Bio of ORTQUIST, Andrew Peter (b.1866), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol II, pg 329-330
ANDREW PETER ORTQUIST
Andrew Peter Ortquist was born in Sweden on the llth of January, 1866, his
parents being Andrus and Britta Ortquist. The father spent his life in the
occupation of farming in support of his family, until called to his final rest.
His widow still makes her home in her native land.
Andrew P. Ortquist attended the public schools of Sweden, while spending his
youthful days on the old home farm, gaining in its outdoor life, its freedom,
its broad­ening experiences and in his wide home training, that strength of
character and self-reliance which make it difficult for the city boy to cope
with the country bred lad. Amidst such surroundings he learned lessons of life
that he has never forgotten and which have constituted guiding forces in his
later career. He was twenty-one years of age when on the 19th of April, 1887, he
arrived in Minneapolis, having come alone from his native country to the new
world. Here he soon began learning the trade of bricklaying and followed that
pursuit through the summer, attending school during the winter evenings for a
period of two years, thus gaining a knowledge of the English language as well as
of various branches, constituting a valuable foundation upon which to build
advancement in business. He also spent one winter as a student in the Emanuel
Academy, which was then located in the basement of the Lutheran Swedish church.
He continued to follow his trade of bricklaying until the fall of 1894 and
during the last year of that period was engaged in contracting on his own
account in association with partners. His business changed in its nature,
however, in the winter of 1895. when he established the Lincoln Laundry, which
he conducted with success until 1914. He then sold out and afterward engaged in
the banking business, being connected with the Mill City State Bank, of which he
was president for one year before selling his interest therein. At this writing,
in 1922, he is, engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business. Each
change in his activities has marked a forward step, indicating the growth of his
interests and the increasing breadth of his opera­tions.
At the present time Mr. Ortquist is also giving considerable attention to the
duties of public office. He served as a member of the common council in the city
of Minneapolis from the eleventh ward for a period of twelve years and as one of
the city aldermen he gave thoughtful and earnest consideration to all the vital
questions affecting. the welfare and progress of the municipality. While he
avoided useless expenditure of public funds he did not believe in hampering
progressiveness by an undue conservatism, and stood as a strong champion of all
those forces which were calculated to advance the general welfare. During the
last two years of the period he was president of the council. In 1920 he was
selected by the city council to fill out an unexpired term on the board of
education and upon the resignation of President N. H. Leighton he was elected to
fill the vacancy. In the spring of 1921 he was elected a member of the board of
education and reelected to the presidency, so that he is now serving in that
capacity. He is studying the problems of directing the educa­tional interests of
the city with the same thoroughness that has ever marked his mastery of business
questions and his direction of public interests as a councilman. He believes
that the highest ideals should be maintained in the conduct of the schools and
that a most thorough and practical training should be given in preparing the
youth of the city for the duties and responsibilities of later life. Mr.
Ortquist is also a member of the library board and of the city planning
commission, serving on the estimate and taxation committee and as a member of
the tax board. He is a be­liever in municipal progress along *all those lines
which make for efficiency in govern­ment, for the safety and protection of the
public and for the development of the city along the lines of adornment and
natural beauty. He is one of the directors of the Art Museum and he is also
serving on the teachers retirement board.
On the 14th of December, 1896, Mr. Ortquist was married to Miss Annie K.
Peterson of Wisconsin, and they have many friends in Minneapolis, where they
have long resided. The hospitality of many of the best homes is cordially
extended to them. Mr. Ortquist is a member of the Odin Club and fraternally he
is a Scottish Rite Mason and member of Zuhrah Temple of the Mystic Shrine. A
review of his life makes one familiar with a story of consecutive progress,
leading to the goal of success. He landed at Halifax with only ten dollars in
his pocket and could not speak a word of English. He resolutely set to work to
master the language and to prepare himself for advancement in life. He has made
each day mark off a full-faithed attempt to know more and to grow more and from
the faithful performance of each day's duties he has found strength, courage and
inspiration for the labors of the succeeding day. Each year has found him far in
advance of the point which he had reached a year previous and as a business man
and public official he has won not only success but an honored name.