Johan Ekström
Johan Ekström was a passenger on Titanic.
Early life[]
Johan Ekström was born in Reftele, Jönköpings Iän, Sweden on July 29, 1866. His father was Johan Svensson who had married Brita Lisa Börjesdotter. Johan, often called ‘John’, but originally called Amandus, was their eldest son. He was a twin but the other child was stillborn. Before him, Maria Kristina was born in 1861. Another sister followed in 1870. She was Janne Leander. In 1874, a brother was born. His name was Oskar Karl Agard August, he was the twin of another brother born on the same date, but Frederik Oskar, as he was named, sadly died at birth. A third sister came in 1878. She was Emma Lovisa. His youngest brother was Oscar Fridolf, born in July 1882.
His father was a farmer.
At some point Ekström emigrated to America. There, Johan together with his brother owned a farm in Effington Rut. At 165 Chatham St. in New Haven, Connecticut he had a sister who was married to John Larson.
Johan was married on 5 February 1894, in Carver, Minnesota, United States. His wife was Annie Cecilia Larson. They were the parents of 3 sons and 5 daughters. Their first child was Carolina, born in 1889. Their first son was Edgar Oscar, born in 1894. Their third child, another girl named Lulu, appears to have not survived the first year, 1896. Another daughter was conceived in 1898, she was Lillie Marie. Following her was Myrtle in 1900. Their second son was born in 1902, named Robert Clarence, after him came Mabel in 1908. The youngest child was Bernhard Victor.
Johan's mother Brita Lisa died at home in Sweden on February 6, 1912. John then wrote to his sister to let her know that he would travel to Sweden only to bring his father Johan Svensson, resident of Nennesmo, Reftele in Småland, back to America. He would spend his old days with his sons on their farm in America. Father Svensson had no close relatives living at his home country. There were a small number of more distant relatives, left in Sweden who could take care of him.
Titanic[]
John Ekström with father Johan had bought tickets for Third Class passage on the Titanic when they got onto the ship in Southampton on April 10. After 12 o’clock, the majestic steamer left the port for her Maiden Voyage. He was 45 years old at the time.
On April 14 the infamous disaster occured, when Titanic had collided with an iceberg. It was only a glancing blow, but her starboard side grazed against the large wall of frozen water, which caused small ruptures under the waterline. The result was a quick inflow of tons of sea water. After having carried out inspection, the Captain decided to evacuate the people just after midnight on April 15, as it was clear that Titanic wouldn't stay afloat for more than 2 hours.
Titanic foundered at 2:20 A.M. Both John Ekström and father Svenson couldn’t save themselves and died in the sinking. His body was never found, the same goes for his father.