Solitude: Ingrid Kristina Fahna

This week' prompt is "Solitude." Solitude means the state or situation of being alone. That makes me think of George Henrickson's mother, Ingrid Kristina Svensdotter Fahna. She was the last of her siblings and family to immigrate to America. Her 2 brothers and their families, and her own 2 children had already immigrated to America. When the sister she was caring for passed away in August 1912, Ingrid made plans to come to America. She was 72 years old and would be making the journey by herself.

On August 1, 1912 Ingrid's older sister Sarah Lena Skold Fahna passed away after a long illness. The next record we have of Ingrid is the Church Book of registered immigrants. I only have access to the transcripts, not the actual page, but the book records Ingrid as leaving Sweden to travel to America on November 21, 1912. She is listed as a widow, traveling alone to America. The next recorded date for Ingrid is December 11, 1912. She's listed on the passenger list for the ship "Salmo" leaving Gothenburg, Sweden and traveling to Grimsby, England. 

Ingrid K. Fahna is listed as number 68.

Grimsby is a port on the Northern Sea in England. Grimsby and Hull were two main ports where immigrants would enter England, and then travel by train to Liverpool or another port and on to America, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. When an immigrant bought a ticket, all the travel costs were included. A ticket would get you a spot on a ship to England, a train ride to Liverpool, and then on another ship to America. Grimsby and Hull were set up with hotels, restaurants, and special trains to take immigrants across England to Liverpool or their point of departure. It was a big business until World War I broke out.

After leaving Grimsby and making her way to Liverpool, Ingrid boarded the S.S. Lusitania. She boarded on December 14, 1912 to sail to America. The Lusitania was owned by the British Cunard Line. It was launched in 1906 and in 1908 held the record for fastest Atlantic crossing. It was the largest passenger ship in the world until the Mauretania was completed three months later. Ingrid traveled Third Class. By the time she traveled to America, the conditions for Third Class passengers, formerly Steerage Class had greatly improved. Ingrid would have had a bed in a cabin, and been provided at least 2 meals a day. It wasn't fancy, but definitely an improvement over what earlier immigrants had faced.

Third Class dining room on the Lusitania.

Ingrid arrived at the port of New York on December 21, 1912. According to the passenger manifest, her Cousin Johannes was her nearest relative in the country she came from. Galva, Illinois was her final destination. The record also shows her ticket was paid for by her Brother-in-law, she had $25 with her, and her Brother-in-law George Holenstine (sp) in Galva was where she was headed. I'm not aware of Ingrid having a brother-in-law named George in Galva. I'm thinking maybe it was a miscommunication and she meant she was going to her son-in-law George Fahnstrom. It would make sense for George to buy his mother-in-law's ticket to come to America.

Ingrid also said she was not a polygamist or anarchist. She was judged to be in sound mental and physical health. Her height was listed as 5'2" and she could read and write. 

Hopefully Ingrid was able to arrive in Illinois in time to celebrate Christmas with her daughter's family. Ingrid's daughter married her first cousin, George, also Ingrid's nephew. Ingrid stayed with them for awhile and also stayed with her son George Henrickson and his family for awhile. I found a record of her in the Church book for Sandhem Lutheran Church.

Ingrid spent most of her life within a few miles of where she was born and raised. The last 10 or so years of her life traveled halfway around the world to a new country where she traveled some more. 

Ingrid died October 25, 1922.

Ingrid Fahna

One final thought. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. The Lusitania was torpedoed by the Germans on May 7, 1915. Ingrid is lucky she wasn't on either of these sailings. Crossing the Atlantic was a dangerous feat. We're all lucky our ancestors survived the crossing.