1866 – 1949, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Iceland/Peace River, AB

Kristjan was born May 22, 1866 on a farm bordering the Huita River in Iceland. His parents were Andres Andresson Fjeldsted and Sesselja Kiristjansdottir. Not much is known of his early years in Iceland. However, we do know he left at an early age (disappeared actually) on a trip to Liverpool with a load of horses. It has been speculated that he was escaping an arranged marriage. The family in Iceland didn’t know what had happened to him until the 1970’s when my uncle went to Iceland to trace the family.

1895-1974, Genetics, Poultry husbandry, Tantallon, SK, Davis, CA

Vigfus Samundur Asmundson (Vigfús Sæmundur Ásmundsson) had a distinguished career as a scientist conducting pioneering research in poultry science and poultry genetics. Many honors came to Professor Asmundson: the Poultry Science Research Prize, 1931; Borden Award in Poultry Science, 1942; National Turkey Federation Award, 1947; Davis Faculty Research Lecturer in 1947; an honorary LL.D. from the University of California, Davis, 1964; and the signal honor of the dedication of the Department of Avian Sciences building at Davis as the Vigfus S. Asmundson Hall, in 1970 (https://archive.is/1IGvy/image).

1866-1951

Arinbjorn was tirelessly devoted to the cause of the Order of Good Templars. He joined the Icelandic Lodge, Skuld, in 1889. He first took office in 1908 and was Grand Chief Templar for over 25 years. He represented Canada in the international deliberations of the I.O.G.T in Norway (1914), Denmark (1920), London (1923), Philadelphia (1927), Sweden (1930) and Holland (1933)

B. 1933 06 22, Engineer/Business/Culture, Markerville/Calgary, AB

To many in the Icelandic-Canadian community, Stephan Vilberg Benediktson is commonly known for his close, familial association with the much-celebrated poet Stephan G. Stephansson. While Stephan is the grandson of the prolific bard, Stephan is also known and respected for his international successes in the oil and gas industry, his dedication to his family, and his many valuable contributions to the Icelandic community in both Canada and Iceland.

1906 - 1987, Editor, Military, Statesman, Minnesota | Iceland

Kristjan Valdimar ‘Val’ Bjornson was born August 29, 1906 in the largely Icelandic community of Minneota, Minnesota. He was the second of six children to Gunnar B. Bjornson, who immigrated to Minnesota from Iceland as a boy in the 1870s and Ingibjörg Ágústa Jónsdóttir Hurdal, who immigrated to Manitoba in 1883. The household included his paternal grandmother Kristín Benjaminsdóttir, who didn't speak English, so Icelandic was spoken in the home.

Nov. 15, 1845 – June 3, 1914, Lutheran Minister, Educator, Iceland/Winnipeg, MB

Jón Bjarnason was one of the most influential leaders among the early Icelandic immigrants to Canada and the United States. He was also an almost constant source of controversy. The son of a Lutheran pastor, he entered the grammar school in Reykjavík in 1861, and graduated from the theological seminary there in 1869, receiving ordination in the Lutheran Church that year. After teaching school in Reykjavík for several years, he emigrated with his wife to the United States in 1873 at the suggestion of a former schoolmate, Pall Thorlaksson.

1892 – 1976, Humanitarian/ Historian, Spanish Fork, Utah

Catherine Vigdus Bearnson was born July 30, 1892 in Spanish Fork, Utah. She is the daughter of Josephine Marie Christine Jensen (Mary Bearnson) a Danish emigrant and Finnbogi Björnsson (Tim Bearnson) an Icelandic emigrant. Kate was recognized for her work with a number of awards.

1863 - 1950, Community Builder/pioneer, Grenivik, Iceland/Logberg, SK

Johannes Einarsson was born on June 19, 1863 in Grenivik, Iceland to Einar Johanessson and Elina Jonasdottir. At the age of one and a half he was adopted by his mother’s sister Ovida and her husband Jon Loftsson. His foster father, for whom he had enormous respect, was captain of a shipping fleet based at Keflavik. As Johannes wrote many years later “we lived on a bleak shore. I never saw another child until I was six. The great breakers and the Arctic coast were my playmates.”

1914 – 2001, Religious Leader/Humanitarian, Spanish Fork, Utah.

Byron T. Geslison received the Order of the Falcon on Aug. 6, 1993, the highest honor bestowed by the government of Iceland. Byron helped open missionary work in Iceland in 1975 and has served three missions to that country.

1928 - 2001, Teacher/INLNA President, Hnausa/Riverton/Selkirk, MB

Laurence or better known as “Larry, is a gentleman in the truest and best sense of the word. He is calm, kindly, sensible, honorable and reliable, with a deep devotion to family and community. Pride in heritage and culture enhances rather than diminishes his feelings for his country.” It is in his memory that the Icelandic National League of North America established the Laurence S. G. Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 to be bestowed upon a recipient for “contributions not only to the Icelandic Community but also to the community at large.”

1887-1976, Lawyer/Cultural, Saskatchewan/Winnipeg, MB.

Judge Lindal was also active in various Icelandic and Icelandic Canadian organizations. In 1942 he and a group of Canadians of Icelandic descent organized and published a quarterly called The Icelandic Canadian. It is written in the English language and is still in existence today. Hudge Lindal was active in this publication for 23 years and was editor-in-chief for 15 years. He was President of the Icelandic Canadian Club in Winnipeg from 1944 to 1946, and of the Viking Club of Manitoba in 1943.

1855 - 1921 | Midwife | Iceland/Duluth, MN

Halldora Gudmundsdottir Olson was 4 when her mother died birthing child No. 8 in their Icelandic farmhouse. Halldora went to live with an aunt, who eventually taught her the art and science of midwifery. We don’t know if her childhood story prompted Olson’s career in obstetrics. But 50 years later, she would become Duluth’s most prodigious midwife, opening a maternity hospital in her home that catered to poor and unmarried mothers. Many of her patients worked as cooks and maids at her 12-bed home hospital to pay their way as they awaited babies.

1901-1982, Civil engineer/Construction, Iceland/Banff, AB.

Björgvin became active with a group of Icelanders and helped to establish the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club of Calgary as well as the Scandinavian Centre Co-op. He and Ruth had leading rolls in the club activities. Björgvin taught Icelandic classes, led tour groups from Iceland on mountain trips and acted as the club’s “Ambassador at Large”.

1915 - 2008 | 1917 - 2000, Farming, Business, Culture, Gimli/Winnipeg, MB.

All through their married years, Olla and Stefan were deeply involved in relating the rich ethnic, historic and cultural background of the area known as “New Iceland”. They belonged to several chapters of the Icelandic National League of North America. Stefan served as President of the national organization from 1976- 1979. They were very active in the Icelandic Cultural Corporation Inc., which maintained the Icelandic Museum in Gimli. Their children continue to support all things Icelandic.

1917 – 2002, Professor, plant breeder, geneticist, Lundar, Winnipeg, MB.

He has been referred to as ‘The Father of Canola’, as he was instrumental in the development of what is now the world’s foremost healthy edible oil.

1853 - 1927, Poet/Farmer, Iceland/Markerville, AB.

Although Stephansson had written some poetry before moving to Alberta, it was during his years on the Canadian prairies that he honed his craft, marrying traditional Icelandic metre (as well as experimenting with new metres) to the philosophy of the American freethinkers.

1916-1976, Broadcasting/Actor/Educator, Lundar, MB.

Larry was noted for his distinctive voice. His radio fans knew him for his rich resonant tones which led him first into radio, then into television and later into movies and as a University educator.

1890 – 1966, Artist and Author, Gimli, MB.

Every so often the world is fortunate to host someone with undeniably innate talent and if we are lucky, that talent is brought to the forefront and delights everyone who encounters it. One individual to be included in that category is my grandfather, Charlie Thorson.

1921 - 2012, Geologist/Mapped Arctic, Wynyard, SK, Calgary, AB

No name is more inextricably linked with the geology of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago than that of Ray Thorsteinsson. His death in Calgary on 23 April 2012 at the age of 91 brought to a close a career spanning 62 years, includ­ing 39 field seasons, devoted to the exploration and study of the Arctic Islandsundefineda record of achievement unlikely ever to be duplicated.