
He married Anna Emilia Kendahl on 6 July 1913 in Burlington, and he passed away on 6 February 1974 in Burlington.
Red Cross files, No. 447: 'Fireman, 25 years old.' ($50)
(Photo: Peter Engberg-Klarström)
He was born 25 March 1886, Hedvig Eleonora parish, Stockholm, as Johan Vilhelm Henry (Björklund), to parents Karl Johan Gabrielsson, a landowner and bricklayer b. 5 October 1829 in Amnehärad, Skaraborg, and Vilhelmina (nee Larsson; 13 October 1844 – 21 August 1900) Björklund. His parents had married 22 April 1878. Karl Johan had been married before, but his first wife, Stina Maja, nee Larsdotter, had died 24 August 1877 and he subsequently remarried.
Johan Vilhelm Henry's known siblings were Anna Wilhelmina, b. 22 December 1858; she was Karl Johan's daughter from his first marriage, Karl Alfred, b. 5 September 1863, who also was a son from Karl Johan's first marriage, Einar Julius, b. 24 July 1880 (d. 24 May 1881), and Maximiliana Jenny Katarina, b. 7 November 1875 at Örebro; she was apparently a daughter from Karl Johans' first marriage.
He had been living in Örebro as a child, but in 1896 he lived at Apelbergsgatan 35 in Stockholm, and 12 November 1899 he and his family came to Bromma, now part of Stockholm, then a community in its own right.
He emigrated 2 October 1902 with his sister to the USA, where he had attended navigation school and had got a certificate as a ship's officer.
He passed away on 13 September 1946 in Colma, San Mateo, California.
''William H. Turnquist, 60, veteran captain of the Matson Navigation Co., survivor of the German sinking of the Lusitania (sic) off the Irish coast, and a veteran of World Wars I and II, died September 13 in a local hospital after suffering a heart attack on board the ship he had been assigned to command on the San Francisco-Australia run.
Turnquist was a native of Stockholm and had lived in the United States 40 years. He started his working career as a seaman and was a quartermaster on the Lusitania when the ship was torpedoed. He was rescued after many hours in the waters of the Irish sea. He later was assigned to a naval and participated in many campaigns. During World war II he held the rank of captain and commanded an assault transport. He was the skipper of the Calawall of the Los Angeles Steamship line on the Los Angeles to Honlulu run when in 1931 the Matson line absorbed the Los Angeles company. Turnquist was commanding the S. S. Mariposa of San Francisco-Australia run when World war II broke out. He reported to the Navy and served during the entire conflict.
He reported back to Matson when peace came and had been given the S. S. White Squall, which was being put in shape in the Consolidated shipyards here. Turnquist was in charge of the work, having been here for a month. He lived at 1900 Vallejo street in San Francisco and is survived by his widow, Mrs. Novelle Turnquist, and a son, William H. Turnquist, of San Francisco, and a step-sister, Miss Jean Turnquist of Bridgeport, Conn. Funeral services and interment will be in San Francisco, with Mottell's mortuary in charge of local arrangements.'' - Long Beach Independent, 15 September 1946.
The Honolulu Advertiser of 17 October 1946 stated Mr. Turnquist had been quartermaster on the Titanic. They also said he had been a relief master of the S. S. Mariposa and had been chief officer on the City of Honolulu, master of the Calawai and the Diamond Head. He had joined the Matson line in 1927 as first officer. His final command had been the White Squall, a Maston-chartered freighter.
(Photo: Lennart af Petersens (1913-2004). Photo from 1958. Stockholms Stadsmuseum. Fotonummer F58636)
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