John Blomquist

JOHN BLOMQUIST. - Education and financial assistance are very important factors in achieving success in the business world, where every faculty must be brought into play, but they are not the main elements. Persistency and determination figure much more prominently, and a man possessed of those qualities is bound to win a fair amount of success. John Blomquist, whose name forms the caption for this article, earned his own education and during the latter years of his life has climbed to a high place on the ladder of success. He is one of Kansas City's most prominent citizens and at the present time, in 1911, is president of the Blomquist Tailoring Company, located at 607 Minnesota avenue. He has resided in this city for fully a quarter of a century, and the years have told the tale of an eminently successful career due to the possession of energy and a determination to forge ahead and make the best of things.

John Blomquist was born at Smoland, Rydaholm, Sweden, the date of his nativity being the 6th of September, 1849. He received a good common school education in his native land and as a youth he entered upon an apprenticeship at the tailor's trade, familiarizing himself with all the details of that line of enterprise. In 1869, at twenty years of age, he decided to seek his fortune in America and accordingly immigrated to the United States, locating first in New York City. Subsequently he removed to Geneva, Illinois, where he was engaged in the work of his trade for a period of two years, at the expiration of which he removed to Oregon, Ogle county, Illinois. He remained in the latter place until 1884, at which time he came to Kansas City, Kansas, where he decided to go into business on his own account. For a time he was associated with his brother Charles in the merchant tailoring business and in 1895 they organized the Blomquist Tailoring Company, which is incorporated under the laws of the state with a capital stock of five thousand dollars and which is officered as follows: John Blomquist, president, and Charles Blomquist, secretary and treasurer. The fine establishment run by this company is recognized as one of the most up-to-date tailoring concerns in the city and it controls a tremenduous business. It is interesting to note at this juncture that Mr. Blomquist, of this review, was one of the pioneer tailors in Kansas City.

In politics Mr. Blomquist is aligned as a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and while he has never had any ambition for political office of any description he is on the alert and enthusiastically in sympathy with all measures and enterprises advanced for the good of the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the local Swedish Society and he is also connected with a number of other organizations. He is everywhere accorded the unalloyed confidence and esteem of his fellow men. Mr. Blomquist is unmarried.