The Paul Stefansson Family
By Paul Stefansson
Paul Harold Stefansson, b. Nov. 17, 1962 son of Baldur Stefansson and Sigriður Westdal Stefansson.
Baldur Stefansson's paternal grandparents were Guðrún Jónatansdóttir, b. Apr. 28, 1841 at Gilsbakki, Norður-Þingeyjarsýsla, Iceland and Stefán Kristjánsson, b. August 27, 1834 at Ytralón, Norður-Þingeyjarsýsla, Iceland. d.1881in Iceland. Their children were: Kristján, Guðleifur, Guðmundur (Paul Stefansson's grandfather), and Hólmfríður. With her three youngest children, Guðrún Jónatansdóttir emigrated to Canada in 1886. Kristján joined the family two years later.
Baldur Stefansson's maternal grandparents were Guðný Sigmundsdóttir, b. Sept. 7, 1842 in Iceland. Halldór Jónsson, b. 1846, Grímsstaðir, Norður-Þingeyjarsýsla, Iceland. d. Feb. 17,1924 in Manitoba. They had a child, Jónína Halldórsdóttir, who was Paul Stefansson's grandmother.
Paul's paternal grandparents were Guðmundur Stefánsson, b. 1876 in Iceland, came to Canada 1886. d. 1952 and Jónína Halldórsdóttir, b. June 1, 1882 in Winnipeg. d. Dec. 12, 1948. Jónína and Guðmundur (Mundi) were married June 26,1900. They had ten children - Guðlaug, Guðný, Haldor, Guðrún, Kristján (died young), Kristján(died young), Freyja (died young), Baldur, Lilja, and Fjóla. They lived in Vestfold, Manitoba in the Interlake area where they raised cattle for a living. In 1909 Mundi recieved a lifetime appointment as commissioner of oaths by the Lieutenent Governor of Manitoba, Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan - impressive, considering the fact that Mundi had no formal education.
Sigga Westdal's paternal grandparents were Jón Jónsson Westdal, b. in Iceland, Sept. 30, 1856. d.- Dec. 4, 1946 in Gimli, Manitoba. and Anna Kristrún Gunnlaugsdóttir, b. June 12, 1849 in Hofteigur, Jokudalur, Norður-Múlasýsla. d. May 6, 1910 in Wynyard, Saskatchewan. Anna Kristrún and Jón were married on Sept. 12, 1880 in Iceland. They lived at Brú in Jokuldalur, and later moved to Grunnavatn and then to Torfastaðir in Norður-Múlasýsla. In 1904, they emigrated to Canada. They sailed from Vopnafjörður with their five children: Einar, Jakobína, Björgvin, Páll (Paul) (Paul Stefansson's grandfather), and Grímur in 1904. They farmed in Wynyard, Saskatchewan.
Sigga Westdal's maternal grandparents were Jónína Margrét Theodórsdóttir, b. June 5, 1860. She was from Hraundalur. d. 1889 in Winnipeg. Sveinn Níelsson, b. June 18, 1860 at Vogur in Mýrar, Iceland. He worked as a bookkeeper in Ashdown's Department store in Winnipeg. d. Nov. 11, 1939 in Iceland. Jónína and Sveinn emigrated to Canada in 1886. They had one child - Helga (Paul’s grandmother) who was born in Winnipeg in 1887. Following Jónína’s death, Sveinn returned with his daughter to Iceland. Helga returned to Canada in 1904.
-2- Paul's maternal grandparents were Paul Westdal, b. July 24, 1887- d. Sept. 3, 1973 and Helga Nielson b. Feb. 19, 1887- d. Dec. 4, 1970. Paul Westdal and Helga Nielson were married in 1913 in Winnipeg and farmed in Wynyard, Saskatchewan. They had four children: Björgvin, Svein, Sigriður, and Harold.
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