Charles G. Lundquist Biography This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 1073-1074 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 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. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm CHARLES G. LUNDQUIST. In compiling a list of the progressive and prosperous agriculturists of Edmunds county, the gentleman whose name heads this article should be given a foremost place. His reputation as an industrious, honest and intelligent member of the farming community of Pembrook township is well known, and he is the proprietor of as fine an estate as can be found in that region. He engages in diversified farming and makes the southeast quarter of section 17 his base of operations. Our subject was born in Lidkoping, Sweden, July 18, 1851. His father, Loss Tjadce Lundquist, was a stone-cutter by trade and was noted for the fine work executed by him on tombstones. He died at the age of forty-two from the effects of stone dust on his lungs. The mother of our subject, Anna (Larson) Lundquist, owns her property in Sweden and resides there, supported by her children. Our subject was the only son and the fourth child in a family of nine children, and received a common-school education and later a course corresponding-to the high-school course of the public schools of this country. He was mustered into the Swedish army as Bevaring at the age of twenty-one and served one year when, becoming dissatisfied with his life there, decided to try his fortunes in America. In the spring of 1873 he landed in New York and located in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and worked in the coal mines in that and McKean counties for eleven years. He narrowly escaped death while there by a large stone falling on him, and he bears the scars caused by having his face injured while blasting. Wishing to gain a home for himself, he went to Edmunds county, South Dakota, in 1883 and took the southeast quarter of section 1 7 in Pembrook township, and began work toward this end. When he arrived at Aberdeen he could not get any lumber and he erected a sod shanty and sod barns. His family joined him a month later and was the first family in Pembrook township. The Sherman House, in Aberdeen, was a 14x 18 frame building, and was the best quarters afforded the traveler at that time. Our subject now possesses three hundred and twenty acres of land, two hundred of which is under cultivation, and he rents six hundred and forty acres of school land which he uses for pasture. Snake creek runs through his farm and he has two dams, which assist in keeping a good supply of water for his stock the year round. He has engaged in wheat and cattle raising, and now has seventy-eight head of cattle. The best crop raised was in 1885 when wheat averaged twenty-seven bushels per acre. A complete set of farm buildings enhances the value of the property and afford more than usual comforts to the family. Our subject was married in October, 1881, to Matilda Blomster, a native of Sweden. Mrs. Lundquist's father, Swan Blomster, was a soldier in the Swedish army. He came to America and engaged in farming in Pennsylvania, and his death occurred March 9, 1899. Mrs. Lundquist was reared in America and lived at home on her father's farm. Five children, two sons and three daughters, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lundquist, as follows: John, a student in High School at Aberdeen; Gilbert; Annie; Selma and Ellen. The family are members of the Presbyterian church, are well known in Pembrook township, and enjoy the respect of all. Our subject is a believer in reform and is a member of the Populist party. He is an ardent worker for the principles of his party, and is a gentleman of much force of character, a good neighbor and a friend to all. He has held various offices pertaining to educational affairs, being township school clerk at the present writing, and as such has exerted his influence in behalf of the most approved methods.