The Berquist Family, Chicago, Illinois 1900's

The back reads:
"Dad, Edd, + Maggie
My Great Grandfather
Berquist
Uncle Edd Berquist
Maggie Berquist"

This 1900's cabinet card is of Solomon Berquist and two of his children, Edd and Maggie Berquist.

Solomon was a stonemason from Sweden. He and his wife Johanna had eight children in total: Frank, Edward, Charles, Henry, Barnhart, Alfred, Thomas, and Margaret. Margaret, or Maggie as she was called, was born in 1885. She married Boyd T. Culver, a mason, in Minnesota in 1913. They had two sons, Edward and James.

Edward W. Berquist, or Edd, was born in 1869. He married Emilie Gartz in 1896 and they had two daughters, Alvina and Ruth. In Chicago, Illinois, Edward was employed as a "pipeman" in the fire department- apparently "pipeman" is slang for the firefighter who handles the "pipe", or hose. His bravery as a fireman was noted several times in the Chicago Tribune, including this mention of a daring rescue in 1904:

Emilie Berquist died in 1918 and Edward was cared for in old age by his daughter, Alvina, and her family.

If you know who this family may be, let us know in the comments!