Lögberg-Heimskringla - 02.10.1975, Blaðsíða 3

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.

x

Lögberg-Heimskringla

Beinir tenglar

Ef þú vilt tengja á þennan titil, vinsamlegast notaðu þessa tengla:

Tengja á þennan titil: Lögberg-Heimskringla
https://timarit.is/publication/160

Tengja á þetta tölublað:

Tengja á þessa síðu:

Tengja á þessa grein:

Vinsamlegast ekki tengja beint á myndir eða PDF skjöl á Tímarit.is þar sem slíkar slóðir geta breyst án fyrirvara. Notið slóðirnar hér fyrir ofan til að tengja á vefinn.