Johanna Persdotter Ahlin

Who was Mrs Johanna Persdotter Ahlin?

Mrs Johanna Persdotter Ahlin was a 40-year-old Swedish passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on June 21, 1871, in Västermo, Närlunda, Stora Sundby, Södermanland County, Sweden, Johanna’s life was tragically cut short when she perished in the Titanic disaster on April 15, 1912. A married woman and mother, Johanna was returning to the United States after visiting her parents in Sweden when she boarded the Titanic for what would be her final journey.

Early Life and Family

A Large Swedish Family

Johanna was born into a sizeable Swedish family. Her parents were:

Per Larsson (born April 25, 1839, at Västermo)
Anna Stina Larsdotter (née Larsdotter; born April 13, 1842, at Arboga, Västmanland)

Per and Anna Stina married on September 26, 1869, and went on to have a large family. Johanna’s siblings included:

Emma Sofia (born June 12, 1873)
Augusta (born January 26, 1877)
Charlotta (born March 5, 1879)
Per Viktor (born March 11, 1881)
Emma Christina (born June 21, 1883)
Hulda Maria (born January 6, 1889)
Carl Oscar (born April 17, 1875)
Olof Arvid (born July 29, 1884)
Johan Emil (born November 19, 1886)

Notably, Johanna’s brother Johan Emil Pettersson also became a victim of the Titanic disaster, traveling alongside her as a third-class passenger.

Marriage and Children

A Union with Lars Johan Karlsson Ahlin

On June 17, 1894, at the age of 22 (twenty-two), Johanna married fisherman Lars Johan Karlsson Ahlin, who was born on August 13, 1870, in Öja (Börsta). The couple’s union would result in up to eight children, though tragically, many did not survive infancy. Their known children were:

Anna Augusta (born September 12, 1895; died October 15, 1895)
Wendela Teresia (born October 16, 1896; died November 11, 1896)
Karl Ivar (born December 27, 1897; died July 27, 1899)
Sven Gunnar (born August 16, 1899)
Johan David (born May 23, 1901)

It is believed that the couple had three additional daughters who died in infancy, including Hilda Josefina (born July 26, 1894, at Öja), who passed away in her first year.

The Journey to America

A New Life Across the Atlantic

The Ahlin family’s journey to America was not a single trip but a series of moves:

August 3, 1903: Lars Johan Ahlin first traveled to the USA
March 28, 1905: The family reunited and left Liverpool, England, as steerage passengers on the steamship Ivernia
April 6, 1905 (approximately): The Ahlins arrived in Boston, Massachusetts

Upon arrival, Mr. Ahlin was described as a cement laborer. Their initial destination in the USA was 94 Sedgwick Street, Chicago, Illinois, the home of Lars Johan’s brother, Victor Ahlin.

Life in Chicago

By 1910, the Ahlin family had settled at 2051 Belle Plaine Avenue in Chicago. Mr. Ahlin’s occupation had changed, and he was now described as a stock keeper in the dairy business. Despite living in the United States for several years, the Ahlin family members were not naturalized citizens.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

A Reunion Cut Short

In 1912, Johanna returned to her native Sweden to visit her parents on their farm in Närlunda. For her return journey to the USA, she boarded the Titanic at Southampton with her brother Johan Petterson. They traveled as third-class passengers, with Johanna’s ticket (number 7546) costing £9, 9s, 6d.

Tragic Fate

Sadly, both Johanna and her brother Johan were lost in the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. Their bodies were never recovered from the icy Atlantic waters.

Aftermath and Legacy

Financial Compensation

Following the disaster, the Mansion House Fund provided financial assistance to Johanna’s family:

875.52 Kr (£48) paid to her husband and sons
An additional 455.25 Kr in damages paid to her husband on June 4, 1914

The Family’s Future

Johanna’s husband, Lars Johan Ahlin, lived until August 29, 1949, passing away in Chicago. He remarried on June 3, 1916, to Sophie Swanson and lived in Chicago before moving to Lake County, Illinois, in the late 1930s.

Johanna’s sons had different paths in life:

Sven never married and worked as a timekeeper. He died on January 4, 1939, and was buried in Acacia Park Cemetery, Chicago.
Johan worked as a clerk and married Eleanor Christopherson (1906-1997). They had no children. He died in Chicago on August 13, 1983, and was buried in Montrose Cemetery.

Johanna Persdotter Ahlin’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the many lives tragically cut short by the Titanic disaster. Her journey from rural Sweden to the bustling streets of Chicago, and her final fateful voyage, encapsulates the immigrant experience and the risks many took in search of a better life in early 20th century America.