I came across this image of Lucas County's Richard A. Hasselquist yesterday while filing a newly arrived photograph at the museum and decided to pair it up this morning with his obituary, published at considerable length in The Chariton Leader of March 1, 1932.
This is a detailed, story-telling obituary, remarkable in itself, that takes us back to a time when politicians quite often were widely respected --- and postmasters were political appointees. Mr. Hasselquist served in both the Iowa House and Iowa Senate, then was rewarded by being named Chariton postmaster during the Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft administrations.
His parents were Sven Magnus (1823-1907) and Christina Johanna (Nordstrom) Hasselquist (1825-1891) who are buried in Ragtown Cemetery in Benton Township, not far from the small farm where they settled upon arrival in the United States from Sweden.
Richard Hasselquist left no descendants in Lucas County to tell his stories and his three brothers scattered after living first in Lucas County. Anton Gregorius and John Cyprianus settled in Mills County in southwest Iowa; Ernest August, near Wheatland, Wyoming. Richard's sister, Freda, married Frank Thorne and left many descendants behind here, however.
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R. A. Hasselquist, 81, for many years prominent in political and business circles of Lucas county and Iowa, died at the home of his son, Elmer Hasselquist, in Chariton Sunday morning at ten o'clock. His death was preceded by an illness of nearly a year.
His death comes to all of Chariton and many throughout the state as a distinct blow. Born in Sweden, Mr. Hasselquist came to Lucas county at the age of eighteen and here entered into an active life that brought him the friendship and admiration of everyone.
After a career as a merchant in Chariton and Russell, Mr. Hasselquist was elected by voters of Lucas county as state representative. He served in the 28th and 29th general assemblies and upon his return to this county was sent to Des Moines as senator from the Lucas and Wayne county district. He served in the 30th and 31st general assemblies as a senator.
Everything that tended to promote the education, material or moral welfare of the community received his approval and cooperation. He was prominent in the activities of the Presbyterian church and served successively as Sunday school superintendent, church treasurer and elder.
Richard Albert Hasselquist was born on December 4th, 1850, at Eriksburg Ullervad, near the city of Mariestad, in the province of Vestergotland, Sweden. When eighteen years of age he came to the United States of America and landed in New York on April 17, 1869, and at his destination of Princeton, Illinois, on April 24, 1869.
In August of the same year, he removed to Burlington, Iowa, and was employed as bridge carpenter on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad all along their line, visiting Chariton often, before and after the big fire.
In 1872 he severed his connection with the C. B. & Q. R.R. Company and came to Lucas county, Iowa, and lived with his parents on a farm in Washington township for the winter.
On the 26th of February, 1873, he was married to Laura Davis, and on April 10, 1873, entered the mercantile business as a clerk for Joseph Braden & Co., in Chariton, where he remained until March 19, 1881, when he went to Russell, Iowa, to carry on a business for himself, and continued there for over sixteen years.
In 1897 he returned to Chariton and opened up business in the new Kubitshek building on the southwest corner of the square, under the name of R. A. Hasselquist & Sons. In 1899 he was elected state representative and in 1903 elected to the senate.
He then closed out his business to give more attention to his office and the people's interests. In 1906 he resigned from the senate to accept the appointment as postmaster of the Chariton post office, under President Roosevelt, and later by President Taft, a position he held from April 23, 1906, until April 15, 1915, when he was succeeded by W. H. Dewey, under Wilson, who was a democratic president.
On a previous time, some nine years before this, he had represented Tone Bros., importers of coffee, teas and spices, Des Moines, Iowa, for a short time as their agent in southern Iowa and northern Missouri territory. This position was now again offered to him and he accepted.
Later, when the government made strong demands for service to carry on and raise money for the various war organizations, he was selected as secretary of the Chariton Commercial club, which had charge of most of this work. The government appointed him chairman for Lucas county to raise the victory loan.
Mr. Hasselquist, while serving in the senate as chairman on the highway committee, promoted and with others, succeeded in establishing the present state highway commission at Ames. Of late years he has served as a commissioner for that body in condemning land for highway purposes, until his health failed him.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hasselquist were born two sons, Lawrence A., now living in Omaha, Nebraska, and Elmer H., of this city.
In Sweden, Mr. Hasselquist was raised and trained in the Lutheran church and was a member until 1869. Coming to this country and marrying an American lady, they both united with the Presbyterian church at Russell, and continued their membership there until May 16, 1898, when they transferred their membership to the Presbyterian church at Chariton where they remained until called by death, Mrs. Hasselquist on the 22nd day of January, 1927, aged 74 years, 5 months and 5 days, and Mr. Hasselquist on the 28th day of February, 1932, aged 81 years, 2 months and 24 days.
Largely attended funeral services, conducted by his pastor, Rev. Frederick Nichol, were held at the First Presbyterian church on Tuesday afternoon, at 2:00 o'clock. A double quartette sang appropriate selections. The floral tributes, so many and so beautiful, spoke plainer than words of the affection and admiration held by all for this good man. Interment took place in the Chariton cemetery.
Messrs. Chas. Hass, P. E. Johnson, H. E. Robinson, G. R. Tuttle, A. Mickle and Renus Johnson acted as pall bearers.
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