Anders Oskar Lönnkvist (1856 - 1931)
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Anders Oskar Lönnkvist, born on November 26, 1856, in Wings Parish, Elfsborg County, Västergötland, Sweden, embarked on the vessel "Hero" on January 21, 1881, from Gothenburg with the intention of reaching Hull. At the age of 25, he would later establish himself as a prominent builder in Chicago after a few years.
Anders Oskar parted ways with his father, who served as a railroad crossing keeper in Fagerås, Frykeryd, Värmland, and his mother Klara, along with his five siblings.
Upon settling in Chicago, like more than 120,000 other Swedish immigrants, he adopted the name Andrew Lanquist. He commenced his career in the construction industry, showcasing his early determination, having acquired proficiency in English and prior experience as a mason and railway worker in Sweden.
After several years in Chicago, he crossed paths with another Swedish individual named Henry Ericsson, and together, they founded a construction firm known as Lanquist & Ericson. The company was responsible for erecting Chicago's pioneering 13 and 16-story buildings during the 1890s. Subsequently, Lanquist established a separate construction enterprise, Lanquist and Illsly, which oversaw the construction of renowned edifices such as the Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue and the Marshall Fields Annex on State Street. Despite his success and integration into American society, Lanquist remained deeply connected to his Swedish heritage, actively participating in various Swedish-American organizations, including the Swedish Engineers' Society. Additionally, he played a significant role in the establishment of the monument commemorating Carl Linnaeus in 1891.
Andrew Lanquist passed away in Chicago in 1931, leaving behind a legacy as a distinguished and esteemed figure within the community.
