Dr. Böðvar Bjarki
& Sigrún Borga Jakobson
Bjarki was born at Viðey, Geysir district in 1926, and Borga was born at Helluland, Geysir in 1928. They were married on August 5, 1950.
Part I: Bjarki’s family
Bjarki’s maternal grandparents emigrated from Mjóafjörður in eastern Iceland in 1884. They were Eyólfur Einarsson (1843-1908) and þóranna Björnsdóttir (d. 1955), daughter of Björn Geirmundsson. Their homestead farm was called Eyólfsstaðir. Their children were Björn, Sveinbjörg, Sveinn, Ingibjörg , Halldóra, Guðlaug (Lauga), Sigurður, Valgerður and a foster daughter, Guðrún Nordal. Guðlaug (1891-1954) was Bjarki’s mother. Bjarki’s paternal grandparents came from Borgarfjörður district. They emigrated first to North Dakota and then to New Iceland in 1901. They were Helgi Jakobsson (1857-1914) from Mýrasýsla, and Ingibjörg Boðvarsdóttir (1860-1936), daughter of Boðvar Jónsson from Örnolfsdalur. They called their farm Austurvellir. Their eldest child was Böðvar, Bjarki’s father. He was born at Hamraendum, Borgarfjörður on May 22, 1889 and died June 8, 1951 at Viðey. His siblings were Jakobína, Guðbjörg, Ingibjörg, Guðrún and Helgi.
Lauga took her first job when she was eight years old, helping at a neighbouring farm. She worked at the Falcon Café in Gimli when her brother Björn Eyolfson and his wife Emma were the proprietors. There she acquired excellent cooking skills. Later she worked as a seamstress in Winnipeg. Although she had little opportunity for formal schooling, she used the practical training that she had had to good advantage as she raised her own family during the Depression years.
Böðvar worked at a variety of jobs, including fishing and farming. He assisted his mother after his father’s death . He read widely, in both English and Icelandic. He was also a gifted poet who was recognized and appreciated in the community.
Böðvar and Lauga were married in1914. They homesteaded at Viðey, Geysir. Their children were Ingibjörg (Mrs. Arvid Olsson), Thorey (Mrs. Sigmar Sigvaldason), Helgi and Böðvar Bjarki.
Part II: Borga’s family
Borga’s maternal grandparents lived all of their lives in Iceland. Her grandfather was Sveinn Friðriksson (1859-1953) born at Borgargerði, Skagafjörður. Her grandmother was Sólborg Pétursdóttir (1859-1904) , born at Bjarnastaðir, Blönduhlíð, Skagafjörður. They had nine children- Kristín, Sigrún, Valgerður, Friðrika, Indíana, Emilía, and three others who died young. Sveinn’s second wife was Stefanía Jónatansdóttir. Their three children are Sólborg, Halfdán and Sigurbjörg, all living in Reykjavík. Indíana Sveinsdóttir was Borga’s mother. She was born in 1891 at Ytri Kot, Norðurárdalur, Skagafjörður, and died in 1986.
Borga’s paternal grandparents were Sigurður Friðfinnsson (1845-1930) and Kristrún Petursdóttir (1850-1923). He was born at Fjalli, Kolbeinsdalur, Skagafjörður and she was from Blönduhlíð, Skagafjörður. They immigrated to Canada in 1885 and took a homestead farm, which they named Fagradal (Beautiful Valley). Their sons were Friðfinnur, Jóhannes, Friðrik, Kristjón and Kristmundur Numi. Kristjón (b. 1890 at Fagradal, d. 1964) was Borga’s father.
Indíana Sveinsdóttir (1891-1986) was the only member of her immediate family who emigrated. After her mother’s death it was decided that she should join her relatives in Manitoba. She left for Canada on her fifteenth birthday in May of 1906. She spent some time with aunts and uncles in Gimli and Geysir and worked as a maid in Winnipeg. She learned English quickly and was accepted into nurses’ training at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg. There she received her diploma in Obstetrical Nursing. Her nursing skills were well used throughout her life.
Kristjón grew up with a strong work ethic. As a boy, he cut hay with a scythe. Later he used a mower pulled by oxen. When he was able to earn his own money he bought a team of dapple-grey horses. In winter, he hauled freight from the fish camps on Lake Winnipeg to marketplaces. He took a homestead farm which he called Helluland. He cut wood for lumber and cordwood. Like many of his neighbours, Kristjón believed strongly in the cooperative movement and supported the creamery, the “Co-op” store and the Pool elevator.
Kristjón and Inda were married on June 14, 1924. They raised four children- Ólafur (married Guðrún Benjaminson France), Borga (Mrs. Böðvar Bjarki Jakobson), Vigdís (Mrs. Joseph Bauernhuber) and Sveinn (married Frances Skuba).