Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.05.1992, Page 4

4 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 1. maí 1992
The personal account ofan Icelandic immigrant’s
experiences in America - from 1886 to 1930
Contínued
by Stefan Jónsson
(changed to Johnson In U.S.A.)
Translated from the original
hand-written lcelandlc
by Stefan Johnson’s eldest grandson,
Jon Wlllard Freeman.
We lived for two months in this one-
room shanty on the place we had fled to
from the flood. Then we moved farther
north on the prairie, for no one thought
about movingback to the meadow where
we had been.
New arrivals
That summer a number of people
(Icelandic) moved to our area from the
old country and from the east. Among
them were Jacob’s parents, Einar
Magnusson Westfjord and wife and their
son and Jacob’s brother, Svein
Westfjord, who became a well-known
farmer and member of the community,
as did his brother Jacob. Now we had
much help in the building of sod houses.
We worked together and built sod build-
ings for the newcomers and also for
Gísli and myself. We worked as fast as
possible, because the haying season
approached and the brothers, Jacob
and Svein, were going to Pembina coun-
try for the harvest season. So there was
a lot to do: hauling hay and looking
after the cattle we had under our care
until the latter part of October. For this
we always had trouble collecting. Some
paid angrily, and some paid only a part
and some paid nothing.
On this place we remained for about
2 years, and then our partnership with
Gísli was severed. His wife Anna was in
poor health and died June 5th. Then
Gísli moved north of the river, where
his father was established, then moved
to Swan River, Manitoba, and diedthere
in 1928.
Our third child is bom
In some ways it was good in this new
place, but the big fault was that water
was very difficult to get. We dug wells
35 to 40 feet deep, all by hand and
spade, and never got water. It was on
this place (near Ely Post Office south of
where Kramer is now) that our third
child, Jón Magnús, was born Dec. 18,
1894, in a sod house, on a bitterly cold
and stormy night. There were no doc-
tors of course, so I went to fetch a
midwife, but when we retumed the child
was already bom. An old man staying
with us (Ásgrímur, the same who
chopped the ice when the horses floun-
dered) had helped, and all went well.
This was with God’s help also, for
we always trust in Him in our troubles
and hardships, which were many in
those days. Then there was faith in
those days. We had faith in each other
and helped each other and were happy.
I once loaned my oxen team to a man
who took them to Cavalier and back
(150 miles, approximately, each way)
and got 10 pounds of shorts (feed) in
payment and was well satisfied.
The next spring, my father decided
to quit the Knoll he and Rosa lived on
and offered the place to me. I accepted
gratefully though I was to regret it, as
will be told later. But then it was attrac-
tive.
Moving for the fourth time
Father and Rosa sold some of their
stock and some they put out on shares.
They moved to Pembina county with
intentions of quitting entirely. So, I
moved for the fourth time and lived
there for five years. In those five I had to
move three times due to floods, and
that was very difficult because we had
to move all possessions, including ani-
mals. But in some ways it was pleasant
and convenient.
Our nearest town was Willow City,
20 miles east, but soon a German set up
a store and post office not far away. It
was a great convenience to be able to
buy sugar and coffee, etc., and get our
mail so close by. But after three years,
this enterprise closed after a scandal
involving mail thievery by the son or
the old man. He soon fled the country
and shortly afterward someone else took
over the post office, so we still had that.
Fleeing floods
As said before I was on the Knoll five
years and had to flee the floods three
times. The first spring there was no
flood. The second spring there was flood
and I moved to the prairie (west of
where Upham is now) and stayed with
John Phillips. I must tell of our experi-
ences then.
I had traded my oxen for a team of
horses and paid some to boot. I loaded
a wagon with household goods and
drove the team and wagon while my
daughter, Sigga (Sigríður), then eight
years old, followed on foot behind and
drove the cattle. There was already a lot
of water, especially in the low places.
The cattle followed the wagon and the
child behind, to keep them moving. All
went well, except we were wet and
cold, but at our destination we got dry
and had food and hot coffee. Then we
went back because my wife was alone
with the other children.
We had the most difficulty moving
the sheep and lambs. I had more sheep
than cattle and had forty-five newbom
lambs. With the help of my wife and
children I rounded up and loaded the
lambs in the wagon. Then I had Sigga
drive the team and wagon while I fol-
lowed and drove the sheep on foot.
They followed willingly, for their lambs
were in the wagon. All went well and
we forded all water well until we came
to the last slough, which had to be
U0fétA*MMÍty /téodc - ‘Ptncc Pctuc"
The Town of Gimli welcomes
Delegates and Guests
to the Annual Convention of the
lcelandic National League
of North America
at Hecla Island,
May 1. 2, 3. 1992.
We hope that your stay in this area
is a pleasant one. We look forward
to meeting and greeting you.
As you pass through Gimli, stop,
and enjoy our ships, recreational
facilities, and friendly people.
Mayor and Council, Town of Gimli
crossed in the right place else every-
thing would be under.
The wagon was about halfway across
when I saw it go over on its side and the
child and the lambs all into and under
the water.
Again, God helped me. I rushed to
save the child and found her and pulled
her out to safety. I had feared that she
would be under the wagon or trampled
by the horses. But, thank God, she was
unhurt, and I got her and all the lambs
to dry land and the horses and wagon
also. And with God’s help I got all the
lambs loaded again, and we continued
on. I was conscience-smitten to see the
child shaking from cold, soaking wet
and frightened, but we could not tum
back.
That summer we stayed with Jon
Phillips until August, and then moved
back to the Knoll. Next spring we did
not have a bad flood; the next after that
there was a flood, but not bad enough
to have to move. We were surrounded
by water, but had sufficient hay and
feed.
The following winter was a bad one.
It was very cold; there was so much
snow that it was difficult, sometimes
impossible, to getfirewood. Then it was
that we found it necessary to burn hay.
We did it this way: we had the children
sit by the stove and twist the hay into
compact little bundles, which were
easier to handle than loose hay and
lasted longer. We also bumed a lot of
sheep manure, which when mixed with
the hay waste, trampled down by the
sheep and dried, could be cut into
chunks and made into good fuel.
Continued next week
Tip Top
Foods
IN GIMLI
Icelandic
Foods
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Fresh Manitoba:
Lamb Rúllupylsa
Hangikjöt
Lifrapylsa
Mysuostur
Skyr
lcelandic Brown Bread
From lceland:
Haröfiskur
Svali lcelandic Water
Brian & Ken Arnason
For delivery
call:
642-5418
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COUNTRY ROCKIN
GOOD TIMES
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