Elna Matilda Ström

Who was Mrs Elna Matilda Ström?

Mrs Elna Matilda Ström was a 29-year-old (twenty-nine-year-old) Swedish passenger who tragically lost her life aboard the RMS Titanic. She was traveling with her young daughter Telma when the ship sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912. Elna’s story is a poignant reminder of the many families torn apart by the Titanic disaster.

Early Life and Family

Elna Matilda Ström, née Persson, was born on August 3, 1882, in Julita, Södermanland, Sweden. She came from a large family, being the eldest daughter of Per Ulrik Persson (1854-1932) and Christina Mathilda Larsdotter (1859-1927). Elna had four younger siblings:

• Ernst Ulrik (born 1886)
• Emilia Sofia (born 1888)
• Edith Kristina (born 1891)
• Esther Karolina (born 1896)

Immigration to America and Marriage

In 1907, at the age of 24 (twenty-four), Elna embarked on a journey that would change her life. She emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on January 17, 1907, aboard the Majestic. Like many immigrants of her time, Elna sought new opportunities in America, settling in the bustling city of Chicago.

It was in Chicago that Elna met her future husband, Oskar Wilhelm Ström, a fellow Swedish immigrant born on April 13, 1884. The couple married on September 21, 1909, beginning their life together in their adopted country. Wilhelm, as he was known, worked as a smith, providing for his new family.

Motherhood and Life in Indiana

On December 15, 1909, just a few months after their wedding, Elna gave birth to the couple’s only child, a daughter named Telma Mathilda Wilhelmina. The young family soon moved from Chicago to Indiana Harbor, Indiana, where they made their home at 3905 Grapevine Street. Wilhelm found work in a steel mill, a common occupation for immigrants in the industrial Midwest.

The Fateful Trip to Sweden

In early 1912, Elna decided to visit her parents back in Sweden, taking young Telma, now 3 (three) years old, with her. They stayed at the Julita farm, reconnecting with family and introducing Telma to her Swedish roots. As their visit came to an end, a twist of fate would alter their lives forever.

Just days before their planned departure back to America, young Telma accidentally scalded her hand with hot water. The injury forced them to postpone their trip to allow time for the burns to heal. This delay led to Elna and Telma booking passage on the Titanic, a decision that would have tragic consequences.

The Titanic Journey

How did Elna and Telma come to be on the Titanic?

Elna and Telma boarded the Titanic at Southampton on April 10, 1912, as third-class passengers. They were accompanied by Elna’s brother, Ernst Ulrik Persson, who had decided to emigrate to America as well. Their ticket (number 347054) cost £10, 9s, 3d, a significant sum for a working-class family at the time.

The mother and daughter were assigned to cabin G6, which they shared with another Swedish family, Agnes Sandström and her children. During the voyage, Elna had to bring Telma to the ship’s nurse daily to have new bandages applied to her healing hand.

What happened to Elna and Telma on the night of the sinking?

On the fateful night of April 14-15, 1912, as the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink, chaos ensued. According to Ernst’s account, he tried to stay close to his sister and niece as they made their way to the boat deck. However, they arrived too late to secure a place in the lifeboats.

At approximately 2:15 AM on April 15, when they were on the ship’s poop deck, the Titanic lurched violently. In the confusion, Ernst lost his grip on Elna and Telma. It was the last time he would ever see them.

The Aftermath of the Tragedy

Elna Ström, aged 29 (twenty-nine), and her daughter Telma, aged 3 (three), were among the 1,500 souls lost in the Titanic disaster. Their bodies, if recovered, were never identified.

The loss of Elna and Telma had a devastating impact on their family:

• The Mansion House Fund paid 874.08 Kr (£48) to Elna’s parents on January 23, 1913.
• The American Red Cross provided financial assistance to Wilhelm Ström, who was “terribly shocked and distressed by his loss.”
• Wilhelm spent his savings traveling to New York to search for his wife and daughter among the survivors, to no avail.
• 455.50 Kr (£25) in damage claims were paid to Elna’s parents on July 16, 1914.

Wilhelm Ström’s Life After the Tragedy

Wilhelm Ström’s life was forever changed by the loss of his wife and daughter. Here’s how he coped with the tragedy and rebuilt his life:

1. Initial search and grief: Wilhelm traveled to New York, desperately searching for Elna and Telma among the survivors.
2. Return to work: He went back to Indiana Harbor, finding solace in his work as an ironworker.
3. Family support: Wilhelm lived with his brother-in-law Ernst Persson, who had survived the sinking, until Ernst’s family joined him from Sweden in October 1912.
4. Legal pursuits: On June 20, 1912, Wilhelm wrote to the consulate in New York seeking help to pursue legal action for compensation.
5. Citizenship: Wilhelm became a naturalized U.S. citizen on April 15, 1913, exactly one year after the Titanic sinking.
6. New beginnings: About six years after the tragedy, Wilhelm met Alma Helen Karlsson, a Swedish immigrant, in Chicago’s Washington Park.
7. Second marriage: Wilhelm and Alma married, and he finally shared the story of his first wife and daughter with her.
8. New family