Miss Mabel Skoog

Who was Mabel Skoog?

Miss Mabel Skoog was a 9 (nine) year-old American passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on July 22, 1902, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, she was traveling with her family in third class when the ship sank on April 15, 1912. Mabel’s tragic story is one of many that highlight the devastating impact of the Titanic disaster on families and young lives.

Early Life and Background

A Swedish-American Family

Mabel Skoog was born into a family with Swedish roots:

Father: Wilhelm Johansson Skoog, born in 1872
Mother: Anna Bernhardina Karlsson, born in 1866
Siblings:
- Karl Thorsten Skoog, born in 1900
- Harald Skoog, born in 1906
- Margit Elizabeth Skoog, born in 1910

Wilhelm and Anna were Swedish immigrants from Skaraborg who had moved to the United States shortly after their marriage in 1898. The family settled in Mountain City, Michigan, where Wilhelm worked as an engineer at the Pewabic Mine.

Life in Michigan

In 1910, the Skoog family appeared in the census living in Mountain City, Michigan. Mabel, then 7 (seven) years old, was growing up in a mining community where her father’s skills as an engineer were put to use in the local mining industry.

The Journey to Sweden and Back

Why did the Skoog family leave America?

In November 1911, the Skoog family made the decision to return to Sweden. However, this move proved to be short-lived as they soon regretted their decision and planned to return to America.

The Fateful Titanic Voyage

The family’s return journey to America involved several stops:

Stockholm
Göteborg
Hull

Finally, on April 10, 1912, the Skoog family boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as third-class passengers. They were traveling with:

Ticket number: 347088
Fare: £27 18s (27 pounds, 18 shillings)

Interestingly, the Skoog family had persuaded two relatives, Elin Pettersson and Jenny Henriksson, to join them on their journey back to America.

Fate During the Disaster

What happened to Mabel Skoog on the night of April 14-15, 1912?

Tragically, Mabel Skoog, along with her entire family, did not survive the sinking of the Titanic. As third-class passengers, their chances of survival were significantly lower than those in first and second class.

Date of Death: April 15, 1912
Age at Death: 9 (nine) years old
Body Recovery: Never recovered

The loss of the entire Skoog family, including young Mabel, serves as a poignant reminder of the disproportionate impact the disaster had on third-class passengers and families traveling together.

Legacy and Remembrance

While Mabel Skoog’s life was tragically cut short, her story continues to be told as part of the broader narrative of the Titanic disaster. The loss of entire families, like the Skoogs, highlights the human cost of the tragedy and the dreams of a better life that were abruptly ended.

Commemorating Young Lives Lost

Mabel’s story, along with those of other children who perished in the disaster, serves as a somber reminder of the vulnerability of the youngest passengers aboard the Titanic. Her brief life and untimely death continue to evoke empathy and reflection more than a century after the ship’s sinking.

The tale of Mabel Skoog and her family’s ill-fated journey remains a poignant chapter in the history of Swedish-American immigration and the Titanic disaster, reminding us of the profound human stories behind the statistics of that fateful night.