He married Johanna Augusta NEILSDOTTER in 1865 at Karlskoga, Orebro district of Sweden. Johanna was from the Orebro district of Sweden. She died in 1915 and is buried at the old Terrace End cemetery in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Their first two children were Emma Christina b. 1867 (christened in Karlskoga, Orebro district of Sweden) and Carl Frithiof (who anglicised his name to Charles Frederick) b. 1869 (christened in the Varmland district of Sweden)
Vogel organised a scheme for assisted passage for Scandinavians to the Palmerston North district of New Zealand. For more information on this scheme click here. It was argued that the Scandinavians were multiskilled, in farming and another skill. Of the first families organised onto the first boat, all were Norwegian apart from the Swedish BERQUIST family.
Nils, Johanna, Emma and Carl left Sweden in 1870, by the boat "Celaeno" and arrived in Wellington 5th Feb. 1871. Nils is described as a Workman. They arrived in Palmerston[North] 14th Feb. 1871. Val Burr gave the account to the Celaeno above and on her website gives a good description of their arrival at http://www.geocities.com/christensennz/chris-nz.html
They were allotted Sect. 353, Lot 8. 40 acres on Karere Scandinavian Block. By 1876 they were also paying off Lot 9. This area was known as Awapuni and now apparently part of the Manawatu or Awapuni Trotting course on Maxwell line, off the Pioneer Highway in Palmerston North. In February 1880 sold this land for £960.
They then bought Lot 3 of 40 acres and 80 acres on Maxwell's Line for £600.
According to school records they moved to Karere for a short time and then to Tokomaru around 1893.
Johannas obituary reads as follows
Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 38, 15 February 1915, Page 9
A pioneer of the Manawatu Scandinavian district died in Palmerston North last week Mrs Johanna Berquist, the widow of Mr. Nils Berquist. She arrived in the Dominion in the ship Selina, coming' to the Manawatu in the early seventies, states a Palmerston paper. She and her husband settled on a farm on the banks of the Mangaone stream at Awapuni, where they lived for a number of years. They sold out some twentyfive years ago to Mr. S. W. Luxford, and removed to Tokomaru, being amongst the earliest settlers at the latter place. The late Mr. Berquist died twenty years ago, and Mrs. Berquist remained on the farm up till about eight years ago, when failing health compelled her to sell out and remove to Palmerston, where she lived with her unmarried daughter and granddaughter up till the time of her death. She and her late husband were looked upon as model settlers, and were well known for their kindly disposition. Their family consisted of eight children, seven of whom are now living.
Of their seven living children;
Emma Christina BERQUIST (1867 – 1955) married Robert Hudson STALLARD (abt 1862 – 1941) in 1886. They seem to have a son Harold Hudson STALLARD in 1887 who is in the First World War. He seems to die without family in 1944. Emma, Robert and Harold STALLARD are buried in Palmerston North. Nothing else is yet known about this family.
Carl Frithiof BERQUIST (1869 – 1944) or Charles Frederick married Ada Elizabeth HILLS in 1895. They lived in Tokomaru for a time and then settled into Ferguson St in Palmerston North. They had six children – Clara m Sydney LEAN and lived in Auckland, Bertha (a good artist) m Len GRAHAM and lived in Collingwood, Morrie m Ethel WATERS and lived in Ferguson St and Maxwells Line in Palmerston North, Dorothy m Gilbert PAYNE, Gladys m Jack HARRISON and lived in Wanganui, George m Mary Longford ELLIOT and lived in Palmerston North, Linton and then finally Levin.
Matilda ‘Tilly’ BERQUIST (1875 – 1961) married Edward SMITH in 1900. Lived in Rongotea . Both are buried in Palmerston North. Nothing else is yet known about this family.
Hilders BERQUIST (1879 – 1953) married Frances WRIGHT in 1922. They had three children. He fought in the First World War.
Alfred BERQUIST (1882 – 1969) worked in Tokomaru in the flax industry. Does not seem to marry or have children.
William BERQUIST (1883 – 1966) married Kathleen Sarah WOOD. Moved to Te Puke and worked in the flax industry for a time. Played cricket for Horowhenua. They seemed not to have any children.
Edith Annie BERQUIST (1885 – 1968) married Reginald TILLEY late in life (1950) and had no children. Lived in Auckland
The eighth was
Henry Neilson, Harry, (1873 – 1900) who died at Tokomaru. He married Frances ? and may have had a son who died at two years old, named Wilfred. Both Wilfred and Henry are buried at Kelvin Grove in Palmerston North in 1900 and 1901.
There were other children who died as infants. Henry Neilson who possibly died enroute to New Zealand. Hildus (1876 – 1877) Ida Albertine,born 1877 and died?
Contact Cheryl on ceduggan@bigpond.com