L. Einar & U. Rosalind Vigfusson
Part 1: Einar’s family by Einar Vigfusson
After emigrating from Iceland in late 1898, my maternal grandparents spent two years in Milton, North Dakota, waiting for more land to become available in the Arborg area. In 1901 they settled on River Lot 49, the farm where we presently reside. They were Baldvin Jónsson (b. at Höfði, Nov. 26, 1871, son of Jón Jónatansson and Sigriður Jónsdóttir) and Ingibjörg Pálsdóttir (b. Sept. 7, 1864 at Kjartanstaðir in Skagafjörður, daughter of Páll Pálsson and Guðbjörg Björnsdóttir, [1832-1910]). Baldvin and Ingibjörg had two daughters, Sigurlín (b. at Glaumbær in Iceland) and Emilia (Emily) Rósa, my mother (b. Dec. 18, 1905 on RL 49, d. Oct. 28, 1997). Emily attended school in Arborg, and then Normal School in Winnipeg where she received her teacher’s certificate. She taught for several years in the Arborg and Framnes districts prior to her marriage to Johann Vigfusson on June 28 1930. Emily is still remembered fondly by former students.
She was a lady of quiet dignity and some reserve, although she had a delightful sense of humour. She throughly appreciated good literature and poetry and was active in community affairs, giving time to the church, hospital, and the Icelandic National League. She cared for her aged parents at home until their deaths in 1949 (Ingibjörg) and 1951 (Baldvin).
Jóhann Vigfusson (b. Apr 14, 1900, d. Oct. 25, 1982) was the son of Guðmundur Vigfússon (b. Jan. 10, 1870, son of Vigfús Sigurðsson and Margarét Jónsdóttir [b. at Oddi in Mýrar, Austur Skaftafellssýsla]), and Jóhanna Einarsdóttir (daughter of Einar Stefánsson [b. Apr. 8, 1846], and Lovísa Benediktsdóttir) both originally of Arnanes in the Hornafjörður area of Eastern Iceland. They came to Canada in 1902, spending the first year in Winnipeg, and then making their way to the Framnes area along with a large number of friends and relatives that had just then arrived from Iceland.
My father, Jóhann, was a fisherman on Lake Winnipeg from the age of 14 until his marriage to my mother at the age of 30, when he settled down to farming on RL 49. He was fair minded, honest, hardworking, and had a wonderful sense of humour. He was active in community affairs and truly a “people person”.
Joe and Emma, as they were known, had four sons, all born on RL 49: Pall (Sept. 14, 1931), Einar (Mar. 10, 1933), Herman (Jun. 10, 1935), and Baldvin (Mar., 27, 1939). Pall married Bernice Erlendson of Arborg, and went away to work early in life. He was a store manager for Safeway in Thompson, MB for many years. Baldvin was killed in a car accident Feb. 2, 1958 at the age of 18. Herman and I bought the farm from our parents and farmed in partnership until our retirement in in 1997-98, leaving the operation to my elder son, Eric.
Part II: Rosalind’s Story by Rosalind Vigfusson
My maternal grandparents were Egill (Sigurðsson) Holm (son of Haraldur Sigurðsson and Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir [b. 1856 in Skagafjörður, d. 1923]), and Aðalrós Sigurmunda Ólafsdóttir (b. Sept. 8, 1886, daughter of Olafur Eiríksson and Steinunn Guðnadóttir, both of the Eyjafjörður area of Iceland). Egill and Aðalrós (Rosa) had four children: Wilfred, Steinthor, my mother, Olga (b. May 31, 1919), and Ragnar.
My paternal grandparents were Jón Pálsson (b. Sept. 14, 1886 at Reykjir in Reykjarströnd, son of Páll Halldorsson [Litli Arskógur, 1858] and Jónanna Jónsdóttir), and Una Friðny Jónasdóttir (b. Oct. 30, 1891 in Geysir, Manitoba, daughter of Jónas Thorsteinsson [b. 1843, at Ípishóll, Seyluhreppur] and Lilja Friðfinnsdóttir [b. Sept. 26, 1853 Fjall, Kolbeinsdalur]). Jon and Una were married on May 8, 1913, and, in 1919, settled in Geysir permanently on a farm of the same name. They had five children: Johannes, my father (b. Apr. 1, 1914), Lilja, Pall, Valdimar, and Sigrun.