Lögberg-Heimskringla - 03.12.1970, Blaðsíða 2

2
LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 3. DESEMBER 1970
Ásmundur Magnusson Freeman
1877 — 1970
Asmunduf Magnusson Free-
man, hereinafter called Asi,
was born in Iceland on Octo-
ber 7th, 1877. His parents
were the late Magnus and
Helga Freeman who, with
their family, immigrated to
Canada in 1885. On arriving
in Canada the family pro-
ceeded westward to Winnipeg
where they stayed for some
time. Then in 1887, when the
Swah Lake d i s t r i c t (now
Lundar) began to settle, they
moved out there and were in
the group of the first Ice-
landic settlers in the district.
In 1893 the family moved
again, this time to the new
d i s t r i c t 60 miles farther
north, called the ‘Narrows
Settlement’. Here Asi grew
up to manhood; and the peo-
ple around soon began to
notice that here was a young
man growing up that pos-
sessed more than average
ability.
The following story is indi-
cative of the determination
and resourcefulness in his
approach to everything he
undertook to do: In 1894,
when the area embracing The
Narrows and Siglunes settle-
ments was in the process of
being surveyed for home-
steads, Asi applied for a job
with the survey gang. He was
only 17 years old, and small
for his age, although he de-
veloped into a big man when
he matured. The foreman was
reluctant to state what wages
he would get, but said if he
s t a y e d with the gang all
summer and proved himself,
he would be dealt with fairly
and on his merits. His duties
were chores around the camp,
and errands. But his main re-
sponsibility was to keep the
camp supplied with fresh
meat. — In the fall when the
surveyors left and time had
come to settle with the crew,
the foreman thanked Asi for
a job well done, and paid him
$25.00 per month for his sum-
mer work, which was a good
average pay for a full-grown
man in those days.
Asi, always an ambitious
fisherman, started at an early
age to fish during the winter
months along the shores of
the settlement. In the early
days the winter season for
commercial fishing was
opened as soon as ice formed.
At an early age he had
started farming on his own
and had settled on a point
on the east shore of Lake
Manitoba. This property later
became the home of the late
Sigurdur Sigurdson.
In 1908 Asi buys half-share
in a sawmill at Siglunes and
b e c o m e s the partner of
Bamey Mathews in the lum-
ber business. They also had
a steamboat in connection
with the operation on which
Asi was the captain. This
boat, the ‘Lady Ellen’ plied
between Siglunes and Oak
Point, with a cargo of lumber
south and general goods back.
It also travelled between
Crane River and Siglunes,
towing log booms to the mill.
The following year he sells
his share in the mill and the
steamboat to a Jewish firm,
The Lake Manitoba Trading
Co., which had established a
store in Oak Point, but had
their headquarters in Winni-
peg, but he still keeps on as
captain on the boat. That
same year he moves across
the lake to ‘The Bluff’, later
named Reykjavik District.
During the years that Asi
stayed at Reykjavik he oper-
ated a big fishing outfit dur-
ing the winter season, em-
ploying many men, first in
partnership with his neigh-
bour, the late Ingimundur
Erlendson, with their head-
quarters in Cherry Island;
and later Asi had a big opera-
tion himself on a small island
just off-shore at Steep Rock,
where the camp was located.
During this period he was
also engaged in shipping on
the lake in the summer time,
first on a boat owned by the
Armstrong Trading Co. and
later on a boat he built and
owned himself. These opera-
tions were mostly for picking
up cream along the shores of
the settlements and hauling
it to Oak Point, and then gen-
eral freight on the return
trip.
In 1920 Asi sells his farm
at Reykjavik to his neigh-
bour, Agust Johnson and
buys Barney Mathews’ hold-
ings at Siglunes. He now be-
comes the representative of
the Armstrong Trading Co.,
later Armstrong Gimli Fish-
eries.
Not only did he buy fish
for the company, but he also
operated a fishing outfit for
t h e m on Lake Manitoba,
which at its height employed
as many as 40 men during the
winter season.
In connection with the fish-
ing operation, he established
another industry at Siglunes
which produced fish boxes,
lumber, and net floats. This
optration was not on a large
scale at first. But it expanded
until he had almost as many
men on the payroll in connec-
tion with the mill during the
summer months as he em-
ployed in the fishing industry
during the winter.
In 1926 Asi organized an
expedition to go up along the
Hudson Bay Railway to fish
sturgeon on the Nelson River.
This operation continued for
a few spring seasons.
He stayed at Siglunes from
1920 until 1940. And when one
takes into account that this
period included the economic
recession which followed the
First World War, and then
the depression from the late
twenties and t h r o u g h the
thirties it is not difficult to
visualize the stabilizing ef-
fect it may have had on the
lives of some individuals who
were employed there.
To many a young man his
association with Asi and the
employment he provided dur-
ing these tough years proved
to be a springboard to other
and better things later on.
And many a one was thank-
ful for having had steady
employment there, instead of
h a v i n g to drift around in
search of work which was not
easy to find during the de-
pression.
In 1940 Asi pulls up stakes
at Siglunes and moves his
sawmill to Gypsumville. Here
he starts into both producing
fish boxes and railv/ay ties.
He also started a big fishing
operation on .Lake Winnipeg.
He kept' this up for a few
years. But then his eyesight,
began to fail, and on account
of that he was forced to retire
long before his body was
ready to yield.
By 1948 he had eased up on
a lot of his activities, because
of failing eyesight. And in
1950 he and his wife moved
to Lundar and built a little
house in the yard of their
daughtef and son-in-law,
where they have resided
since.
When Asi left Gypsumville
his two sons took over the
sawmill, and later moved it
to Grand Rapids.
M u c h more could have
been said about Asi and his
achievements, and in more
detail. But in an atternpt to
keep these sketches within
reasonable proportions, the
writer has endeavored to con-
dense them and yet portray
a fair outline of his activities.
Before the blindness over-
took him, Asi was an ardent
reader of books — a self-
educated man with a pro-
found knowledge and under-
standing of things.
In spite of his blindness he
kept well-informed on cur-
rent events, mostly by con-
stant attention to the radio,
also by what his wife and
daughter read to him, and
tape recordings supplied by
the C.N.I.B.
He was endowed with a
keen mind, sound business
ethics, unfailing memory, and
w a s superbly qualified to
handle men.
And now he is gone. But
(not forgotten. A sturdy man,
|both of body and soul, kind,
|helpful, and generous. A true
pioneer in every sönse of the
word, well-liked and respect-
ed by all who knew him. One
who leaves with his friends
fond memories about an en-
terprizing man, and of his
helpful influence among his
contemporaries.
He was admitted to the
Eriksdale hospital on July 6th
last where he died on Octo-
ber 6th, 1970, lacking one day
of his 93rd year.
He leaves to mourn him, his
widow, Gislina, daughter of
the late Kristinn and Ovida
Goodman, six sons ánd one
daughter, all r e s i d i n g in
Manitoba. Adolf at Oakview,
Grettir and Olafur at Yogar,
Sigurdur at Gillam, James at
Thicket Portage, Helgi in
Winnipeg, and Asa Mrs. Jo-
hann A. Fjeldsted of Lundar,
where the widow also resides.
Asi had been a member of
the Masonic Order for over
40 years; and at the request
of the family, members of the
fraternity conducted a Ma-
sonic memorial service at the
graveside.
The funeral service was
held in the church at Vogar,
and he was laid to rest in the
Vogar cemetery on October
9th, 1970, with Pastor A. Ingi-
bergsson officiating.
Oli Johnson.
Scholarship Award
Framhald af bls. 1.
bore testimony to her scholar-
ly qualities. She took an ac-
tive part in student affairs
and student government. In-
tensely interested in drama-
tics and musical productions,
she found time for voice in-
struction and was a member
of the Western Manitoba
Philharmonic C h o i r , The
Brandon University Chorale
and the Brandon University
Singers. During her final
year she was vice-president
of the Brandon University
Repertory Players and helped
to promote amateur theatre
in rural centres as well as to
establish a co-ordinating
drama group to provide a
long term continuous drama
program in her home com-
munity.
At present she has entered
upon a graduate program in
Drama at the University of
Alberta.
Christine McMahon is the
daughter of the late Mr.
Gerald McMahon and Mrs.
McMahon, nee Olöf Sigfús-
son, who resides at 331-27th
Street, Brandon, Manitoba.
She is a granddaughter of
the 1 a t e Skuli Sigfusson,
M.L.A., and Mrs. Sigfusson,
of the Lundar district.
trict.
YLJIÐ YKKUR Á ÍSLANDI í VETUR
ÍSLANDSFERÐ FRAM OG TIL BAKA
FRÁ NEW YORK
Lægslu fargjöld! Þotu þjónusta! Ný lág fargjöld á þessu ári
til íslands fyrir alla — unga, aldna, skólafólk, ferðahópa! ísland
er líka fyrir aila. Hið fagra Island minninganna; nútíðar ísland
sem erfitl er að ímynda sér; hið hrífandi ísland, sem frændur
og vinir hafa skýrt ykkur frá — og sem þið getið sagt frá þegar
heim kemur.
NÝJU FARGJoLDIN FRÁ NEW YORK---aðeins $110*
fram og til baka með 15 mannahóp eða fl. Fyrir einslaklinga
aðeins $120* báðar leiðir fyrir 1-21 daga (þér verðið að kaupa
fyrirfram ferðaþjónusiu á íslandi fyrir $70 til að njóta þessa
fargjalds). Aðeins $130* báðar leiðir fyrir 29 til 45 daga. Aðeins
$91* aðra leið fyrir stúdenta, sem stunda nám á íslandi í 6 mán-
uði. Fleiri lág fargjöld er gegna þörfum ykkar.
MEÐ JET-PROP. $10 TIL $20 MEIR MEÐ ÞOTU
BÁÐAR LEIÐIR.
LÆGSTU FLUGFARGJÖLD TIL:
ÍSLANDS, SVÍÞJÓÐAR. NOREGS, DANMERKUR,
ENGLANDS, SKOTLANDS OG LUXEMBOURG.
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©• MXFVMWM/ffi
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