Eliina Honkanen

Who was Miss Eliina Honkanen?

Miss Eliina Honkanen was a 28-year-old Finnish survivor of the Titanic disaster. Born on August 16, 1882, in Saarijärvi, Finland, she embarked on a journey that would lead her through one of history’s most infamous maritime tragedies and into a life of mystery in America.

Early Life and Family

Eliina Honkanen was born into a complex family structure:

• Parents:

  • Father: Juho Honkanen (c. 1817-1890)
  • Mother: Eva Sofia Poikanen, née Vähäkalmukoski (c. 1847-1926)

• Siblings:

  • Younger sister: Josefiina (born 1884)
  • Numerous half-siblings from both parents’ previous marriages

Her parents’ marriage was the second for both, creating a large blended family. This background may have influenced Eliina’s adventurous spirit and willingness to seek opportunities far from home.

Life Before the Titanic

What was Eliina’s occupation before boarding the Titanic?

From around 1908, Eliina had been living in Helsinki, working as a maid. This occupation was common for young women of her time and social class, often serving as a stepping stone to other opportunities or as a means to save money for future endeavors.

The Titanic Journey

Eliina’s Titanic experience was marked by several key details:

• Embarkation: Southampton
• Class: 3rd Class
• Ticket Number: 3101283
• Ticket Cost: £7, 18s, 6d (equivalent to £18 in total)
• Destination: 16 West Street, Quincy, Massachusetts

It’s believed that Eliina may have been traveling with another Finnish passenger, Laina Heikkinen, also from Saarijärvi, although this connection is not entirely clear.

How did Eliina survive the Titanic disaster?

Eliina Honkanen survived the sinking of the Titanic, though the exact details of her rescue remain unclear. It’s speculated that she may have escaped in one of the aft starboard lifeboats, which were among the last to leave the ship. This aligns with a later newspaper report stating she was “in the last boat that left the ship and endured many privations before she reached the rescue ship.”

Life After the Titanic

What legal actions did Eliina take after the disaster?

Following her survival, Eliina took two significant legal actions:

1. She claimed $310 for lost property.
2. She sued the White Star Line for $5,000, citing “conscious suffering, sickness and injuries.”

Notably, Eliina was reported to be the first Boston woman to sue the White Star Line, with her case still pending as of November 1914.

How did Eliina’s life change after the Titanic?

After reaching Quincy, Massachusetts, Eliina’s life took several turns:

1. She found employment as a waitress.
2. On April 21, 1913, she married Isaac Victor Lindquist, a fellow Finnish immigrant, in Boston.
3. Her marriage to Lindquist was later dissolved, according to a 1935 newspaper inquiry.
4. The same inquiry suggested she had remarried to a German man.

The Mystery of Eliina’s Later Life

Eliina Honkanen’s life after her marriage to Isaac Lindquist becomes shrouded in mystery. The couple disappears from records, and their whereabouts become the subject of a public inquiry:

An enquiry into the whereabouts of Elina Honkanen (Auttaja, June 1935)

This newspaper article not only sought information about Eliina but also revealed the dissolution of her marriage to Lindquist and a subsequent marriage to a German man.

What happened to Eliina Honkanen?

The final fate of Eliina Honkanen remains unknown. However, there is speculation that she was still alive and residing in the United States as late as the early 1970s, which would have put her in her late 80s or early 90s.

Eliina Honkanen’s life story, from her survival of the Titanic to her mysterious disappearance, exemplifies the complex and often untraceable paths of many immigrants in early 20th century America. Her journey from a small town in Finland to the decks of the Titanic and beyond continues to captivate historians and researchers, leaving us with more questions than answers about this resilient survivor.