Biography of Nils Nilson Blomquist and Katarina (Kajsa) Pettersdotter who 
emigrated from Sweden and lived in Harris, Minnesota (Chisago County).  
Submitted by Carl C. Bloomquist, great-grandson of Nils & Kajsa.

Husband's father: Nils Persson Blomquist
Husband's mother: Greta Jansdotter

Seven of the children of Nils and Kajsa were born and died in Sweden before 
they emigrated. All these children are buried in Hammara, Sweden. Records of 
the church in Hammara confirm this. Eight children survived and eventually 
came to America. One known to have come with her parents was Augusta 
Blomquist.

Nils and Kajsa emigrated to America from Karsvalla, Väse on the ship, Angelo, 
on October 23, 1880 with daughter, Augusta and two granddaughters, Ava 
Josephina and Anna Malvena. The latter two were daughters of Nils's daughter, 
Sophia. Nils and Katarina (Kajsa) lived in a small house on the property of their 
son, Gustaf and his wife, Charlotte (Stark). This house was just a few acres 
west of Gustaf's' which was west of Harris, MN. His grandson, Carl Behring 
(Carlsson), is said to have told that his grandfather was a top notch house 
painter in a day when it required knowledge and skill to mix paint, and he knew 
how to fish. Both brought in money. For integrity, honesty, and industry, he was 
A-1. Nils often found it difficult to provide for his large family.

Nils died in Harris, Minnesota. Kajsa moved into the home of her daughter, 
Anna Marie Carlson, just north of the Chain Lake which is south of Harris, 
Minnesota. In 1903, Kajsa moved with her daughter, Anna Marie and 
granddaughters, Hilma and Eva, to Minneapolis, MN.(?) Kajsa died September 
17, 1907 and was buried next to Nils in Harris, Minnesota.

Following taken from letter of Edith Van Den Burgh (great-grand daughter of Nils 
& Kajsa) to Roger Johnson (great-grandson of Nils & Kajsa), 8/23/1977:

I do know that all my aunts and uncles and my father had the greatest respect 
for their dad [Nils]. Aunt Christine told me that when he made children's coffins, 
he would carve out forms of flowers from potatoes and glue them to the sides 
and tops of coffins, and shellac them. They would look like they were carved out 
of the wood. I was always under the impression that he was a cabinet maker, 
but I see by Eva's story that he was a first class painter and fisherman. The 
coffins evidently must have been made for the 7 children who died.

The following was entered 8/7/1997 by Carl C. Bloomquist (great-grandson of 
Nils & Kajsa):
On July 19, 1997, after the annual Bloomquist / Stark family reunion in 
Lindstrom, Minnesota, I visited the little graveyard in Harris, Minnesota where 
Nils & Kajsa are buried. I found their grave and photographed it. The translation 
(gravestone is inscribed in Swedish) reads:

"Here rests Nils Nilson Blomquist
Born in Hamar, Värmland, Sweden
24th of April 1823
Died 6th of Sept. 1901
and wife
Katarina
Born in Ölmë, Värmland, Sweden
27th of April 1821
Died 17th of Sept. 1907"

The above biography is compiled from information supplied by Roger Johnson, 
Til Vandenbergh, Eve Gawlik, Eleanor Magnusson and Carl Bloomquist, all 
great-grandchildren of Nils and Kajsa.