Eleven persons on the Filpus family tree sailed on the Titanic in
four separate traveling parties. It seems to be an incredible
coincidence, since the number of people sailing on the Titanic was
small relative to the larger world. However, the Titanic was in
the the period of great Finnish emigration to the United States.
My grandparents and great-grandparents and their cousins were
emigrating at that time.
Reverend and Mrs. Lahtinen were returning from a visit to
Finland, accompanying her cousin Lyyli, who was immigrating to the
United States. They were sailing in second class and reached a
lifeboat after the collision with the iceberg. The Reverend was
not allowed on the lifeboat, because the lifeboats were woman and
children only at the time. Anna would not leave her husband. Lyyli
watched them on the deck as the lifeboat lowered. She remembered
that the Reverend stood stoically with a cigar clenched in his
teeth. Other survivors described the Reverend comforting those on
the deck as the ship sank. Their bodies were not found. Lylli
arrived in New York on the Carpathia. She went to stay
with Anna's brother Carl A Silfven and his wife Anna Lydia
(Filpus) Silfven in Hancock Michigan.
Reverend Lahtinen had taken the post as Pastor in Cokato
Minnesota. He contracted the building of a parsonage for his
family. While the home was being built, Reverand, Anna and their
daughter Martta went to Finland to visit family and then accompany
Lyyli back to the United States. During the visit, Martta took ill
and died. They rebooked their return trip after the funeral and
ended up on the Titanic. Before they left, the Reverend published
a memorium:
IN MEMORY OF MARTHA LAHTINEN
From: "Streams of Life" by Carl Kulla
To our dear friends in America, Finland and
elsewhere, we notify that our beloved daughter, Martha Agnes, had
the good fortune to early leave that land of many enticements of
sin, of temptations and of troubles on March 10, at the age of 4
1/2 years. When we arrived at Kemi on our trip to Finland she
became ill with brain fever, which in about 3 weeks destroyed her
earthly tabernacle, freeing her glorified spirit to return to God
who had given it. It was joyous and comforting to see now her
heart was moved, even unto tears, when we spoke to her of the
blessedness and joy of God's children before the throne of God
with the angels and the elect.
Although her body was very weak at the end, and
she had pains, she bore this her portion of worldly tribulation
with contentment. But now she is free from all trouble; she is no
longer in pain or sickness, nor is it difficult for her to
breathe, as she lamented in her pain. No longer does her breast
heave with signing .........
Anna & William Lahtinen
From "Siionin Lahetyslehti" April, 1912
Lyyli Silfven was a second cousin of Grandmother Mamie (Hannula)
Filpus.
Anna Lydia Sifven was a sister of Uuno Konstant Filpus.
John and Maria Panula moved back and forth from Finland to the
United State several times. After living in Finland for several
years. John left for America in 1911 and sent money to his wife
and their five sons to join him in spring of 1912. They all booked
passage in steerage aboard the Titanic and were lost in the
disaster. Lost were Maria Panula, Ernesti Arviiti (17), Jaakko
Aarnolt (15), Juha Niilo (8), Urho Aaprami (3) and Eino Viljami
(13 mo).
The older boys were in separate living quarters from the family.
During the disaster, Maria went in search of the boys with the
little ones in tow. She encountered Ann Turja and asked for help,
which Anna couldn't give.
It was long speculated that the youngest son, Eino Viljami Panula
(13 months) was an infant whose body was recovered. There is a
gravestone for the unknown (but later identified ) infant in the
Halifax cemetery.
Upon hearing of the disaster, Juha traveled to New York in search
of answers.
Juha voiced his opinion that the White Star had not given enough
thought for safety on the Titanic. He wrote several damning
letters to the White Star Line's agency while at home in Finland.
He was never truly able to get over the disaster.
Juha Pahula was a 4th half cousin of Great-Grandmother Ida
(Lemponen) Marttila.
Anna Maria Sinkkonen boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a
second class passenger. She had bought ticket number 250648 for
£13. On board of the Titanic she shared a cabin with Lyyli
Siflven.
'...the bow had already started to sink and they started lowering
the first lifeboat. Miss Sinkkonen was one of those put into it.
Nobody seemed to suffer and Miss Sinkkonen could not really
understand why there was a hurry to get everybody into the
lifeboats. She thought about how embarrassing it would be when
everybody laughed at them, after having rowed around for a while,
when they came back. All in the boat wore lifebelts. They were
only ten in the boat because many had refused to leave the ship.
They rowed away from the Titanic whose lights they could see
clearly from a distance. They were rescued at about four
o'clock....'' (New Yorkin Uutiset, April 24, front page)
''I did notice,'' she said, ''that the men were being held back
and only the women were allowed to get into the boats. The
officers of the ship stood guard. No, I did not hear the
music...'' (New York Herald, April 20, 1912)
Anna survived the sinking and was rescued by the Carpathia in
lifeboat 10; it seems that she panicked and was subdued by crew
while in the boat sustaining a head injury from which she bore the
scars for the rest of her life.
Upon her arrival in New York she and Lyyli were quartered in an
Jewish "Welcome Home" on 225 East 13th St. She then went to
Massachusetts to stay with her sister. Once she had recovered she
gained employment as a maid in the home of a Boston Police
officer.
A year after the disaster Anna travelled to San Francisco where
she once again met fellow survivor Lyyli Silvén, she then
travelled to Seattle.
She met Finnish miner John Salmi and the couple were married in
1918. They settled in Issaquah, Washington in 1922.
John Salmi was a fourth cousin of Grandmother Mamie (Hannula) Filpus.