The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1961, Blaðsíða 65

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
63
this fall was awarded a $300.00 scholar-
ship in recognition of academic achieve-
ment. He averaged 84.6 per cent in
this year’s Grade 11 examinations. He
is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John K.
Guttormson of Regina. His paternal
grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. B. Gut-
tormson, 987 Minto St., Winnipeg.
X
DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE -
Kenneth L. Brynjolfson
Kenneth L. Brynjolfson, of Lombard,
Illinois, received a Bachelor of Arts
degree, last June, from the University
of Illinois. Mr. Brynjolfson graduated
with honors and with distinction in
History. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Wilfred Brynjolfson and the grand-
son of Mr. and Mrs. Ingi Brynjolfson,
formerly of Winnipeg. He is also the
grandson of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Good-
man of Wynyard, Sask. Mr. Brynjolf-
son began active duty as a Second
Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps
of the US army as of August 11th. In
September 1960 he married the former
Joanne Krbec, who also graduated
from the University of Illinois in June.
Ingi Brynjolfson, Kenneth’s grand-
father, is the son of Sveinn Brynjolf-
son, builder, of Winnipeg.
Mrs. Ingi Brynjolfson, Susie, is the
daughter of Sigurdur and Carrie
Christopherson, pioneers of the Argyle
district. They named their farm Grund.
Carrie was the daughter of John
Taylor, whom all Icelandic pioneers
will remember as being very helpful
to them. Many Icelandic babies in Ar-
gyle were named Carrie in honor of
Carrie Christopherson.
The following is an extract from a
letter written to Mrs. Flora Benson
by Susie the daughter of Carrie Christo-
pherson, and granddaughter of John
Taylor, who directed the first group
of Icelandic settlers to “Nyja Island”
on the west shore of Lake Winnipeg.
“My mother was -born in Michigan.
Her father was a poor carpenter, and
times were bad. Her mother died, and
grandfather was left with -five little
girls, the oldest ten years old. They
moved to Kingston, Ontario. Carrie
and Susie went to live with their uncle
(John Taylor). They got good school-
ing, and I believe my mother was 16
years old when she went out to teach.
I don’t know what date or year it was
when they went to Kinmont, Ontario.
Uncle John was a minister—perhaps a
missionary—at any rate he worked for
the government, and so met the Ice-
landers, and thought they were fine
people. While there, my mother asked
him what kind of people these Iceland-
ers were. He glanced out the window
and said “There you see a nice Iceland-
ic girl—a cute girl with blond long
braids and hair.” And my mother got
to know and love her. She was Gudny,
Mrs. Fridjon Frederickson.
Well, they got to Gimli. My mother
taught school there for a few months,
some of her pupils being older than
herself. Fred Swanson, Andres Free-
man, and Joe Palsson, to mention a
few.