Lillian Asplund
Encyclopedia
Lillian Gertrud Asplund (October 21, 1906 – May 6, 2006) was one of the last three living survivors of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912; and more importantly, the last surviving person with memories of the disaster, as the other two last survivors were less than one year old at the time of the sinking.
to a Swedish immigrant family father Carl Oscar Vilhelm Gustafsson Asplund and mother Selma Augusta Emilia Johansson. Lillian had a twin brother, Carl Edgar, and two older brothers; Filip Oscar, born in 1898 and Clarence Gustaf Hugo, born in 1902. A fourth brother, Edvin Rojj 'Felix', was born in 1909.
In 1907, Lillian's father had taken his family to Småland
, Sweden
to help his widowed mother settle problems with the family farm. By early 1912, the family was ready to return to the United States
, and Lillian's father booked passage for his family aboard the Titanic.
When the Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 pm on the night of April 14, 1912, Lillian's father woke his sleeping family and then put all important papers, including cash, into his pocket. Lillian, her mother and brother, Felix, were loaded into Lifeboat No. 15. Lillian later recalled, "my mother said she would rather stay with him [my father] and go down with the ship, but he said the children should not be alone. [My mother] had Felix on her lap and she had me between her knees. I think she thought she could keep me a little warmer that way." She later described the ship sinking as a big building going down.
Lillian, her mother and brother were rescued by the RMS Carpathia
, which had arrived at the scene shortly after four o'clock in the morning. Lillian and her brother were loaded into burlap bags and hoisted to the Carpathia's deck. Once on the Carpathia, Lillian remembered:
The Carpathia arrived in New York City, New York on April 20 and Lillian's mother took her and her brother to Worcester shortly thereafter. Lillian's father and brothers, Filip, Clarence and Carl, perished on the sinking. Only her father's body was recovered and was later buried in a Worcester cemetery.
In the confusion after the disaster, a Worcester newspaper reported that both Mr. and Mrs. Asplund had been saved, along with Clarence, Lillian and Felix, and that Filip and Carl had drowned. A later report said that Selma and her "two babies" had been taken to a local hospital, and that Mr. Asplund and Clarence were apparently at another location. A final report confirmed that neither Carl, Sr. nor Clarence were among the survivors.
on May 6, 2006 at the age of 99; she would have been 100 on October 21. She was buried in All Faiths Cemetery in Worcester
alongside her father, mother, and brother.
Lillian's death left two living Titanic survivors, Barbara West
and Millvina Dean
; however, both were less than a year old at the time of the sinking and neither had any recollection of it. She was the last survivor who remembered the sinking first hand, having been five years old at the time.
Early life
Lillian Asplund was born on October 21, 1906 in Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
to a Swedish immigrant family father Carl Oscar Vilhelm Gustafsson Asplund and mother Selma Augusta Emilia Johansson. Lillian had a twin brother, Carl Edgar, and two older brothers; Filip Oscar, born in 1898 and Clarence Gustaf Hugo, born in 1902. A fourth brother, Edvin Rojj 'Felix', was born in 1909.
In 1907, Lillian's father had taken his family to Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to help his widowed mother settle problems with the family farm. By early 1912, the family was ready to return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Lillian's father booked passage for his family aboard the Titanic.
Aboard Titanic
Lillian, her parents and 4 brothers boarded the Titanic at Southampton, England on April 10, 1912 as third-class passengers. Lillian was five years old at the time and recalled that the Titanic "was very big, and it had just been painted. I remember not liking the smell of fresh paint."When the Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 pm on the night of April 14, 1912, Lillian's father woke his sleeping family and then put all important papers, including cash, into his pocket. Lillian, her mother and brother, Felix, were loaded into Lifeboat No. 15. Lillian later recalled, "my mother said she would rather stay with him [my father] and go down with the ship, but he said the children should not be alone. [My mother] had Felix on her lap and she had me between her knees. I think she thought she could keep me a little warmer that way." She later described the ship sinking as a big building going down.
Lillian, her mother and brother were rescued by the RMS Carpathia
RMS Carpathia
RMS Carpathia was a Cunard Line transatlantic passenger steamship built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson. Carpathia made her maiden voyage in 1903 and became famous for rescuing the survivors of after the latter ship hit an iceberg and sank on 15 April 1912...
, which had arrived at the scene shortly after four o'clock in the morning. Lillian and her brother were loaded into burlap bags and hoisted to the Carpathia's deck. Once on the Carpathia, Lillian remembered:
A woman took all my clothes off me. My clothes had gotten very dirty and wet in the lifeboat. My mother was trying to find me. She was saying, 'I have a daughter!' Well, she found me. And eventually my clothes were dry, and I put them back on. They took us, the children, to the place where they take people who are sick. Well, not sick, but people who needed a little more attention. The people on the Carpathia were very good to us."
The Carpathia arrived in New York City, New York on April 20 and Lillian's mother took her and her brother to Worcester shortly thereafter. Lillian's father and brothers, Filip, Clarence and Carl, perished on the sinking. Only her father's body was recovered and was later buried in a Worcester cemetery.
In the confusion after the disaster, a Worcester newspaper reported that both Mr. and Mrs. Asplund had been saved, along with Clarence, Lillian and Felix, and that Filip and Carl had drowned. A later report said that Selma and her "two babies" had been taken to a local hospital, and that Mr. Asplund and Clarence were apparently at another location. A final report confirmed that neither Carl, Sr. nor Clarence were among the survivors.
Later life
Lillian's mother refused to discuss the disaster with anyone, telling Lillian that it was simply wrong to do so. Lillian agreed with her mother and throughout the rest of life hardly ever spoke of the disaster. Lillian's mother died on April 15, 1964, the 52nd anniversary of Titanic's sinking, and her brother, Felix, with whom Lillian lived, died in 1983. After her death, the steamship ticket she had held for so many years was sold at auction.Death
Lillian died in her home in Shrewsbury, MassachusettsShrewsbury, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,640 people, 12,366 households, and 8,693 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 12,696 housing units at an average density of...
on May 6, 2006 at the age of 99; she would have been 100 on October 21. She was buried in All Faiths Cemetery in Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
alongside her father, mother, and brother.
Lillian's death left two living Titanic survivors, Barbara West
Barbara West
Barbara Joyce Dainton was the second-to-last remaining survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on 14 April 1912 after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage.-Early life:...
and Millvina Dean
Millvina Dean
Elizabeth Gladys Millvina Dean was the last remaining survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, which occurred on 15 April 1912. At 2 months and 13 days of age, she was also the youngest passenger on board the ship....
; however, both were less than a year old at the time of the sinking and neither had any recollection of it. She was the last survivor who remembered the sinking first hand, having been five years old at the time.