The Icelandic Canadian - 01.04.2001, Side 18

56
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 56 #2
which the Icelanders faced in this country at
that time. He was big and strong, with an even
temperament, and steadfast. He was energetic
and trustworthy, quick to learn the language
and a capable worker. He went first to
Winnipeg and worked there as a labourer for
two years. Then he went with his paternal
uncle, Bjorn, to North Dakota. There he
worked on farms for two years. Then he went
back to Winnipeg and hired himself out to the
Canadian Pacific Railroad Company. He went
as their employee west to the Rocky
Mountains. That railroad had just been laid
from sea to sea and many things needed to be
repaired and improved. While Jon worked in
the mountains he never saw any Icelanders.
During those years he learned the daily lan-
guage of the workers quite well and made
more money than before. All his pay cheque
went to his parents except what he needed for
his daily fare. He was thrifty in every way. It
was not for the faint-hearted to work in the
mountains and many a man has complained
about it. Therefore the company usually hired
strong men for that kind of job. In the winter
avalanches are common, especially in the lat-
ter part of the winter when it begins to warm
up and mud slides in the summer when it rains
a lot. The labourers must work day and night
to clear the tracks. For a full 72 hours he
worked at this job without any rest. In this
case there were but two things to choose from,
to endure or quit. Jon was then in his eigh-
teenth year and was bigger than the average
man both in size and strength. He had always
counted it in his favor to be an Icelander and
had therefore often wrangled with arrogant
(Canadians) in matters of urgency. There is
no doubt that he did strive to show his
Icelandic strength and endurance in these
endeavours. And he endured the hardship
until the end. He said that he had ached all
over when he finished but was not exhausted.
Jon had been away from his parents for
many years and they were impatient for him
to return. By then his father’s health had dete-
riorated and he wanted to go back to Iceland
as soon as possible. Jon went home to Ekru
and settled there, then barely twenty years
old. His father went to Iceland in 1890, and as
has been mentioned here earlier, Jon took
over the farm, which was impoverished once
his father had taken money for his fare.
Shortly after this Jon moved to Pingvellir in
the Geysir district with his mother and sisters.
There he lived for a year and a bit. When his
father returned he moved back to Ekru and
did not want to reside anywhere else. This
time Jon moved to Ekru for good. SigurOur
died in 1892 and Jon lived at Ekru until he
sold it. Then he bought Tungustadur, which is
in the far south comer of BreiSavik. There he
lived until he moved to Vidir, which will be
mentioned later on.
3. Chapter
On October 16, 1893 Jon married Miss
Kristin Jonsdottir from Pingeyjarssla.
Kristin’s father Jon was the son of Erlendur
from Rau<5a, Jonsson from Myri in
BarSardalur. They are from the so-called
“SkinnastaSur” family, the descendants of
Finnbogi, the old, from As in Kelduherfi.
That family tree can be traced back to most all
settlers in Iceland, to kings in the Nordic
countries, to the east as far as Russia, to the
west as far as England, Iceland, Scotland and
the Orkneys, and south to Normandy in
Pjodraeknisfelag Islendinga £ Vesturheimi
PRESIDENT: SIGRID JOHNSON
Support Icelandic culture and heritage
by joining your local chapter, or contact:
The Icelandic National League
#103-94 First Ave. Gimli, MB ROC 1B1
Tel: (204) 642-5897 • Fax: (204) 642-7151