Peter A. Hammerquist Biography This biography appears on pages 1641-1642 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. PETER A. HAMMERQUIST, who is pleasantly located on a fine ranch twenty miles from Rapid City on Rapid creek, his land being redeemed from the wilderness by his own industry and skill, was born on March 12, 1848, in Sweden and remained there until he was nineteen, receiving a good common-school education and working in stores after leaving school. In 1867 he came to the United States, and after passing some time at Chicago and Calumet, Indiana, having a brother living at the latter place, he moved to Lee county, Illinois, where for two years he carried on barbering in small towns. At the end of this period he moved to Boone, Iowa, and after barbering in that town, Marshalltown and State Center for some time, went to Sioux City in the early part of 1873, and soon afterward came to South Dakota, locating in Clay county, where he took up land and turned his attention to farming. The grasshoppers devoured his crops and he was forced to return to Sioux City and work at his trade. He then passed a year at Davenport in the same employment and another in the coal fields south of there. In 1875 he returned to South Dakota, crossing the river on ice and found that his homestead had been jumped. He then went to Vermillion and opened a barber shop which he conducted until February, 1877. At that time, in company with three other men, he came to the Black Hills. The party had one wagon which was heavily laden with goods and they were obliged to walk most of the way. Their route was by way of Pierre and they were compelled to cross the Missouri on ice and had great difficulty in doing so. The ice broke under the wagon and it went to the bottom of the river, but they succeeded by great effort in getting it out and across without material loss in their supplies. They joined the first train that reached Rapid City by way of Pierre. They had no armed guards for protection, but nearly all the members of the party, consisting of sixty-five men, were armed. Arriving at Rapid City on March 19th, and having his barbering outfit with him, Mr. Hammerquist determined to remain there and for employment opened a shop, a much-needed enterprise in the small town as it was then. He witnessed all the exciting events of its early history and took his part like a man in every movement for the general weal. In 1878 he went east for a short visit and on his return found his town property jumped. He recovered this, however, and in it opened a small drug store which he profitably conducted for a few years. In the fall of 1881 he purchased the claim to the ranch he now occupies and moved his family there the next spring, this being the second family to settle at this end of the creek. Since then this has been his home and here he has been actively engaged in the stock industry. After moving to the ranch he went east and bought a small herd of cattle which was the nucleus of his present holdings in this line, and by vigorous management of his business he has steadily expanded it until he has become one of the leading stock growers in this part of the county. He has also pushed forward the improvement of his ranch from year to year, and thus made it one of the most attractive rural homes in the neighborhood. The land is nearly all under irrigation and is very productive, yielding abundant returns for his labor and a generous support to his stock. In the local affairs of the county Mr. Hammerquist has ever been energetic and serviceable, and having displayed more than ordinary capacity for administrative duties, has been chosen by his fellow citizens to places of trust and importance in the public service. He has been postmaster at Farmingdale since 1890 and was county assessor from 1890 to 1894, two terms. He is an ardent worker in the Republican party and has commanding influence in its councils. He has also been zealous and helpful in school affairs and prominent in every movement for the advancement of the county. He belongs to the Masonic order, with membership in the lodge at Rapid City. On October 12, 1879, Mr. Hammerquist was married at Comstad, in Clay county, to Miss Mary E. Anderson, a native of Norway, who came to America in childhood and to Vermillion in 1873, when she was sixteen. They have eight children, Ida F., Harry E., Fred A., Anton W., Earl N., Erma M., Charles L. and Helen C.