Who was Anna Sinkkonen?

Anna Sinkkonen was a Finnish Titanic survivor who embarked on a remarkable journey from her humble beginnings in Finland to becoming a resilient immigrant in the United States. Born on March 12, 1882, in Parikkala, Finland, Anna’s life was forever changed by her experience aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic in 1912. Her story is one of survival, adaptation, and the pursuit of a new life in America.

Early Life and Family

Anna Maria Sinkkonen was born to farmers Matti Sinkkonen (b. 1847) and Leena Poutanen (1844-1897) in rural Finland. She was one of five children, with siblings Matti (b. 1870), Mikko (b. 1873), Katri (b. 1879), and Iida (b. 1884). Anna’s childhood was marked by hardship and limited opportunities:

She never received formal education
Could not read or write Finnish
Began working from an early age
Lost her mother at the age of 15 (fifteen)

Journey to America

Anna’s path to America was influenced by her siblings’ earlier emigration:

Brother Mikko emigrated to Boston in 1899
Sister Iida (Ida) moved to the US between 1900 and 1907
Anna first came to the USA possibly as early as 1903

Initially working as a maid, Anna returned to Finland for a visit sometime before 1910. It was on her journey back to Massachusetts that her life would intersect with one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters.

The Titanic Experience

Anna boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as a second-class passenger. Her ticket, number 250648, cost £13. Key details of her Titanic journey include:

Shared a cabin with Lyyli Silvén
Went to bed early on the night of the sinking
Initially dismissed the collision as insignificant
Was forcibly removed from her cabin by a steward

Anna’s survival story is both harrowing and miraculous:

“…the bow had already started to sink and they started lowering the first lifeboat. Miss Sinkkonen was one of those put into it. Nobody seemed to suffer and Miss Sinkkonen could not really understand why there was a hurry to get everybody into the lifeboats. She thought about how embarrassing it would be when everybody laughed at them, after having rowed around for a while, when they came back.” (New Yorkin Uutiset, April 24, front page)

Anna was thrown into a lifeboat, injured during the process, and found herself lying in the bottom of the boat until rescue arrived. Her experience highlights the confusion and disbelief that many passengers felt during the early stages of the sinking.

Life After the Titanic

Upon arriving in New York, Anna faced the challenges of being a non-English speaking survivor:

Quartered in a Jewish “Welcome Home” on 225 East 13th Street
Traveled to Boston by train wearing donated clothes
Wore a large tag with her name and destination

Anna’s resilience shone through as she rebuilt her life:

Worked as a maid for a Boston Police officer
Attended high school and learned English
Traveled to San Francisco and reconnected with Lyyli Silvén
Settled in Seattle in 1917
Married John Salmi in 1918

Later Life and Legacy

Anna and John Salmi’s life together included:

Moving to Issaquah, Washington in 1922
John working as a miner for B&R Coal Company
Anna becoming a naturalized US citizen in 1944

Anna Sinkkonen Salmi lived a long life, passing away on November 25, 1963, at the age of 81 (eighty-one). She was buried alongside her husband in Hillside Cemetery, Issaquah.

Anna’s journey from an uneducated farm girl in Finland to a Titanic survivor and eventually a naturalized American citizen embodies the immigrant experience of the early 20th century. Her story serves as a testament to human resilience and the capacity to build a new life in the face of extraordinary circumstances.