Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.02.2005, Blaðsíða 11

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 11. febrúar 2005 • 11
Help establish The Thingvalla Endowment
The oldest Icelandic cemetery west ofManitoba
Nelson Gerrard
Arborg, MB
The historic Thingvalla
Cemetery near Churchbridge,
Saskatchewan, dates from 1887
and is the oldest Icelandic cem-
etery west of Manitoba.
A beautiful and scenic hill-
top site steeped in history and
still graced by the little country
church built there almost a cen-
tury ago, this sacred spot is the
resting place of more than 100
Icelandic pioneer men, women,
and children — possibly in-
cluding some of your ancestors
and family members.
With the passage of time,
pioneer cemeteries across the
Prairies have fallen prey to
disuse, neglect, and even des-
ecration. We owe our pioneer
forebears a debt of gratitude,
and it is fitting that we, their
descendants, cherish our heri-
tage and honour their memo-
ries. The Thingvalla Cemetery
is a unique spot that has been
preserved unspoiled to the
present time. We must ensure
the future of both the cemetery
and the little Thingvalla Church
for years to come, and now we
have a chance to do this.
The Family & Friends
Community Foundation Inc. is
a charitable organization dedi-
cated to preserving culture and
heritage in the Churchbridge
and Langenburg area. This
foundation establishes and
adminsters “cemetery endow-
ments” fqr specific pioneer
cemeteries, investing and man-
aging capital funds to generate
interest that is then designated
for specific restoration and
maintenance projects.
Just $5000 is needed to es-
tablish a permanent “Thingval-
la Endowment.” About 10% of
that amount has already been
donated to get the ball rolling.
Now we need the help of other
descendants of the Thingvalla
Pioneers. The larger the en-
dowment, the more money
will be generated and the more
special projects can be under-
taken — such as reshingling
the historic Thingvalla Church.
Other prairie cemeteries have
received donations well in ex-
cess of $25,000 in just a short
period of time.
Please consider a tax-de-
ductible contribution to Family
& Friends Community Foun-
dation Inc. (Box 800, Langen-
burg, SK S0A 2A0) in memory
of the Thingvalla pioneers. Be
sure to designate your donation
as being for the “Thingvalla
Endowment.”
Burials in the Thingvalla Cemetery 1887-1914
(Note: This is a transcription from the original Icelandic list compiled by Gísli Egilsson in 1913 and later amended slightly. To
avoid inconsistencies, standardized Icelandic spellings are used for all Christian names, though surnames remain as they appear on
the original list. All names appear here in the nominiative case, as appropriate in the context óf English translation. Throughout this
list, “Th” has been substituted for the Icelandic letter thorn (“Þ”), which otherwise is almost always mistaken for a “P.” Additions
of information or corrections to the names as they appear on the original are shown in italics.)
“Insofar as it has been possible to get information, the fol-
lowing is a list of persons interred in the Thingvallanýlenda
Congregation Cemetery situated in Section 22-22-32 W frorn
the year 1887 until 1914.”
Natnes Year of Death
1. Guðbjörg Sveinsdáttir, wife of Helgi Sigurðsson 1887
2. Eiríkur Ingimundarson 1885
3. Guðný Freysteinsdóttir (child) 1887
4. Two children of Friðbjörn Sigurðsson 1887
5. Two children of Björn Ólafsson 1887
6. Jón Guðmundsson, husband of Sigríður Hjaltadóttir 1888
7. Two children of Bjarni Stephansson 1888?
8. Two children of B. Jónsson 1888?
9. Child of Vigfús Thorsteinsson 1888?
10. Child of Bjami Jasonsson 1888?
11. Two chiidren of Thórður Thórðarson 1888?
12. Oddný Thórðardóttir, mother of Mrs. E. Bjarnason
and Mrs. G. Brynjólfsson 1888?
13. Jón Ólafsson, Doctor 1890
14. Child of Kristján Jónsson 1890
15. Kristbjörg Bergthórsdóttir, wife of Jón the Doctor 1895
16. Guðmundur Guðmundsson of Fagridalur
(,husband of Thóra Gísladóttir) 189/
17. Two children of Einar Suðfjörð 1890?
18. Guðbjörg Sveinsdóttir, wife of Konráð Eyjólfsson 1891
19. Three children of Konráð Eyjólfsson year unknown
20. Hjalti Hjallason 1891?
21. Guðrún Ólafsdóttir, wife of Magnús Sölvason 1889
22. Magnús Sigurðsson 1892
23. Child(ren) [1 written over 2] of S. Jónsson 1891?
24. Stefán Thorláksson 1892
25. Kristín Bíidfell 1892
26. Jónas Jónsson 1892
27. Sveinn Jónsson, husband of Kristín Sigurðardóttir 1892
28. Halldóra Baldvinsdóttir, wife of Jón Hördal 1890
29. Einar Ólafsson (J'rom Vatnsendi near Reykjavík) 1893
30. Guðríður ÓlafsdóUir
(j'rom Vatnsendi near Reykjavík) 1893
31. Jón Freysteinsson 1893
32. Thorbjörg Freysteinsdóttir 1893
33. Child of Sveinbjörn Loptsson 1893?
34. Thuríður Jónsdóttir (associated with J. Bfldfell) 1893
35. Child of Jónas Jónsson 1893
36. Child of Ólafur Guðmundsson 1893
37. Jósef Ólafsson 1892
38. Child of Jón Árnason 1894?
39. Jórunn Magnúsdóttir, wife of Hinrik Gíslason 1897
40. Kristín Sveinsdóttir, wife of Ásgeir Jónsson 1896
41. Jón Björgvin (child of Thórarinn Jónsson Norman) 1896
42. Kristín Jónsdóttir (sister to Kristb/örg,
wife of Guðbrandur the Doctor) 1896
43. Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir, wife of Guðbrandur
Sæmundsson the Doctor 1896
44. Guðbrandur Sœmundsson the Doctor 1896
45. Eiríkur Jónsson, brother-in-law of ■
Guðbrandur the Doctor 1896
46. Child of Árni Hannesson 1897
47. Child of Guðbrandur Narfason 1898
48. Ragnheiður Egilsson, child of Mr. &
Mrs. G(sli Egilsson 1898
49. Child of Mr. & Mrs. J. Einarsson 1898
50. Thóra Hannesdóttir (Mrs. S. Johnson) 1899
51. Job Sveinsson 1902
52. Mrs. Sigríður Thorbergsdóttir (wife of
Thorleifur Jónsson) 1902
53. Guðmundur Thórðarson 1904
54. Thórður Thórðarson 1904
55. Davíð Bjarnason Westman ' 1904
56. Ragnhildur Magnúsdóttir, wife of Magnús Einarsson 1903
57. Jón Jónsson Norman 1905
58. Jón August Hedman 1905
59. Bjami Eirflcsson 1905
60. Two children ol' Mr. & Mrs. Skaalerud 1906 & 1912
61. Helgi Helgason 1906
62. Mrs. Ingunn Pálriiadóttir Norman 1906
63. Mrs. Margrét Kristjánsdóttir Norman 1907
64. Thórarinn Jónsson Norman * 1908
65. Helga Westman • 1909
66. Sigríður Guðmundsdóttir [mother-in-law of
Sigurður Jónsson] 1909
67. Magnús Einarsson 1909
68. Helga Jónsdóttir 1910
69. Arngrímur Kristjánsson 1910
70. Stephan iónsson Valberg 1911
71. Freysteinn Jónsson (added after the above
list was compiled) 1914
72. Oddgeir Björnsson Johnson “ “ 1914
73. Child from the Nordins “ “ 1914
“In tolal, 82 burials. As can be expected, this document is
not done in such a way that it can be relied upon, except to a
limited extent. It is correct to the extent that all these people are
buried in the cemetery. This list is not reliable, however, with
regard to the years of death, as it was impossible for tne to get
proof while I was compiling these names.
“Furthermore (and I consider this likely), it may well be that
the names of some persons buried here are not included. It would
be most desirable if anyone happening to remember someone
buried in this cemetery who is not on the list would provide me
with this inforination. I consider it necessary thal some docu-
ment with this information should exist. To have no idea of this
sort of thing reveals a sadly neglectful and thoughtless attitude,
as no such documentation exists in the congregation’s records. 1
therefore urge that everything possible be done to make this list
as correcl and complete as circumstances allow, and that it be
entrusted to the secretary of the Thingvallanýlenda Congrega-
tion to be kept with the congregation’s other records.
“Most respectfully,
Gísli Egilsson
Secretary of the Thingvallanýlenda Congregation
Dated Dec. 31. 1913, at Lögberg. Saskatchewan”
If anyone is able to provide further inforrnation regarding
those buried in the Thingvalla Cemeterv, please contact Nelson
Gerrard, Box 925, Arborg, MB ROC ÖAO, (204) J7S-2758, e-
mail: eyrarbakki @ hotmail. com

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