Mr Oskar Leander Johansson Palmquist

Who was Oskar Leander Johansson Palmquist?

Oskar Leander Johansson Palmquist was a Swedish third-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic who survived the tragic sinking. Born on July 26, 1885, in Kvarnaryd, Villastad parish, near Smålands stenar, Småland, Sweden, Palmquist’s life would be forever changed by his experience on the ill-fated ship and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death years later.

Early Life and Background

What was Palmquist’s family like?

Oskar came from a large family, being one of ten children born to Knut Johansson (1834-1913) and Mathilda Abrahamsdotter (1845-1919). His siblings included:

• Johan August (1863-1868)
• Mårten Linok (1865-1952)
• Anna Sofia (1868-1951)
• Gerda Carolina (later known as Gertrude, 1873-1942)
• Johan Emil (1874-1952)
• Amandus (1877-1960)
• Theodor (1879-1951)
• Anders Wilhelm (later known as Andrew, 1881-1944)
• Selma Severina (1888-1970)

The Johansson family lived in a small farmhouse in Kvarnaryd, which still stands today. Interestingly, several of Oskar’s siblings moved to America and adopted the surname Palmquist.

What was Palmquist’s occupation before boarding the Titanic?

Prior to his journey on the Titanic, Palmquist had been working as a laborer in Sweden. He had experienced problems with his knee since the age of 13, reportedly due to an incident where he tried to help shift a farm cart stuck in mud.

Titanic Journey

How did Palmquist come to be on the Titanic?

Oskar booked his passage on the Titanic under the name Oscar Johansson. Parish records indicate that he departed from Jönköping on March 23, 1912, traveling to Southampton via Hull. He boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third-class passenger, ticket number 347070, paying a fare of £7 15s.

What was Palmquist’s destination?

Palmquist was on his way to New Haven, Connecticut, where his sister Gertrude lived. This journey was likely part of the larger trend of Swedish emigration to the United States in the early 20th century.

Fate During the Disaster

How did Palmquist survive the sinking?

Palmquist was one of the fortunate third-class passengers who survived the Titanic disaster. His exact method of survival is unclear, but he claimed to have swum in the freezing water while clinging to a stateroom door. According to his account:

I eventually found my way to a lifeboat and a female occupant threw me a shawl to help me pull myself out of the water.

However, some aspects of his survival story may have been exaggerated. For instance, he stated that the girl who helped him later died of exposure aboard the Carpathia, but there were no such casualties recorded on that ship.

What assistance did Palmquist receive after the disaster?

The Red Cross assistance committee provided Palmquist with $200 in relief in April 1912. He also attempted to obtain additional relief from the Swedish consulate in New York, citing his knee injury and the loss of all his possessions. However, this request was denied.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster affect Palmquist’s life?

The sinking of the Titanic had a significant impact on Palmquist’s life:

1. His knee condition reportedly worsened, causing him to walk with a limp.
2. He settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut, rather than New Haven as originally planned.
3. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on October 23, 1915.
4. In 1918, he was working as a tool maker at the Bryant Electric Co. in Bridgeport.

What mysterious circumstances surrounded Palmquist’s death?

On March 27, 1925, at the age of 39 (thirty-nine), Palmquist left his boarding house at 42 Lenox Avenue, Bridgeport, telling acquaintances he was going to a party. Three weeks later, on April 18, his body was found floating in Beardsley Park reserve reservoir.

The circumstances of his death remain controversial:

• No inquest was held, and authorities concluded the death was accidental.
• The local undertaker, Alfred Larson, reported finding no evidence of drowning and noted that the body’s decomposition was more consistent with lying on land than in water.
• Palmquist’s brother, Amandus, claimed he was warned to stop asking questions about the death and was threatened with a similar fate.

Some researchers and family members have speculated that Palmquist may have been murdered, possibly by the husband of a woman with whom he was allegedly having an affair.

Legacy

How is Palmquist remembered today?

For many years, Oskar Leander Johansson Palmquist lay in an unmarked grave at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport. However, in 2013, a stone was finally erected to mark his final resting place, ensuring that this Titanic survivor’s story would not be forgotten.

Palmquist’s life and mysterious death continue to intrigue Titanic researchers and historians, serving as a reminder of the complex and often tragic stories that emerged from one of history’s most famous maritime disasters.