Mr Thure Edvin Lundström

Who was Thure Edvin Lundström?

Thure Edvin Lundström was a Swedish carpenter and missionary who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Born on March 8, 1880, in Gislöf, Östra Nöbbelöv, Kristianstad, Sweden, Lundström’s life was marked by adventure, faith, and resilience. His journey from Sweden to America, with a detour through China as a missionary, culminated in his fateful voyage on the Titanic and subsequent life in the United States.

Early Life and Background

What was Lundström’s family background?

Thure Edvin Lundström came from a modest Swedish family:

Father: Nils Olof/Olsson (blacksmith, born July 9, 1842, died July 1, 1929)
Mother: Ingrid Olsdotter (born January 1, 1850, died December 10, 1887)
Stepmother: Johanna Örnberg (married to Nils on November 7, 1890)

Lundström had several siblings:

Mathilda (born December 12, 1868)
Olof (born March 20, 1871)
Johanna (born September 9, 1873)
Johan Anton (born August 12, 1876)
Viktor Sigfrid (born October 18, 1882)

How did Lundström’s early career shape his life?

Thure Edvin Lundström’s early life was characterized by his carpentry skills and deep religious convictions. These traits would play significant roles in shaping his future:

Moved to Malmö on May 3, 1898
Emigrated to the USA in 1900
Spent time in China as a missionary from 1905 to 1911
Learned to speak at least one Chinese language
Returned to Sweden just before the Boxer Rebellion

Titanic Journey

What were the details of Lundström’s Titanic voyage?

Lundström’s Titanic journey was marked by both tragedy and survival:

Class: Third Class
Ticket Number: 350403
Fare: £7 7s
Port of Embarkation: Southampton
Traveling Companions:
- Fiancée Elida Olsson
- Mrs Sandström and her two daughters
- Mrs Hulda Klasén and her party (Klas and Gertrude Klasén, Hulda Veström)

“Lundström told that when the ship was sinking he had placed members of his group, including his fiancée, in lifeboats but these had all capsized before he jumped into the water and was rescued by a passing lifeboat.”

What happened to Lundström during the Titanic disaster?

While Lundström’s account of placing his group in lifeboats that capsized cannot be verified, it is more likely that he managed to board a lifeboat on the starboard side where Officer Murdoch was allowing men to enter. Tragically, few from his party survived, and his fiancée Elida Olsson was among those lost.

Life After the Titanic

How did Lundström rebuild his life after the disaster?

Following his rescue, Lundström’s life took several turns:

Quartered at St. Vincent Hospital in New York
Traveled to Chicago with other Scandinavian survivors
Eventually settled in Los Angeles
Married Signe Louise Petersson on December 31, 1913, in Los Angeles
Lived in Los Angeles and Chicago before permanently settling in California
Became a naturalized US citizen
Worked as a barrel maker, parquet floor layer, and painter

What was Lundström’s family life like in America?

Thure and Signe Lundström had four children:

Name	Birth Year	Death Year	Married Name
Enez Mathilda	1915	2001	Mrs Morris Simon Kasperson
Louis Daniel	1917	2000	-
Helen Elisabeth	1919	2003	Mrs Stanley Frederic Peterson
Ingrid Sylvia	1927	2006	Mrs Carl Sigurd Wikström

Legacy and Final Years

How did Lundström’s life come to an end?

Thure Edvin Lundström’s life came to a sudden end on October 10, 1942, at the age of 62 (sixty-two). He suffered a stroke while working on a carpentry job in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lundström was buried on October 14, 1942, in Inglewood Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California (division B, lot 192, Greenlawn plot).

What lasting impact did Lundström leave?

Lundström’s life exemplified resilience and adaptability. As a Titanic survivor, he carried the weight of that experience throughout his life. His journey from Sweden to China, then to America, and his survival of one of history’s most famous maritime disasters, makes him a unique figure in the tapestry of early 20th-century immigration and survival stories.

Lundström never returned to Sweden after settling in America, fully embracing his new life in the United States. His legacy lives on through his descendants and his story continues to be a part of the broader narrative of the Titanic’s impact on individual lives and families.