Jennie Louise Hansen

Who was Mrs Jennie Louise Hansen?

Mrs Jennie Louise Hansen was a 45-year-old American woman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Born Jennie Louise Howard in 1866 in Wisconsin, she was a third-class passenger traveling with her husband Claus Peter Hansen and brother-in-law Henrik Juul Hansen when disaster struck. Jennie’s miraculous survival and subsequent accounts provide a poignant firsthand perspective on one of history’s most infamous maritime tragedies.

Early Life and Family

Jennie Louise Howard was born on December 20, 1866, in Raymond, Racine County, Wisconsin. She came from a large family with English roots:

Parents: William John Howard (b. 1834) and Mary Fisher (b. 1838), reportedly from Manchester, England
Siblings: Thomas John (1856-1923), Etta (b. 1858), Ann (b. 1860), Mary (b. 1861), Elizabeth (b. 1864)

Tragedy struck early in Jennie’s life when her mother passed away on May 12, 1868, before Jennie had even reached her second birthday. Her father later remarried to Frances Mauer, a Prussian woman, with whom he had three more children.

A Life Marked by Adversity

Even before her harrowing Titanic experience, Jennie had faced several brushes with disaster:

As a pastry cook at the Blake Opera House and Hotel, she narrowly escaped when the building burned down on December 27, 1884.
Months prior to the fire, she was found unconscious in the kitchen, overcome by gas fumes from the stove.

These incidents foreshadowed the resilience Jennie would need to survive the Titanic disaster and its aftermath.

Marriage and Life in Racine

On July 25, 1900, at the age of 33, Jennie married Claus Peter Hansen, a Danish immigrant. The couple settled in Racine, Wisconsin, where they ran a barbershop. Despite being described as frail and in poor health for years, Jennie worked alongside her husband in their business.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

In 1912, Jennie and Claus embarked on a trip to Denmark to visit his family. Before leaving, Jennie expressed a sense of foreboding to her brother Thomas, even discussing her funeral arrangements. The couple departed for Europe aboard the Cunard liner Campania on February 14, 1912.

Titanic Voyage Details:

Embarked: Southampton
Ticket Number: 350026
Cabin: Unknown
Ticket Price: £14 2s 2d
Class: Third Class

The Night of the Sinking

Jennie’s account of the Titanic’s sinking provides chilling details:

She awoke not from the collision, but from the eerie silence when the engines stopped.
Initially dismissed, her concerns grew as she witnessed crew members donning lifejackets.
The Hansens had to climb an iron ladder to reach the lifeboats.
Jennie was forcibly separated from her husband and thrown into a lifeboat, striking her head.
She was rescued in Lifeboat 11, leaving the ship around 12:15 AM.

In the crowded lifeboat, Jennie recalled a sailor sitting on her lap while rowing. Tragically, both Claus and Henrik perished in the sinking.

Life After the Titanic

The Titanic disaster left deep physical and emotional scars on Jennie:

She suffered from shock, headaches, and severe nightmares.
Remarkably, she was unable to shed tears after the traumatic event.
Jennie stayed with her brother Thomas, whose family had to physically restrain her during nightmares.

Despite her trauma, Jennie showed resilience. She wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks to a steward who helped rescue her, which was published in the Hampshire Independent on June 8, 1912.

A New Chapter

On August 25, 1915, Jennie remarried to Elmer Magnus Emerson, a fellow Racine native 19 years her junior. Elmer, a military veteran and postman, provided companionship in her later years. The couple lived at 1214 Center Street, Racine, for most of their married life.

Legacy and Final Years

Jennie Louise Emerson (née Howard, late Hansen) passed away on December 15, 1952, just shy of her 86th birthday. She was laid to rest in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Racine. Throughout her later years, Jennie gave newspaper interviews about her Titanic experience, though she reportedly declined radio appearances.

Jennie’s story serves as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy. Her firsthand account of the Titanic disaster continues to provide valuable insights into one of history’s most famous maritime catastrophes, ensuring that the memories of that fateful night live on for future generations.