Vallquist, Carl Axel Rudolph, minister – Astoria – born in Boda, Närke, on March 11, 1870. He was the son of Per Wallquist, who served as inspector at Hasselfors Works and senior accountant at Porla Brunn, and his wife Eva, born Berg, who was a relative of Esias Tegnér. After spending the years 1879 – 84 at Örebro high school, where he completed his sixth grade, he moved to America in 1885. During the first six years he earned his living as a shop assistant, book keeper, and office clerk in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Florida. In 1891 he enrolled at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and graduated with a College Degree in 1893, and a Seminary Degree in 1896, both summa cum laude. He was ordained on June 7, 1896, in Omaha, Nebraska. Prior to his ordination he had, since 1891, already served as a minister in different parishes in Minnesota (Brainerd, Lake Park and Cambridge). After his ordination he served in several congregations, Detroit Lakes 1896 – 98, Holmes City 1898 – 1904, Hoffman 1904 -08, all of which are located in Minnesota. Due to an illness he didn’t serve during the winter of 1908 – 09, but afterwards took over the Swedish Lutheran congregation in Astoria, Oregon. However, shortly thereafter he was called to the S
wedish Lutheran congregation in Bellingham, Washington State. While living there, Mr. Vallquist became active in politics and local issues. In 1902 he became a member of the County Committee in Minnesota, and served as assistant to Central City Committee. In 1904, he was elected to position of Chaplain in the legislature, and in 1905, he was offered the position as secretary in the Congress in Washington, DC. He was the driving force behind the founding of a telephone company in Alexandria, Minnesota, and in 1903, he became the manager of the company. He is a prominent man of letters and a book collector. He visited Sweden in 1901. He married Sigrid Hanson from Clay County, Minnesota, on June 24, 1896. (She has been a student at Hope Academy and Augustana College, as well as a student of musical director Stolpe.) They have four daughters and one son. One son has died.
