Eleanor Ileen Johnson

Who was Eleanor Ileen Johnson?

Miss Eleanor Ileen Johnson was one of the youngest survivors of the Titanic disaster, born on August 23, 1910, in St. Charles, Illinois. She was just 1 (one) year old when she boarded the ill-fated ship with her mother and brother. Despite her tender age during the tragedy, Eleanor went on to live a long life, becoming a notable Titanic survivor and an important link to the historic event well into the late 20th century.

Early Life and Family

Eleanor was born into a family with Swedish and Finnish roots. Her father, Oscar Walfrid Theodor Johnson, was a Swedish immigrant who came to the United States in 1901. Her mother, Aliina Vilhelmina Backberg, was of Finnish origin and arrived in America around 1905. The couple married on April 6, 1907, and Eleanor was their second child, following her elder brother Harold Theodor, born in 1908.

Before Eleanor’s birth, the family lived at 254 Sixth Avenue in St. Charles, Illinois, where her father worked in a bowling alley. This diverse background would shape Eleanor’s early years and her connection to both American and Scandinavian cultures.

The Titanic Journey

In early 1911, when Eleanor was just a few months old, she traveled with her mother and brother to Finland to visit her dying grandfather. After this family visit, they planned to return to America aboard the Titanic. This decision would unknowingly place young Eleanor at the center of one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters.

Titanic Voyage Details:

Class: 3rd Class
Ticket Number: 347742
Cabin: Unknown
Lifeboat: 15
Embarked: Southampton
Destination: New York City

The Night of the Sinking

On the fateful night of April 14, 1912, Eleanor’s mother took her children to the upper decks as the Titanic began to sink. In the chaos of the evacuation, the Johnson family managed to secure a place in one of the aft starboard lifeboats, believed to be either lifeboat 13 or 15.

An interesting anecdote from that night involves Eleanor’s brother Harold. As they were boarding the lifeboat, Harold was initially left behind, held by one of their traveling companions, Elin Braf, who was frozen in fear. Eleanor’s mother had to call out for Harold, and eventually, the young boy was pulled from Elin’s arms and pushed into the boat, while Elin remained behind on the sinking ship.

Post-Titanic Life

How did the Titanic experience affect Eleanor’s early years?

Although Eleanor was too young to have conscious memories of the sinking, she later spoke of a haunting vision that she attributed to her Titanic experience. She described a memory of being held in her mother’s arms at a great height, surrounded by people, with many hands reaching around her and the sounds of screams. This vivid recollection, whether a true memory or a constructed one, demonstrates the profound impact the Titanic had on her life from its very beginning.

Family Life After the Tragedy

After their rescue, Eleanor and her family resettled in St. Charles, Illinois. Tragically, her father Oscar died on October 31, 1917, when Eleanor was just 7 (seven) years old. Her mother remarried twice, first briefly to Hans Thorvald Amundson in 1918, and then to Carl Oscar Peterson in 1920. These marriages brought Eleanor several step-siblings and half-siblings, resulting in a large blended family of nine children.

Adult Life and Career

Eleanor’s adult life was marked by both ordinary pursuits and her extraordinary connection to the Titanic. She worked in a watch factory in Elgin, Illinois, where she met her future husband, Delbert Earl Shuman. After their marriage, Eleanor switched careers, working as a telephone operator for the Telephone Company until her retirement in 1962.

Eleanor’s Titanic Legacy

How did Eleanor contribute to Titanic history and memory?

Eleanor played a significant role in keeping the memory of the Titanic alive:

She attended screenings of Titanic films in the 1950s, including “Titanic” (1953) and “A Night to Remember” (1958).
She was a guest of honor at two screenings of James Cameron’s “Titanic” (1997) and was the only Titanic survivor the director met.
Eleanor participated in numerous interviews for radio, television, and newspapers.
She attended conventions of the Titanic Historical Society.
In her later years, she joined a special cruise to the Titanic wreck site.

These activities helped maintain public interest in the Titanic story and provided valuable first-hand connections to the historic event, even though Eleanor’s own memories were limited due to her young age at the time of the sinking.

Final Years

Eleanor lived a long life, remaining in her home in Elgin, Illinois after becoming a widow in 1981. She passed away on March 7, 1998, at the age of 87 (eighty-seven) in Sherman Hospital, Elgin. Her final resting place is at Lakewood Memorial Park in Elgin.

Eleanor Ileen Johnson’s life spanned nearly the entire 20th century, beginning with one of its most famous tragedies and ending as one of the last links to that fateful night in April 1912. Her story serves as a poignant reminder of the Titanic’s enduring impact on both individual lives and collective memory.