Bjorn Ingvar Sigvaldason was born 14 April 1878 at Audunarstadir i Vididal,
Thorkelsholshreppur, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Iceland, the eldest child born to
Sigvaldi Johannesson, a farmer, and his second wife Ingibjorg Steinnun
Magnusdottir, married in 1877 according to family records. Sigvaldi’s first
wife, Gudrun Thorsteinsdottir, died following the birth of their son, Johannes
Lindal Sigvaldason in 1876.
The siblings of Bjorn were: Olafur Sigvaldason
(Oliver Johnston) (1879), Gudrun Sigvaldsdottir (1881), Jakob Sigvaldason
(1884), Anna Sigvaldason (1886), Sigridur Sigvaldason (1896). There was another
child named Sigridur born between Anna and Sigridur but died young. Like Bjorn,
Olafur and Gudrun were born in Iceland. Their half-brother, Johannes Lindal
Sigvaldason, remained part of their family.
In 1883, Sigvaldi Johannesson and his wife Ingibjorg,
along with their children, seven year old Johannes, five year old Bjorn, and
two year old Gudrun, left Iceland on a ship to Scotland, then another ship to
England, and then to Canada. Their other son, four year old Olafur Sigvaldason,
had already left Iceland with his uncle and aunt for Canada. Source: Anna
Sigvaldason Austman.
As the Sigvaldason family lived near Gardar, Dakota Territory
the first winter after leaving Iceland, Sigvaldi hoped to settle in the United States,
trying to find land for farming near the present day Gardar, North Dakota area,
but none was available at that time. The family then settled in Canada, in the
New Iceland area near Gimli, Manitoba. During spring, summer and fall months,
Sigvaldi farmed near Gimli and in the winter season, he worked whatever jobs he
could find in Winnipeg to support his family.
In October 1891, their thirteen year old son Bjorn
lost his arm following a gunshot accident on their farm “Grund” near Gimli. A
rifle was accidently dropped to the ground with the bullet hitting Bjorn’s arm.
Following his recovery, Ingibjorg and Sigvaldi decided for their family to live
in Winnipeg year round so that their children, especially Bjorn, could attend
the Winnipeg schools. They recognized that Bjorn with one arm could not be
totally self supporting as a farmer. Bjorn successfully completed his education
in Winnipeg and became certified as a teacher for the provinces of Manitoba and
Saskatchewan.
While teaching in Saskatchewan around 1909, Bjorn
Ingvar Sigvaldason visited his relatives in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, the
Johnstons: his uncle Olafur Johannesson, aunt Margret Johannesdottir, and brother
Olafur Sigvaldason. During this time, Bjorn met his future wife while teaching
in Churchbridge, Saskatchewan.
Bjorn married Gudjona Lara Johnson at Winnipeg,
Manitoba in October, 1909. They were the parents of sixteen children: ten
daughters and six sons. Their first child was born in Churchbridge, Sask., next
eight children in Vidir, Manitoba, and the rest of their children were born in
Arborg, Manitoba.
As well as being a teacher, Bjorn also farmed,
homesteading along with his brothers in Vidir. Bjorn taught school during the
school year and farmed during the summer with the assistance of his brothers.
Due to Bjorn and Lara’s desire for their children to
attend a good school system, they sold their Vidir farm to Bjorn’s brother Jakob
and moved their family to Arborg in 1920. By this time Bjorn and Lara had nine
children with another child on the way. They acquired a house overlooking the
Icelandic River and purchased land on the outskirts of Arborg so that Bjorn
could continue to farm with the assistance of their sons.
Bjorn was very active in community and political
affairs of Arborg and its district, serving as the Superintendent of the Arborg
Schools, Reeve of the Bifrost Municipality, Police Magistrate, and Justice of
the Peace. He was also very interested in national and international affairs,
as he was a regular subscriber of certain newspapers, such as the Chicago Tribune.
Following a lengthy illness, Bjorn died at Winnipeg
on 14 July 1947 at the age of 69. He was buried at the Arborg Cemetery, down
the road across the Icelandic River from the house and farm they purchased. His wife
Lara remained in her Arborg home (a smaller home they had purchased during his
illness) until the 1970’s. Thereafter,
she resided at Betel Home at Gimli until her death in 1986.
The original Sigvaldason house at Arborg, (purchased
in 1920) was moved to the Arborg Heritage Village. This house was preserved as
it was when Bjorn and Lara lived there. In 2008, many Sigvaldason family
members were present at the Grand Opening of the Arborg Heritage Village.
About the
Parents of Bjorn Ingvar Sigvaldason:
Sigvaldi Johannesson and Ingibjorg Steinnun Magnusdottir
Ingibjorg Steinnun Magnusdottir (the mother of Bjorn
Ingvar Sigvaldason) was born 9
April 1851 at Prestbakka, Hunavatnsyssla, Iceland. She was the
daughter of Magnus Isleifsson, a farmer at Thoroddstoum, Iceland, and Oddbjorg
Oddsdottir. Ingibjorg had a daughter,
Ingibjorg Thorsteinsdottir (born 1870), before her marriage to Sigvaldi. As
Ingibjorg Thorsteinsdottir was adopted by another family member who remained in
Iceland, Ingibjorg Magnusdottir could not take her daughter to Canada.
Sigvaldi Johannesson (the father of Bjorn Ingvar Sigvaldason)
was born 5 October 1848 at Solvanes, Tungusveit, Skagafjardarssysla, Iceland,
grew up at Grof, near Holar, Iceland. Sigvaldi was one of four children of
Johannes Einarsson, a farmer at Anastadum and Grof, near Holar, Iceland, and
Gudrun Olafsdottir.
The other children of Johannes Einarsson and Gudrun Olafsdottir
(the siblings of Sigvaldi Johannesson) were Einar Johannesson, Olafur Johannesson
and Margret Johannesdottir.
Sigvaldi, Olafur and Margret left Iceland for Canada and Einar remained in Iceland.
Once
in Canada with his sister and adopted nephew Olafur Sigvaldason, Olafur Johannesson
changed his name (as
well as his nephew)
to Oliver Johnston, and lived for
a while in Winnipeg and later resided in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Margret Johannesdottir remained with them,
assisting her brother in his mercantile business at North Battleford, and raising
their nephew.
Margret
also changed her name,
to
Margaret Johnston.
Sigvaldi Johannesson and Ingibjorg Steinnun Magusdottir
sold their “Grund” farm near Gimli in 1912 and moved to Vidir, Manitoba to be near their homesteading
sons, Bjorn, Johannes,
and Jakob.
Sigvaldi died in October 1924 and Ingibjorg lived
another ten years. Both were buried at the Vidir Cemetery in Manitoba.
Sources:
The Arborg Historical
Society. (1987). A Century Unfolds: History of
Arborg and District 1889-1987.
Austman, Anna Sigvaldason. (sister of Bjorn Sigvaldason). Documents.
Magnusson, Kristiana. (daughter of Bjorn Sigvaldason).(1979). Roots That Bind. Trinity Press.
Sigvaldason Family. Other information.
____________________________________________________________
Compiled by Margaret
Prentice Hecker. 5 March 2011.
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