Lögberg-Heimskringla - 02.10.1975, Blaðsíða 3
LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 2. OKTÓBER 1975
3
THE THINGVALLA SETTLEMENT IN SASKATCHEWAN • Business and Professional Cords •
On the occasion of the 90-year anniversary of settlement
in the Thingvalla community near Churchbridge, Sask.,
Mrs. Ward presented this brief review of the settlement’s
past, based on a history compiled by the late Helgi Amason,
one of its earliest pioneers. —Ed.
The settlement was located
250 miles northwest of Win-
nipeg, in that area of the
District of Assiniboia, North-
West Territories, whidh be-
came Saskatehewan when
the two prairie provinces,
Saskatchewan and Alberta,
were established in 1905.
One Helgi Jónsson, who
operated a store at Shell-
mouth, Man., was instru-.
mental in dealing with the
F e d e r a 1 Government in
choosing the location for the
new settlement.
The railroad had not yet
reached this far west, but
was intended to cross the As-
siniboine River at Shell-
mouth about 18 miles east of
there. This was changed and
it crossed at Millwood, 15
miles farther to the south.
In 1885 the first Icelandic
settler took a homestead in
the colony named Thingvilla.
He was followed by two
other families in the winter
of 1886. During that year
more families followed. The
settlers disembarked at the
end of steel at Solsgirth,
Man., some 60 miles to the
Selur úr Karabíska-
hafinu fannst á
Stokksnesfjöru'
FRANSKUR dýrafræðingur
að nafni Roger De La Grandi-
ére, sem kominn er til Horna-
fjarðar til háhyrningsveiða,
var f gær fenginn til að lfta á
hinn furðulega sel, sem fannst
á Stokksnesfjörum á Iaugar-
daginn. Var það úrskurður
hans, að þetta væri selur af
tegund ' „munkasela" (monk
seal) og að öllum Ifkindum
kominn með golfstraumnum
frá Karabfska hafinu, en
Frakkinn sagðist ekki vita bet-
ur en þessi selategund væri
mjög sjaldgæf ef ekki nær al-
dauðá.
Morgunblaðið hafði í gær
samband við Finn Guðmunds-
son hjá dýrafræðideild
Náttúrugripasafnsins. Finnur
sagði, að ef greining Frakkans
á selnum væri rétt væri hér á
ferðinni hin merkasta sela-
tegund. Sagðist Finnur hafa
gert ráðstafanir til þess að
selurinn yrði djúpfrystur og
síðan sendur til Reykjavíkiir
með fyrstu ferð til skoðunar.
Nýtt símanúmer
Lögbergs-
Heimskringlu
247-7798
southeast and had to travel,
that distance by horses or
oxen to their prospective
lands.
By the winter of 1886 the
railroad had reached Lang-
enburg, a new German set-
tlement east of Thingvalla.
Here the people dealt for
necessities, and in 1887 the
aforementioned Helgi Jóns-
son moved his business from
Sheljmoulh to Langenburg.
This must have been a boon
to the Icelanders, many of
whom 'spoke little or no
English.
The winter of 1886:87 saw
some 23 Icelandic families
settled in the colony. Their
homes were at first very
small and poor, being erect-
ed hastily before winter set
in. However, during the win-
ter, the men got out logs to
build permanent homes.
There were few large trees
in the vicinity and logs had
to be sought as far away as
east of Roblin, Man. Then
some of them were taken to
Assesippi, Man., 25 miles
east of the settlement, to be
sawn into rough lumber.
In the spring of 1887 there
were only eight pair of oxen
in the settlement, and the
lucky owners shared them
with their neighbors. Diu-ing
1887 a number of English-
speaking people moved into
the surrounding areas, and
some of the Icelanders found
employment helping to build
their homes, and doing vari-
ous other kinds of work.
They also sold the newcom-
ers some hay. A few Ice-
landers also worked on the
railroad, which was steadily
moving westward. The
wages were low, but the
cash was a welcome addition
to their scanty resources.
In, the fall of 1887 meet-
ings were held conceming
the building of a school. Dur-
ing the winter logs were cut
and in Mardh, 1888, the
building commenced. The
site of the school was some
five miles northeast of the
present site of Churchbridge.
It was No. 108 and named
Thingvalla School. No loans
were taken, but the railroad
gave a grant of $100.00. A
teacher, Miss Guðný Jóns-
dóttir, was engaged and in-
struction began that sum-
mer.
In January, 1888, Thing-
valla Lutheran Congregation
was formed, with 36 people
signing up as members. At
subsequent metings others
ioined, and in October, 1888,
the first service was con-
ducted in the school house
by the late Rev. Jón Bjarna-
son. He baptized 22 children,
married eight couples and
consecrated the Thingvalla
cemetery, which is about
three miles northeast of
Churchbridge. Since minis-
ters could only visit the com-
munity occasionally, meet-
ings were held in various
homes, where sermons were
read, prayers said an
read, p r a y e r s said and
hvmns sung.
In 1891 the Icelanders built
a community hall IVz miles
north of the cemetery. Here
people gathered for many
community affairs — dances,
meetings, ehurch services
and other activities concem-
ing the community.
Icelanders settled north
and west of Thingvalla, and
the north colony was called
Lögberg, while the whole
settlement was referred to as
the Thingvalla-Lögberg dis-
trict. Lögberg built a church
and had a cemetery of their
own. In 1901 Concordia Con-
gregation was formed and a
church built in 1903-04. Later
a oommunity hall was built
near this church, and the old
Thingvalla hall abandoned
since it was no longer cen-
tral to the settlement. A
small church was built in
1910 at the site of the Thing-
valla Cemetery. Later the
Thingvalla and Concordia
Congregations were joined
into one.
Both cemeteries are still
used, but Concordia Church
has been moved to Church-
bridge and the congregation
joined by the Peace Luth-
eran Congregation.
Many of the settlement’s
young people have gone on
from its schools to higher
education and to professional
careers — become clergymen,
lawyors, teachers, doctors
and nurses, with one judge
and one R h o d e s scholar
among them.
In two world wars, many
of its young people joined
the forces and served their
country. Quite a number did
not return. They are not for-
gotten.
Those who live here now
ean scarcely picture or feel
the hardships the early coifi-
ers suffered and conquered
to hold this heritage for fu-
ture generations.
Two close neighbors to the
south were the Hólar settle-
ment near tbe town of Tan-
tallon and the Vallar settle-
ment near Gerald. In these
communities the early
Thingvalla settlers had
many friends and relatives,
as this generation still has.
They were near enough to
each other to exchange oc-
casional visits.
Þjóðræknisfélag íslendinga í Vesturheimi
FORSETI: STEFAN J. STEFANSON, 37 Macklin Ave.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2V 2M4
Slyrkið félagið og deildir þess, með því að gerasl meðlimir.
Ársgjald: EINSTAKLINGAR $3.00 — HJÓN $5.00
Sendið ársgjöld til gjaldkera ykkar eigin deilda, eða til
Fjármálaritara, Mrs. KRISTÍNAR R. JOHNSON,
1059 Dominion St., Winnipeg, Man., R3E 2P3
ICELANDIC STAMPS
WANTED
OLDER ICELANDIC STAMPS
and LETTERS are VALUABLE
I am an Expert Collector,
able to Appraise or Buy.
BRYAN Brjánn WHIPPLE
1205 SPRUCE STREET.
BERKELEY, CAL. 94709 USA
FRÁ VSNI
Goodman and Kojima Electric
Electrical Controctors
640 McGee Streel, /
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3E 1W8
Phone: 774-5549
arthur goodman m. KOJIMA
Evenings and Holiday'
TALLIN, KRISTJANSSON
& SMITH
Porristers & Solicitors
3rd Fioor, 232 Portage Avenue,
WINNIPEG. MANITOBA
R3C 0B1
Phone: 783-3971
Buiiding Mechanics Ltd.
Pointing - Decorating - Construction
Renovoting - Roel Estote
K W (BILL) JOHANNSON
Manager •
910 Palmerston Ave..
Winnipeg R3G ÍJS
A. S. BARDAL LTD.
FUNERAL HOME
343 Sherbrook Street
fielur líkkistur og annast um
útfarir. Allur útbúnaður
sá hezti
Stofnað 1894 774-7474
774-7855 ESTIMATES FREE
J. M. Ingimundson
Re-roof, Aspholt Shingles, Roof Repoirs,
Install Vents, insulation ond
EavestrouQhino
774-7855
632 Simcoe St.. Winnipeg 3. Mon.
Thc- Western Paint Co Ltd.
521 HARGRAVE ST WINNIPEG
“THE PAINTERS’
SUPPLY HOUSE"
SINCE 1908
943-7395
I 5HIMNOWSKI, Pre.l4.nl
A. H. COTE, Treosurer
Selkirk Funeral Chapel Ltd.
Oirector GARTH CLARv
Licensed Embo»me'
Serving Selkirk ond Interlake artei
Ambulonce Service
Coll Selkirk Phone 4S2-6264 Collect
209 Dufferin Av«.. Selkirk. M«n
S. A. Thorarinson
Barrleter 4 Sollcltor
70B SOMERSET PLACE
294 PORTAGE AVE
R3C 0B9
Office 942-7051
Residence 489-648S
Skúli Anderson
Custom Jewellery Engravei.
207 PARIS BLDG.
259 PORTAGE AVE.
Office: 942-5756
Home: 783-6688
Oivinsky, Birnboim & Company
Chartered Accountants
228 Notre Dame Avenue,
300 Lindsay Building,
Winnipeg. Manitoba
R3B 1P2
Telephone: No. 943-0526-7-8
effeclive July 3. 1972
Minnist
BETEL
í erfðaskróm yðar
CAPITAL LUMBER
Co. Ltd.
THE COTTAGE BUILDERS’
>92 Higgins Ave. Winnip., Man
Prefab homés, Cottages,
Garages, CMHC approved
Roof Trusses
943-1455 943-1455
Asgeirson Paints & Wallpapers
Ltd.
696 Sargent Avenue
Winnipeg 3. Manitoba
PAINTS
Benjamin Moore
Sherwin Williama
C.I.L.
HARDWARE
GLASS &. GLAZING
WOOD & ALUMINUM
WALLPAPER
Phones:
783-5967 783-4322
FREE DELIVERY
ASGEIR ASGEIRSSON
GEÖRGE ASGEIRSSON
RICHARDSON AND COMPANY
BARRISTER AND ATTORNjEYS AT LAW
274 Gsrry Sireet, Winnipeg, Man. R3C IH5. — Tel: 957-1670
Mr. S. GLENN SIGURDSON attends in GIMLI and RIVER-
TON on the lst and 3rd FRIDAYS of each month.
Offices Eire in the Gimli Medical Centre, 62—3rd Ave, between
the hours of 9:30 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. with Mr. Sigurdson and
his Jegal assistant in attendance. — (Telephone 642-7955).
In Riverton, Mr. Sigurdson attends in the Riverton Village
’ Office beiween the hours of 1:00 P.M. and 3:00 PiM.