James M. Bergquist

1934 - 2017

James M. Bergquist, 83, passed away peacefully in his Devon home on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, following complications from a fall after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Joan Solon Bergquist, brother Tim Bergquist, Joan Stevens Bergquist, his sons John and Charles, and three grandchildren, Gregory, Paul, and Lucy. He was preceded in death by brothers Gordon and Brian Bergquist. Jim was Professor Emeritus of History at Villanova University, where he taught for 37 years before his retirement in 2001. He specialized in the fields of early 19th century American history, American social history and American immigration history, as well as teaching graduate level courses in the field of historiography. In 2008, he published the critically-acclaimed book Daily Life In Immigrant America, 1820-1870. Prior to his employment at Villanova, he taught at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jim was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (BA) and Northwestern University (MA, PhD). He was deeply involved with many professional and academic organizations including the American Historical Association, the German Society of Pennsylvania, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Organization of American Historians, and the Immigration and Ethnic History Society, whose newsletter he edited for many years. He served on the board of the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. From 1988-1990 he was president of the Pennsylvania state division of the American Association of University Professors, and served six years on that organization’s national council. Locally, he held a position on the Tredyfferin-Easttown School District’s Diversity Committee for many years. He was an avid reader and follower of the news. He enjoyed traveling, from following the westward trail of Lewis and Clark to exotic excursions in Turkey and China. Jim loved classical music, and held season tickets to the Philadelphia Orchestra for over 40 years. He could frequently be found in the Villanova University swimming pool, where he habitually swam 36 laps every day. A Mass of Christian Burial is to be held on August 5, 2017, at The Church of St. Monica in Berwyn, where he was a parishioner for 43 years. Visitation is after 9:30am and Mass will be celebrated at 11:00am. Interment, St. Monica Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Devereux Foundation, www.devereux.org.