From the New Richmond News, Feb 26, 1916:

Headline: Andrew Arnquist Dies Suddenly.

Andrew Arnquist, one of the pioneers of this region and well known all through this section, died suddenly in a hospital in North Yakima, Washington Thursday night. The expectation is that the remains will arrive here Wednesday, tho nothing definite has been received to date on that point nor concerning the funeral. The end came quite unexpectedly. The last previous advice received locally was to the effect that Mr. Arnquist had undergone a surgical operation, which was apparently successful but the shock was too much for him and he failed to rally. Decedent was 74 years of age. He had been in rather frail health practically all of his life, but his iron nerve and sturdy grit tided him over many a crisis until he finally passed the allotted three score and ten.

From the New Richmond News, Mar 1, 1916:

The remains of the late Andrew Arnquist, who died at North Yakima, Wash. Feb 24th, arrived in town last evening and were taken direct to Mr. J. Casey's undertaking rooms. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon at one o'clock from the Swedish Lutheran Church in this city, interment following in the Huntingdon cemetery beside the remains of his wife who died many years ago. The Reverend T. J. Kjellgren, the pastor, will officiate, assisted by Reverend A. E. Fraser. Victor Arnquist, the only one of the children who was not with their father when he died, arrived in town yesterday morning from Hoffman, Minnesota with his wife and children. Accompanying the remains on their arrival to this city were Mabel and Irving Arnquist. With their father when he died are the following sons and daughters: Irving Arnquist of Hoffman, Minn., Miss Mabel Arnquist and Mrs. Ida McDonald of Seattle, Mrs. Edna Gilberson of Henderson, Montana, and Miss Inez Arnquist of Sedro-Woolley, Washington.

HISTORY OF THE ST. CROIX VALLEY - 1909
Andrew Arnquist was born in Sweden, June 20, 1842, son of N. M. and Annie (Asp) Arnquist, who left their native country and settled in Star Prairie, St. Croix county, Wis., in 1869. He attended the common schools of Sweden and then worked at the lumber business, laboring in sawmills in the summer time and in the woods in the wintertime. Upon coming to America in 1866 he worked on a farm near Red Wing, Minn., six months and then attended school for a similar period. In 1867 he came to Star Prairie and took up farming and lumbering on Apple river, which at that time was one of the centers of lumbering activity in this section. Two years later his parents came to America and settled in the same town. In 1875 Mr. Arnquist purchased 160 acres in Star Prairie township. House and barns soon adorned the property, and the numerous outbuildings were not long in building. For several years the principal crop was wheat. Later Mr. Arnquist took up general farming. Among the buildings on the farm that never fail to attract the attentionof persons passing the place is a large and modern barn, built in 1908 at a cost of over $1,500. Mr. Arnquist was married in Star Prairie, May 4, 1876, to Christina Johnson, a daughter of John and Carrie Johnson, well known farmers of Sweden, who lived and died in the old country. This marriage was blessed with six children. Edna, the oldest, taught school for a time and is now the wife of William Giberson, of Cantlean, Idaho. Mabel, the second daughter, is now a school teacher. Inez teaches school at Seattle, Wash. Ida is a telephone operator at Cantlean, Idaho. Victor and Erving are at home on the farm. Edna, Mabel and Inez graduated from the New Richmond, Wis., High School. By a previous marriage Mrs. Arnquist had two children, Hilda and Carrie Paulson, the latter of
whom is now deceased. Mrs. Arnquist passed away in the month of March, 1903, at the old homestead, where she had been brought as a bride and where she had spent all of her married life. Mr. Arnquist has always taken a deep interest in public affairs and has been honored by his fellow townsmen of Star Prairie with such positions as side supervisor, director on. school board and assessor, the latter position having been held by him for a period of five years. He is a staunch Republican and attends the Lutheran church. There were nine of the Arnquist brothers and sisters, all of whom have had a part in the development of St. Croix county. The oldest is Mrs. Kate Johnson, who now lives in Polk county, Wisconsin, in the city of Little Falls. Andrew was the second child and the oldest boy of the family. Nels is a farmer of Star Prairie township. Christiana lives in the same township. John M. lives in Stanton township. Mrs. Annie Holmquist is now dead. Mrs. Carrie Libby lives in New Richmond. The eighth child is Judge Arnquist, of Hudson, and the youngest is Mrs. Mary Anderson, of New Richmond.

Contributor: James Reppe (49756951)