Lögberg-Heimskringla - 03.06.1988, Page 2

2-LÖGBERG CENTENNIAL YEAR, FÖSTUDAGUR 3. JÚNÍ 1988
Toronto Icelandic Canadian Club
by Don Gislason
On Feb. 16, 1988 our association
had splendid attendance. Larry E.
Weiler, immigration, land grants, and
estate files expert from the Ontario
Provincial Archives presented a slide
and lecture show on "Tracing Your
Family and Community History". He
outlined basic genealogical research
opportunities at the Archives in
downtown Toronto and then focused
on the unique Icelandic records held
in their collection.
Most of the latter materials relate
to business correspondence around
emigration from Iceland to Ontario
before the advent of mass migration
to western Canada, Dakota Territo-
ry, Minnesota and other centres. For
example, the earliest S. Jonasson cor-
respondence as well as detailed refer-
ence to the Muskoka and the ill-fated
Kinmount settlements can be found
in this collection. Archivist Weiler
pointed out that until 1875 immigra-
tion from Iceland to Canada was cen-
tered in Ontario and Nova Scotia.
These beginnings are often forgotten,
ignored or only briefly mentioned in
most writings on the subject.
However, until the railway was
conpleted across the Shield, approx-
imately a decade later, the bulk of
this movement continued to funnel
through Toronto immigration sheds.
Many settler destined for western lo-
cations fanned out via the Great
Lakes from ports such as Colling-
wood or Samia, Ontario or continued
by rail to American destinations or
from there to the Canadian prairies.
There are a number of official
records and personal letters around
these events which have been
preserved and are available for
research.
Events during 1916
In the spring of 1916, Steingrímur
Octavíus, the son of Rev. N. Stein-
grímur Thorláksson of Selkirk, com-
pieted his final exams at the Luthe-
ran Theological College in Chicago.
On June 25 he was ordained by the
President of the Icelandic Lutheran
Church, Rev. Björn B. Jónsson. On
June 30 the president installed him
as a missionary. Immediately after,
he left for Asia to carry out mission-
ary work on behalf of the General
Council.
In the fall of 1916 Guðmundur A.
Axford graduated in law and was ad-
mitted to the bar. He was the son of
Arni Árnason from the Axarfjörð and
Guðbjörg Jónsdóttir.
IF YOU’RE A SENIOR
or know someone who is,
this is the guide to
government services
you’ve been waiting for.
The publication is called
“Séniors’ Guide to Federal
Programs and Services”,
and it provides
basic information
about federal
benefits and services
available to seniors.
The Government of
Canada has literally
dozens of programs
created specifically
for senior citizens —
programs that cover a
wide range of activities
and requirements. Every
effort was made to ensure
that all programs were included.
Watch for the Guide
during the month of
June at Infocentres in
selected supermarkets
across Canada. It will
be available along
with other publi-
cations that vou will
j
find useful. Or, you
may obtain a copy
of the Guide,
free of charge
by filling out
the coupon below
and mailing it in an
envelope to:
Seniors
P.O. Box 8176, Ottawa, Ontario KIG 3H7
Name.
' (PLEASE PHINT)
Street.
City.
.Province.
English □ Fran^ais □
.Postal Code.
■ J|U ■ Govemment of Canada Ministerof Statefor Seniors Hon. George Hees Gouvemement du Canada Ministre d'État pour le Troisióme Áge L'hon. George Hees Canada