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Note: John Jacob Blomquist was the only child of Claes Blomquist and his third wife Emma Osterman. Though his parents met and married in Tallahassee FL, they were both Swedish. About 1890-1891, the family moved to Carrabelle on the Florida Gulf coast and their son John grew up there.
In Carrabelle, John met Maud Lydia Ordway, a daughter of Frederick Webster Ordway and Mary Margaret Collins. In August 1904, Maud's father died. His widow left Carrabelle and went to Tampa. However, John was not to be deterred and he followed the Ordways to Tampa. In December 1905 at age 20, he married Maud at her mother's home. Maud wore "her traveling costume, which was a most becoming coat suit of castor broadcloth with a tasteful garnishing of green velvet, white hercules braid and a vest front of Persian effect." (newspaper account) Maud's sister Cora Ordway sang "O Promise Me" and the couple left soon afterwards to catch a train to Carrabelle.
They returned to Carrabelle where they lived and raised their family. In the 1910 census, John and Maud were listed in his parents' household. John's occupation was given as "bookkeeper-wholesale fish." John did bookkeeping and office work for the fish house for many years. Later, he worked for Gulf Oil. During the Depression, he taught business courses for the WPA in Carrabelle and Apalachicola. During World War II, he went to Texas to work.
In 1912, John's father died and John served as one of the executors of the estate. John and Maud lived in the Blomquist home with his mother until her death in 1931, and then remained there until they left Carrabelle.
John was an active Mason and in 19xx, he was honored for 50 years of service and membership. He was also active in the Shriners and Eastern Star, which he joined in 1919. John and Maud were active Methodist church members.
About 19xx, John and Maud moved to Tallahassee. Though he was already past retirement age, John worked for the state in the Tag Department until about 1970. The death of their son Graham in 1969 was especially difficult for them. In 1971, they moved to the Masonic Home in St. Petersburg where they lived until their deaths. John died in 1972 at age 86 and Maud died the next year shortly before her 88th birthday. They were buried together in the Carrabelle City Cemetery.
Researched and written by Ann Blomquist. 1/1999
This narrative is copyrighted material and may not be posted or published except by the author.
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