Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.08.1978, Side 13

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LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, HATIÐARBLAÐ AGtTST 1978
Reflections
With the approach of the
Icelandic celebration at Gim-
li, our thoughts are prob-
ably directed towards the
ethnic heritage from which
we originate, not only as to
our contemporaries, but per-
haps more strongly towards
our forefathers that migrat-
ed from Iceland.
There are many individu-
als from that group who are
deserving of thoughtful ap-
preciation. One such indi-
vidual who comes forcefully
to mind is Jón Jón^son
(Þistilfjörð), more common-
ly known by the place name
he came from on the north-
eastern coast of Iceland.
Jón is an interesting per-
son for two reasons, the kind
and honest person he was,
and the fact that little in the
way of recognition has been
accorded to him. It is a
measure of his modesty and
casual acceptance by the
community of which he was
a part. Yet, when one re-
flects on the character of
this man, he looms up as a
great individual who gave
of himself unselfishly and
had no adverse, qualities. It
is interesting to note that in
the story of the Lundar Dis-
trict Jubilee of 1947 he rates
two short lines and in the
Icelandic supplement f i v e
lines, which explain that he
homesteaded land, had a
brother, never married and
left no issue. The briefness
in reference to him as a pio-
neer in the Icelandic district
east of Lundar is not inten-
tional but an unconscious re-
flection of the modesty that
Jón imparted on his fellow
man.
In Iceland and amongst
the people who migrated
here, there were occasional
individuals that became a
part of families for no parti-
cular reason except that
they seemed to be compat-
ible and fit right into the
MESSUBOÐ
Fyrsta Lúterska
kirkja
JOHN V. ARVIDSON
PASTOR
Service at 10.00 a.m.
family circles of their adop-
tion. This attachment was so
strong that they migrated as
an integral part of the fa-
mily group.
Generally they were sin-
gle persons that were satis-
fied to find shelter, food and
companionship. In r e t u r n
they participated in t h e
tasks required to sustain life
usually in a rural setting.
Jón was such a person.
In the Markland commu-
nity some 15 miles east of
Lundar, J ó n acquired a
homestead in 1891. It was in
the year 1900 that a tragic
incident occurred w h i c h
prompted a major decision
on his part and set the
course his life was to take.
The death of Jakob Jóns-
son left his wife Ingibjörg a
widow faced with grim cir-
cumstances. Her home was a
small log house in the Mark-
land area, more than 70
miles north and west of
Winnipeg, with Stonewall
the nearest town, some 50
miles away, in which to pur-
chase the meagre necessities
of life. Oxen were the means
of transportation. A round
trip to sell some farm prod-
uce and purchase modest
bare minimum of living re-
quirements was a two weeks
excursion w i t h overnight
rest under the stars.
To add to her complica-
tions, she was left with four
children, all boys, and a fifth
yet unborn. There was no
assistance to be had except
for kindly neighbours. Life
was sustained through sub-
sistence f a r m i n g, supple-
mented by small purchases
of flour, sugar, coffee, cloth
and some utilitarian cloth-
ing. Living consisted of a
strenuous outdoor effort on
land that had lain vacant
since the beginning of time
until settled by Icelanders.
It was Jón who said, “She
needs help” and assisted In-
gibjörg in her dire time of
need. He became part of the
family and through his ef-
forts gave this family a good
life. His reward was satis-
faction with having nobly
given assistance when need-
ed and receiving the kind
care he required during his
sickness in old age.
The bondage that drew
these two persons together
was her sudden tragic cir-
cumstances and his recogni-
tion of her dire need for
help. They toiled and ex-
tracted a living from the
land, providing the father-
less boys with a home equal
to that of the community.
The circumstances bringing
these two people together
was not a physical attraction
but a tragic situation which
had no other solution.
Thus their common con-
cern for the young fatherless
boys, respect and honesty
Cont. O"
13
BUSINESS
AND PROFESSIONAL CARDS
Þjóðræknisfclag íslendinga í Vesturheimi
FORSETI: STEFAN J. STEFANSON ,37 Macklin Ave.
, Winnipeg, Maniloba R2V 2M4
Styrkið félagið og deildir þess, með því að gerast meðlimir.
Arsgiald:' EINSTAKLINGAR $3.00 — HJÓN $5.00
Sendið ársgjöld til gjaldkera ykkar eigin deilda, eða ti)
Lilja Arnason, 1057 Doominion St., Winnipeg, Manitoba
RICHARDSON AND COMPANY
BARRISTERS A.BD ATTORNEYS AT LAW
274 Garry Street, Winnipég’, Man. R3C 1H5 — Phone 957-1670
Mr. S. GLENN SIGURDSON attends in GIMLI and
RIVERTON on the lst and 3rd FRIDAYS of each month.
Offices are in the Gimli Credit Union Bldg, Centre St., at 3rd
Ave., between the hours of 9:30 a.m.' and 5:30 p.m. with Mr.
Sigurdson and his legal assistant in attendance. (Ph. 642-7955).
In Riverton, Mr. Sigurdson áttends in the Riverton Village Office
between tne hours of 1:00 P.M. and 3:00 P.M.
Asgeirson Paints &
Wallpapers Ltd.
696 Sargent Avenue
Winnipeg, Man. R3E 0A9
PAINTS
Benjamin Moore
Sherwin Williams
C.I.L.
HARDWARE
GLASS and GLAZING
WOOD and ALUMINUM
WALLPAPER
783-5967 Phones: 783-4322
THOMAS A. GOODMAN,
B.A. LL.B.
Barrister, Solicitor and
Notary Public
373 Main Street,
Stonewall, Manitoba
B0C 2Z0
P.O. Box 1066 Ph. 476-2344
A. S. BARDAL LTD.
FUNERAL home
843 Sherbrook Street
Selur líkkistur og annast um
útí'arir. Allur utbúrjaður
sá bezti.
Stofnað 1894
Ph. 774-7474
Minnist
TE'TEL
í erfðaskróm yðar
Tallin & Kristjansson
Barrisiars and Solicilors
300- 232 Porlage Avenue
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
R3C 0B1
S. A. Thorarinson
BARRISTER and SOUCITOR
s
708 S0MERSET PLACE
294 PORTAGE AVE.
R3C 0B9
Off. 942-7051 Res. 489-6488
Umboðsmaður Lögberg-
Heimskringlu á Islandi er
Heimir Hannesson, hrl.,
og skrifstofa blaðsins er
hjá Bimu Magnúsdóttur,
Dúfnahólum 4, Reykjavík
sími 7-41-53.
Divinsky Cameron
& Cook
Chartered Accountanls
608 Somerset Place,
294 Portage Ave., Winnipeg
Manitoba R3C 0B9
Telephone (204) 943-0526
Charbroilod Steakt
and Lobster
Fully Licenced Restaurant
Dine In — Pick-Up — Home Delivery
3354 Portage Avenue
Phone 888*3361 St. James*Assiniboia
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 U.S.A
HADLEY J. EYRIKSON
Barrister and Solicitor
298 JSt. Anne’s Road,
W’innipeg, Manitoba
R2M 4Z5
Business plione: 256-8616
The Westem Paint Co. Ltd.
521 HARGRAVE ST. WINNIPEG
“THE PAINTERS’
SUPPLY HOUSE’’
SINCE 1908
Ph. 943-7395 .
J. SHIMNOWSKI, PrMid.nl
A.v H.^COTE, Treasurer
GOODMAN and KOJIMA
ELECl'RIC
ELECTRICAL CUNTRACTQRS
640 McGee Street
Winnipeg, Man. R3E 1W8
Phone 774-5549
ARTHUR GOODMAN M. KOJIMA
Evenings and Holidays
ALBERT W. EYOLFSON,
LL.B.
Barrister and Solicitor
Associated with the firm of
CHRISTIE, DEGRAVES,
MACKAY
400-433 Portage Ave.,
Winnipeg, Man., R3B3A5
Ph. Business (204) 947-6801
Ph. Residence (204) 888-2598