Nelson's Book

Extract form Nelson's book "The Icelandic River Saga".

A native of the Rangárvallasýsla Region of Southern Iceland, Vigfús Bjarnason of Ósland was born at Framnes in Áshverfi, on the banks of the Thjórsá River, on August 6, 1852, the son of Bjarni Benediktsson and his wife, Vigdís. He was said to have had family ties with the Ölfus District of Árnessýsla. Vigfús married on November 29, 1884 to Guðrún Ólafsdóttir from Skipholt in Hrunamannahreppur. Born there on April 25, 1855, she was the daughter of Ólafur Jónsson and Hólmfriður Magnúsdóttir, who later occupied the holding of Hliðarsel in the same vicinity. In 1887 Vigfús and Guðrún emigrated with the first large group to leave Southern Iceland, and not long after their arrival in Canada they settled at Hóll in Mikley, then recently vacated by Pétur Bjarnason (Ísafold). After four years there, however, Vigfús decided to relocate in the Ísafold Settlement, and in 1981 the family took up residence in a 12 x 16 foot log house at Ósland. Over the next few years several improvements were added, among them a 10 x 12 foot lean-to for the house, two log stables, a sheep shed, fencing, and some three acres of breaking. By 1897 the livestock had increased to 18 head of cattle, l4 sheep, and a horse, and after 8 years there Vigfús obtained a title to the land. The years around the turn of the century proved difficult, however. Guðrun, a capable, hard-working, and sensitive wife and mother, succumbed to a 17 month illness on Jn. 23, 1902, leaving 6 children between the ages of 16 and 4, and after several years of high water flooding forced the family to vacate their home later that same year. Following a 9 month stay at Selkirk, however, Vigfús returned to his homestead, and although he made an attempt to exchange his patent for land elsewhere in 1909, he remained here until his retirement many years later. With Vigfús, when he returned from Selkirk was his second wife, Sigriður Guðný Guðmundssdóttir (Sigga Goodman), who had emigrated from Húnavatnssýsla in 1900. Born at Sléttárdalssel on Skagaströnd on March 8, 1876, the daughter of Guðmundur Gislason and Guðbjörg Guðmundsdóttir, she was a half-sister of Halldóra Thorleifsdóttir who married Jóhannes Jónsson of Viðirnes and a niece of Málfriður Guðmundsdóttir, the second wife of Jósef Goodman. Her mother, who also had a son named Thorlákur Nielsen, was one of the 18 children of Guðmundur Hermannsson and Ingibjörg Sigfúsdóttir who at one time lived at Grund in Svinadalur. Separated from her parents at a very early age, Sigriður grew up on various farms in East Húnavatnssýsla, among them the ministry of Auðkúla in Svinadalur held by Séra Jón Thórðarson, and at the age of 14 she began working as a hired girl. On November 16, 1895, as a young woman of 19, she married Gunnar Thorleifsson of Holt in Svinadalur and over the next two years two sons were born. The marriage did not last, however, and in 1900 she immigrated to Canada from Bardkarstaðir in Svartárdalur. Sigriður was a cheerful, intelligent, and good-hearted woman who was a devoted mother both to her own children and her stepsons and daughters, and under her capable management the home at Ósland also served as a “stopping place” for travellers. In 1922, however, she and Vigfús moved to Riverton with the youngest members of the family, and there they established a new home on the East Side of town. Vigfús died of influenza seven years later, on March 8, 1929, and Sigriður passed away on December 18, 1938 after suffering a stroke at the age of 62. There were 16 children in all, 8 from Vigfús’ marriage to Guðrún, 6 with Sigriður, and Sigriður’s 2 sons from her previous marriage to Gunnar Thorleifsson. Of Vigfús and Guðrún’s children only 6 are known.

Copy permit by Nelson Gerrard October 2009.