Gudjona Lara Johnson 1891-1986

Biographical information about Gudjona Lara Johnson 1891-1986

·        Born 4 February 1891 at Churchbridge, Saskatchewan, Canada, the eldest of two children of Gudni Jonsson (who took the English surname of Johnson after arriving in Canada) and Thora Jonsdottir.  Gudjona Lara Johnson’s only sibling was a brother, Kristjan Thordur Johnson (ca.1892-1943), who married Halldora “Dora” Johannson Nielson, a widow from Copenhagen, Denmark with a daughter whom Kristjan adopted.
     Residing in Seattle, Washington, USA, they had two children of their own:  Richard and Thora.  Kristjan Johnson died suddenly on 1 December 1943 at the age of 51 in Seattle, WA.

·        Married Bjorn Ingvar Sigvaldason (1878-1947) in October,1909 at Winnipeg, Manitoba. They lived for a year in Churchbridge, Saskatchewan their first child, Thorarinn Gudni Sigvaldason, was born on 16 July 1910. Fifteen other children were born, first in Vidir and later Arborg, Manitoba. One of the younger children was born in Winnipeg. A teacher and farmer, Bjorn was also active in Arborg’s community and political affairs.

·        Died 31 January 1986 at Gimli, Manitoba.  She was buried beside her husband in the Arborg Cemetery, located along the Icelandic River on the outskirts of Arborg, Manitoba.  As the mother of 16 children, Gudjona Lara Sigvaldason was known for her steadfastness and hospitality.

Children of Gudjona Lara Johnson and Bjorn Ingvar Sigvaldason:

Thorarinn Gudni Sigvaldason (1910), Ingibjorg Sigrun Sigvaldason (1911), Anna Sigvaldason (1912), Bjorn “Bjossi” Sigvaldason (1913),  Ingvar Sigvaldason (1914),  Gudrun Sigvaldason (1915), Lara Gudjona “Laura” Sigvaldason (1916), Kristjana Sigvaldason (1918), Thordis Sigvaldason (1919), Valdina “Valdine” Sigvaldason (1921), Olof Sigridur Sigvaldason (1923), Jonas Sigvaldason (1925), Gunnar Sigvaldason (1927), Johannes Einar Sigvaldason (1929),  Beatrice Lillian Sigvaldason (1931), and Margaret Eleanor Sigvaldason (1933). 

About the Parents of Gudjona Lara Johnson:

Thora Jonsdottir and Gudni Jonsson, a farmer, were married in Canada and homesteaded at Thingvilla near Churchbridge, Saskatchewan where their two children were born.

Thora Jonsdottir was the daughter of Helga Jonsdottir and Jon Bergsteinsson, married around 15 June 1846 at Braedratunga, Arnessysla, Iceland (Family Search Database).  This database has a christening record of Thora Jonsdottir (born 14 Sept 1856 and baptism date of 15 Sept 1856) at Storolfshvoll, Rangarvallasysla, Iceland.  This christening record stated “Thora Jonsdr” was the daughter of “Jon Bergsteinsson” and “Helga Jonsdr”.  According to information provided by Gudjona Lara Sigvaldason, Thora Jonsdottir’s father, Jon Bergsteinsson, was a jeweler.  As one of 17 children, Jon Bergsteinsson was the son of Bergstein Sigurdsson and Thorun Einarsdottir of Breidsbolstair, Rangarvalla, Iceland. (Family Search Database). 

As a widow, Helga Jonsdottir left Iceland around 1888, accompanying her daughter Thora Jonsdottir and future son-in-law Gudni Jonsson to Canada. Helga Jonsdottir was the mother of at least five other children besides Thora according to the Family Search Database.  It is not clear if other family members of Helga Jonsdottir also left Iceland.  In Canada, Helga Jonsdottir resided at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan and died there in 1911. She was buried at the Foam Lake Cemetery. Her great-grandson, Thorarinn Gudni Sigvaldason, was able to locate Helga Jonsdottir’s unmarked burial plot around 1999 with the assistance of an elderly Icelandic woman in her 90s who remembered where Helga Jonsdottir was buried.  A tombstone was purchased and placed on Helga Jonsdottir’s burial site. 

Gudni Jonsson Johnson (the father of Gudjona Lara Johnson) was the son of Jon Lafranzsson who was from Olafsvellir, Arnessysla, Iceland (information given by Gudjona Lara Sigvaldason in a letter).  The Family Search Database has a marriage record of Jon Lafranzsson and Aesa (Asa) Thordarsdottir, married on 14 July 1843 at Olafsvellir, Arnessysla, Iceland.  This database also has a record of this couple having six children. One of the children listed in the database was Gudni Jonsson, christened 25 October 1850 at Olafsvellir, Arnessysla, Iceland. It is not clear if this is same “Gudni Jonsson” as there may be a younger brother with the same name. 

Gudni Johnson died on 9 April 1908 at 53 years at Pennock, a district of Saltcoats, Saskatchewan  (death certificate). His wife, Thora Jonsdottir, died on 26 Sept. 1932 at their daughter Lara’s home in Arborg, Manitoba, following a long illness. 

Both Gudni Johnson and Thora Jonsdottir were buried in the Concordia Cemetery, about 6 or 8 miles north of Churchbridge, Saskatchewan.  As provided by their grandson Wally Johannson, who visited this cemetery, Gudni’s tombstone is engraved with “Rock of Ages, in Loving Memory of Gudni Johnson. Blessed are the Dead who Died in the Lord. Erected by his wife Thora Johnson Johnson.” 
Thora’s tombstone has her name of Thora (Jonsdottir) Johnson, birth date and death date (15 Sept. 1857-26 Sept. 1932) along with the following in Icelandic: “Fadir I Pinar Hendur Feleg Minn Anda.”

Sources: 
Family Search Database, Church of Latter Day Saints, www.familysearch.org

Johannson, Wallace (grandson of Gudjona Lara Johnson and Bjorn Ingvar Sigvaldason) of Gimli, Manitoba for information provided on the burial plots of Gudni Jonsson Johnson and Thora Jonsdottir Johnson in the Concordia Cemetery, Saskatchewan, Canada  2008. 
Sigvaldason Family information, e.g. a letter from Gudjona Lara Sigvaldason about her parents and information provided by family members about Thorarinn Gudni Sigvaldason locating Helga Jonsdottir’s burial site at Foam Lake Cemetery, Saskatchewan, Canada. 

 For more information about the Sigvaldason Family, see:

Sigvaldason House at the Arborg Heritage Village, Arborg, Manitoba

A Century Unfolds: History of Arborg and District 1889-1987.  Researched and Compiled by the Arborg Historical Society, 1987.

Roots That Bind, Magnusson, Kristiana, Trinity Press, 1979
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A working document, compiled by Margaret Prentice Hecker 5 March 2011