The Icelandic Canadian - 01.11.2007, Page 21

Vol. 61 #2
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
63
Jon Hjaltalin
Lands Doctor
by Hall dor K. Fridrikson
translated by Thor Hjartarson
Jon Jonsson Hjaltalin was born on
April 21, 1807 at Saurbaer on
Hvalfjardarstrond in Borgarfjordur-coun-
ty. His father was Jon Oddsson Hjaltalin,
a pastor at Saurbaer, and later at
Breidabolstadur on Skogarstrond. Jon
Jonsson Hjaltalin was a direct lineal
descendant of Bishop Jon Arason, and that
lineage is set out as follows:
1. Bishop Jon Arason, 1484-
7.nov.l550, executed at Skalholt, his son
2. Rev. Bjorn Jonsson, pastor at
Melstadur, 1506-7.nov.1550, executed at
Skalholt, his son
3. Magnus Bjornsson at Hof on
Hofdastrond, his son
4. Eirikur Magnusson in Djupidalur in
Skagafjordur, his son
5. Magnus Eirikson at Njardvik in
Gullbringa-county, his son
6. Jon Magnusson in Reykjarholl in
Fljot and Reykir in Hjaltadalur, manager at
Holar for Bishop Steinn, his son
7. Oddur Jonsson Hjaltalin, manager
of the Bishop's seat for northern Iceland
and the cathedral at Holar in Hjaltadalur,
his son
8. Jon Oddsson Hjaltalin, Sheriff in
Gullbringa-county 1728-1743, his son
9. Oddur Jonsson, Magistrate at
Raudara by Reykjavik, his son
10. Rev. Jon Oddsson Hjaltalin, pas-
tor, father of Jon Hjaltalin, chief medical
officer of Iceland.
On another side of the family tree, his
lineage can be traced back to Loftur
Guttormsson 'the Rich' at Modruvellir in
Eyjafjordur. His mother, Groa Oddsdottir,
was the daughter of the Reverend Oddur
Thorvardsson, pastor at Reynivellir in
Kjos, who died in 1804. Groa was the later
wife of Rev. Jon Hjaltalin.
The wife of Jon Oddsson Hjaltalin was
Metta. Her father, Jens Johannsson, was
the town judge in Arosum in Jutland,
Denmark. Jon, the county sheriff, was the
first to take the surname Hjaltalin, derived
from the name of the valley where he was
born and raised.
Jon (the land's doctor) grew up with
his parents, first at Saurbaer and later at
Breidabolstadur on Skogarstrond, where
his father moved the family in the spring of
1811. Jon went to school about that time,
and it is likely that his father had tutored
him to some extent at home. In the autumn
of 1825, Jon enrolled in the lower class at
the school at Bessastadir, and after study-
ing there for two years he was moved to the
upper class for three winters. During this
time, he received an allowance of 30 Danish
dollars for the first three years and 60 dol-
lars for the last two years. After five years,
he was hoping to graduate. However, this
did not come to pass for reasons that are
not entirely clear. In all likelihood the
teachers at the school withheld his certifi-
cate because, in their opinion, he had not
progressed as rapidly as his intelligence
should have allowed. Consequently, it was
thought he had not put enough effort into
his studies, since he was reading other
materials that were not part of the curricu-
lum. It appears that he lacked sufficient
maturity. At any rate, he didn't want to
continue at this school, and he gave notice
of his intention to terminate his studies in
the spring. He then obtained his certificate
the following summer from Rev.
Gunnlaugur Oddsson, who was the pastor
of the cathedral in Reykjavik.
Jon then took a position with the chief
medical officer of Iceland, Dr. Jon
Thorsteinsson, and remained under his