Hulda Kristina Eugenia Klasén

Who was Mrs Hulda Kristina Eugenia Klasén?

Mrs Hulda Kristina Eugenia Klasén was a 36-year-old Swedish housewife who tragically perished in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. A third-class passenger, she was returning to Los Angeles after a visit to her native Sweden, chaperoning family members on what would be their final voyage.

Early Life and Family

Born as Hulda Christina Eugenia Löfqvist on March 18, 1876, in Vänge, Gotland, Sweden, Hulda came from a family deeply rooted in Swedish soil. Her parents were Petter Edvard Löfqvist (born 1832) and Johanna Sofia Helena Löfgren (born 1839). Hulda was one of five siblings:

Wendla Johanna (born 1865)
Ida Olivia (born 1868)
Emma Josefina Fredrika (born 1872)
Peter Emil (born 1878)

Where did Hulda grow up?

Hulda spent her formative years in Salmunds, Stånga, Bjärges, Vänge, immersed in the rustic beauty of the Swedish countryside. This upbringing likely instilled in her the resilience and adaptability that would later serve her in her transatlantic adventures.

Journey to America and Marriage

As the 19th century drew to a close, Hulda, like many of her compatriots, set her sights on the promise of America. She is believed to have emigrated to the United States around the turn of the century, joining the great wave of Swedish immigrants seeking new opportunities across the Atlantic.

On June 15, 1907, Hulda’s life took a new turn when she married Karl Osker Emanuel Klasén in Chicago, Illinois. Karl, born on May 3, 1883, was a fellow Swede hailing from Fliseryd, Kalmar. However, their union was destined to be brief.

What happened to Hulda’s marriage?

By 1910, Hulda had become a widow, the circumstances of her husband’s passing lost to time. In the wake of this personal tragedy, she found herself living with her brother Peter Emil in Los Angeles, forging a new life in the growing metropolis of the American West.

Family Ties and Return to Sweden

In a twist of fate that speaks to the close-knit nature of immigrant communities, Hulda’s brother Peter Emil married Alice Esther Amanda Klasén in the summer of 1911. Alice was the younger sister of Hulda’s late husband, further intertwining the Löfqvist and Klasén families.

Towards the end of 1911, Hulda made the decision to return to her native Sweden. Perhaps she sought solace in familiar surroundings or wished to reconnect with her roots after years in America. Little did she know that this journey home would set the stage for her fateful voyage on the Titanic.

The Titanic Journey

How did Hulda come to be on the Titanic?

After her sojourn in Sweden, Hulda prepared to return to Los Angeles. She booked passage on the RMS Titanic, embarking at Southampton as a third-class passenger. Her ticket, number 350405, cost £12, 3s, 8d - a substantial sum for a widow of modest means.

Hulda’s journey was not a solitary one. She took on the role of chaperone for her brother-in-law Klas Albin Klasén and her nieces Gertrude Emilia and Hulda Veström. They were part of a larger group of Swedish passengers, including:

Mrs Sandström and her two daughters
Elina Olsson
Thure Lundström

This close-knit group of travelers, bound by nationality and familial ties, faced the looming disaster together.

The Tragedy and Its Aftermath

When the Titanic struck the iceberg on that fateful night of April 14, 1912, Hulda Klasén, along with her brother-in-law Klas and her nieces, were among the many third-class passengers who struggled against overwhelming odds. Tragically, none of them survived the sinking. If their bodies were recovered from the icy Atlantic, they were never identified, leaving their final resting place a mystery of the deep.

How did Hulda’s family cope with the tragedy?

In the wake of the disaster, the Mansion House Fund, established to aid Titanic victims and their families, provided financial assistance to Hulda’s bereaved relatives. Her father received 1787.52 kronor (£98), while her sister was granted 1276.80 kronor (£70).

Curiously, no damage claims were pursued on Hulda’s behalf. Her father passed away before legal proceedings could commence, and lawyers concluded that no one else was financially dependent on Hulda, precluding further claims.

Remembering Hulda

The tragedy of the Titanic reverberated across the world, touching communities far and wide. In Hulda’s native Sweden, the newspaper Gotlands Allehanda published an obituary for her alongside one for Hulda Amanda Adolfina Veström, memorializing their lives and the circumstances of their untimely deaths.

Hulda Kristina Eugenia Klasén’s story is a poignant reminder of the human cost of the Titanic disaster. A widow who had already known loss, she met her end while caring for family members, embodying the strength and familial devotion characteristic of many immigrants of her era. Though her life was cut short at 36 (thirty-six) years old, her memory lives on as part of the enduring legacy of the Titanic and its passengers.