Charles John Stromquist, a popular citizen of Lindsborg, and recognized as one of the representative men of affairs of McPherson county, was born in Morlunda, in the lau or province of Kalmar, Sweden, Sept. 27, 1842, being a son of John and Christiana (Johnson) Stromquist, both of whom were born in that province and country. He was reared in the place of his birth, and was afforded the advantages of the schools of his native province. Upon leaving school he farmed and learned the trade of carpenter and miller, which he followed until his migration to America. This event occurred in 1867, and upon his arrival in the land of the free he located at Galesburg, Ill., at which place and also at Chicago he followed his trade until 1869. On Dec. 21, of the last named year, he established his residence at Fremont, McPherson county, Kansas, where a brother, John P. Stromquist, had settled the previous year, and there he engaged in farming for a time. Later he worked at his trade, in the employ of the Union Pacific railway, and was thus engaged until 1872, when he returned to farming, in which he has been interested to a considerable extent ever since. As a citizen and business man he has the uniform confidence and esteem of the community which has represented his home for so many years. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and served as county commissioner during the years 1891 and 1892. At the fall election in the last named year he was chosen to represent McPherson county in the state legislature, and was reëlected to that position in 1894. As a member of that legislative body he served as chairman of the Committee on Temperance and as a member of the committees on railways and education. The great fight for the repeal of the prohibition law in Kansas occurred in 1895, and as chairman of the Committee on Temperance in the legislature Mr. Stromquist became prominent before the people of the state. He strenuously opposed the repeal of the law and largely through his efforts was the measure defeated. Soon after his retirement from the legislature, in 1897, he was chosen treasurer of McPherson county, was reëlected in 1899, and served in that position for a period of five years. He has devoted considerable attention to educational affairs and is one of the most prominent figures connected with the management of Bethany College. He was ever a close friend of the late Dr. Carl Swenson and was a stanch supporter of that gentleman throughout the entire period of his incumbency, serving as president of the Board of Directors two years and as secretary for ten years. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since the founding of the institution and has given freely of his time and money to its upbuilding and successful administration. In 1886 Mr. Stromquist was the chief organizer of the Swedish-American Insurance Company, of which he has served as secretary since 1904, and he previously served as president from 1886 to 1893. He is a prominent member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, of which organization he served as president from 1886 to 1893, and since 1895 he has been its secretary.

March 15, 1873, witnessed the marriage of Mr. Stromquist to Miss Johanna Matilda Isaacson, who is also a native of Sweden, and of this union have been born ten children: Edith is the wife of C. A. Carlson, of Lindsborg, Klan.; Anna is the wife of Leander Dahlsten, of Kansas City, Mo.; Carl Eben graduated at Yale College with the class of 1902 and is now professor of mathematics in the University of Wyoming, at Laramie; Elvira is the wife of Oscar E. Danielson, of Fremont, Kan.; Walter G. graduated in Bethany College and at the University of Illinois, with the class of 1910, and is now connected with his alma mater as sanitary engineer; Laura graduated at Bethany College in the class of 1910; Helena and Elnora are students at Bethany College, and two children died in early childhood.