The Skoog family consisted of:
Wilhelm Skoog, 40 born April 6th 1872; he was the son of Anders Johansson
Anna Bernhardina Skoog, 44, born Friday 13th November 1868
Karl Thorsten Skoog, 11, born Friday 13th July 1900
Harald Skoog, 5, — b Wednesday 22nd August 1906
Mabel Skoog, 9, — b Tuesday 22nd July 1902
Margit Elizabeth Skoog, 2, — b Thursday April 15th 1910
Wilhelm Skoog and his family, from Hallekis, Sweden, travelled to the upper Peninsula of Michigan in the late 1800s to work at the Pewabic copper Mine in Iron Mountain. Between 1900 and 1910 the family had four children; their future looked bright.
In 1907, seven-year old Karl was chosen to carry his father's dinner pail over hte hills from their home to the mine for his midday meal. Thorsten enjoyed this duty as his father often rewarded him with a left-over cookie or a bite of his mother's pastries, which he particularly loevd when she filled them with wild game. Karl was fascinated by trains and on his way to the mine he woudl stop by the railroad yard to see the engines; sometimes he could hitch a ride toward the mine. On the first saturday of November 1907 he leapt out to hitch a ride, but that instant the train jolted and somehow he was thrown tot he track while the train sped over his legs. The yard workers rushed him to the hospital, but his left leg and right foot had to be amputated.
In 1911, the Skoogs, yearning for their home country, sold their home and their furnishings and moved back to the old country. It was, however, a short lived visit, for four months later, friends in Iron Mountain recieved a letter reading,
"Dear Friends, we plan to return to America next month. We were fortunate to seek passage on the new and beautiful luxury liner Titanic...our spirits soar. How wonderful it will be to see you all again."
Travelling with them on the Titanic were two relatives (I don't know how they were connected) named Jenny Lovisa Henriksson, 28, and Ellen Pettersson, 18. The entire party was lost. Climbing to safety on a listing ship amid throngs of anxious, shoving passengers in their last-minute dash for safety would have been impossible for a family with a child on crutches. The only body found was that of Jenny Henriksson's.
What was left of the Skoog's estate, including their piano left in America, was liquidated and sent to Wilhelm's parents in Sweden, but they would never accept any compensation, claiming that the lives of their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren were worth far more than any money.
I am deeply sorry about your mother and hardly know how to respond; just know that my heart goes out to you and I will keep your family in my prayers.
