Carl Oscar Vilhelm Gustafsson Asplund was a passenger on Titanic.
Early life[]
Carl Oscar Vilhelm Gustafsson was born in Alseda, Småland, Sweden on May 7th, 1871. His father was Gustaf Johansson. His mother was Kristina Adeline Jonsdotter. His father changed his last name from Johansson to Samuelsson some years later.
Carl Oscar Vilhelm adopted the surname Asplund before he went to America in 1890. This name was never used by his parents, but his sister later took the same name. Carl Oscar Wilhelm is listed in some later records as "Gustafsson Asplund" which indicates that he was born with the patronymic last name Gustafsson.
In Missouri he met his love, Selma Augusta Emilia Johansson. They then wanted to live together so they resided in Worcester, Massachusetts. On December 12, 1898, their first child was born: Filip Oscar. The second child was born on September 17 in 1902: Clarence Gustaf Hugo. On 9 May 1906 Carl married Selma. That same year, on October 21, they were blessed with twins: Lillian Gertrud and Carl Edgar.
When Carl's father died, they returned to Sweden to arrange the estate and take care of Kristina. They intended to stay, but they had another son born in 1909 after the family had moved back the same year. His name was Edvin Rojj but they also called him Felix.
Meanwhile, their eldest son Filip did not enjoy his new homeland and wanted to return. Carl said in response: “Filip is all over me and wants us to move back. Lately he has said that he will travel alone anyway, as soon as he is old enough to take care of himself. So I think it is best that we all travel together so that we can also live together in the future."
Carl contacted their relatives in Worcester (one sister of Carl and three sisters of Selma were living with their families in Worcester at this time) and was to be reinstated at Spencer Wire Works upon his return.
Carl eventually sold the farm to make it financially possible for them all to travel. The family would thus emigrate for the second time.
Titanic[]
Carl, his wife and 5 children traveled all the way to Southampton, where they had gotten onboard the mighty new vessel on April 10 before afternoon. Carl was 40 years old at the time. The family had tickets for Third Class. Their cabin was in the aft part of the ship.
Carl took offence when the people of steerage held big parties in the General Room, where they consumed alcohol, played cards and danced. It made him shiver at the idea of ever crossing the channel ever again. He told his wife he didn’t like it.
On the late night of April 14, Titanic hit an iceberg and Selma was woken up by a rough feeling. It felt like a shudder to them and they didn’t understand what wass going on. Selma shook her husband to get up. Later, they would go looking for lifebelts but shockingly, Selma described how the stewards were working against them and took the lifebelts off other Third Class passengers, saying that the thought of danger was ridiculous as the ship would soon continue her voyage, in as close as five minutes maybe.
Carl didn’t believe them so he went to his children and got them up. Selma rushed them out of bed and hastely put them in clothes. A crowd started to form outside their room when Carl searched for lifebelts. They only had 4 lifebelts, as the cabin was for four people only. According to Selma, they needed to borrow one from a crewmember.
At last, when they had reached the Boat Deck, they realised the state the ship found herself in. Selma believed no rescue would come for them, when Carl suddenly picked up Lillian and Felix and quickly placed into a lifeboat. Carl then spurred on his wife, pushing her forward and urging her that she can’t leave the young ones on their own.
He only could wish that he could come along as well but he had to explain his wife, who felt very about the idea of leaving her husband behind, that he wasn’t allowed in as women and children should go first.
Carl then left and took the other 3 kids by the hand, trying to see if he could find another lifeboat. Selma, Felix and Lillian had been placed in lifeboat 10 and were rescued by the Carpathia later. Carl sadly perished as did his 3 sons. His body was recovered by the Mackay-Bennett and identified, marked as number 142. He was later burried at the Old Swedish Cemetery in Worcester.
After his death[]
Carl had had all of the family's important papers on him, which included the profits from the sale of the farm but although his body was found, neither the money nor the documents were found. Selma felt that it was very suspicious that he had all seven tickets on him, but not the money.
Carl’s mother received compensation from the charity fund of 875:52 SEK (£48) but she did not claim damages.
His daughter, Lillian, would be one of the last living Titanic survivers, making it as far as 2006, when she died at the age of 99.