Biography of Peter Holmquist

	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, 1898. Pages 420-423

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 


HON. PETER HOLMQUIST, whose portrait appears on another page, resides on 
section 22, Kidder township. He is one of Day county's pioneers and a 
successful and popular agriculturist. Mr. Holmquist was born in the 
southern part of Sweden, June 27, 1847, and is a son of John Isaacson 
and Martha Peterson, both natives of Sweden, where they still reside. 
John Isaacson, is a farmer by occupation, and the father of four 
children, three sons and a daughter. Our subject, who is the only one 
living in this country, was compelled to assist on the farm when very 
young, and received little or no schooling, all his education having 
been picked up at various times since. He has, however, improved his 
opportunities wonderfully, and upon the principle that a thing which is 
hardest gained is best kept; is to-day a more accomplished man than many 
of his fellows who have spent years over the books. When nineteen years 
of age Mr. Holmquist came to this country, settling in Stillwater, 
Minnesota. He remained there for nine years, engaged in river-driving 
and work in the neighboring woods. In 1875 he returned to Sweden on a 
visit, staying there four years. When he came back to the United States 
he brought a company of his friends to the number of thirty, all intent 
upon getting homes in the great west. The party went directly to Dakota 
and secured homesteads in Kidder township, Day county. Mr. Holmquist 
himself filed upon a pre-emption and tree claim, where he has since made 
his home, He improved his land, added buildings, barns, granaries, etc., 
and by hard and energetic work succeeded in making one of the best farms 
in the county - for this much is admitted by all to-day. He is now the 
owner of eight hundred acres of land, half of which is under the plow 
and yielding excellent crops each year. In 1896 Mr. Holmquist's barn and 
granary were destroyed by a cyclone, and he at the same time lost four 
horses and other stock. The damage was speedily repaired, however, and 
the razed structures rebuilt in a short time, and the place presents 
even a more attractive appearance at the present time than ever before. 
Mr. Holmquist is independent in politics. In 1894 he was elected a 
member of the legislature on the People's party ticket, serving two 
years. He enjoys the distinction of having helped to organize the county 
and township, as, at the time of his arrival, in 1882, things were in a 
very chaotic state, and there was little or no local government to speak 
of. Mr. Holmquist has been a township officer every year since the 
organization of the township, and is at present a member of the school 
board and a township supervisor, having served as chairman of the former 
continuously since the organization of the district.

	In 1878 our subject married Miss Ellen Johnson, in Sweden. Mr. and 
Mrs. Holmquist are the parents of four children: Herman, Albert A., Ida 
C. and Ann 0. Three of them are now attending high school at Webster, 
South Dakota. Mr. Holmquist and family are members of the Lutheran 
mission, Friends' church.