Halfstein (Tom) Johnston Born June 19, 1865 Died February 16, 1959 Emigrated from Iceland in 1866
Married October 31 1890
Ingibjorg Magnusdottir Born May 25, 1871 Died May 11, 1962 Emigrated from Iceland in 1877

A number of Icelandic families built their homes on Darlington Bay on the Winnipeg River. On one side of the river the there were members of the same family. A sister, a brother, a nephew and later two of the homes built were for sons of these families. In the 1901 census there is another Icelandic couple living close by. (See Helga Jonatanson ( below) The homes on this side of the river were accessed from a road now known as Darlington Way after crossing the Black Bridge (now rebuilt) spanning Darlington Bay.

Tom Johnston and Ingibjorg Magnusdottir were probably the first to settle there. They were married in Keewatin in 1890 and celebrated their 60th anniversary in Keewatin in 1950. The marriage lasted 68 years. Tom died at 94 years and Ingibjorg died at age 90. They are both buried in Kenora, Ont.

Tom Johnston ( Hafstein Sigurdsson) was born in Iceland and emigrated in 1886 with his family to Gimli, Man. His parents were Sigurdur Jonatasson and Gudrun Sigurdsdottir. In the first year Tom’s father and siblings died in a small pox epidemic. He went to Keewatin very soon after. It is not known if his mother accompanied him. She married again but is listed in his home in the 1901 census.Gudrun Arnason.

Her sister is also residing with them -- Thorun Sigurdsdottir.

Ingibjorg emigrated with her mother Vigdis Gudmundsdottir in1887 to Arnes,Man. Vigdis’ husband Magnus Thorkelsson, lost his life in a home fire in Authnir, Gulbringsyssla, Iceland. She brought five children and a grandson with her to Canada. In the 1901 census Vigdis and her grandson are listed as a separate family. This may have been only for a very short time. They resided with a son, Thorgrimur, in the Hove, P.O.Man. area before he moved to Winnipeg. She then lived with her grandson, Joe Zeller, who purchased the farm from Thorgrimur.

Tom and Ingibjorg had no children of their own but adopted one child, Ena, a niece. It is learned that this young lady could have the name Hafsteina. In the 1901 census this daughter is listed as Ingibjorg H.which could indicate Hafsteina is her given name.They also had a foster child, Esther Christianson, daughter of a family whose parents in Winnipeg died of the flu in 1918. For a period of time a young son of Ingibjorg’s sister Gudrun lived with them. He drowned in an unfortunate accident on the Winnipeg River. Both Hafstein and Ingibjorg are buried in Kenora.

Bjorn Magnusson Born July 5, 1875 Died January 24, 1954 Emigrated from Iceland in 1887
Married December 31, 1898.
Ingibjorg Thorsteinsdottir Hordal Born January 18, 1875 Died July 6, 1960 Emigrated from Iceland in 1876

Bjorn and Ingibjorg (Emma) were married in Keewatin December 31, 1898 and homesteaded in Markland (Coldwell), Manitoba, until 1904 and later lived in Winnipeg for a few years. They moved to Keewatin 1935. Bjorn was a brother to Ingibjorg Magnusson Johnson (above). He was a fisherman, farmer, trapper, and carpenter. Emma was the daughter of Thorstein Jonson Hordol and Ragnahildur Jonsdottir. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in Keewatin in 1948. There were two children: Magnus B.Magnus Born November 16, 1912 and Margaret Ragnahildur Ingibjorg. Both Bjorn and Emma are buried in Kenora.

Magnus married Ann Cobb in 1939 and lived next door to the family home. Magnus accompanied his father in trapping journeys but turned to carpentry. In his later years he lived in Parkersville, British Columbia, having remarried (Connie) after Ann died. Magnus lived to the age of 96, Died March 2008.

Margaret married Alex Nickle and lived in Keewatin in the family home. They had one son. Margaret lost her husband and son in a home fire. Later she lived Regina, Sask and died in 1995.

Sigurdur (Sam) Magnuson Born August 6, 1878 Died ???? Emigrated from Iceland in 1887
Gudrun (Runa) Stephens Born about 1886 Died December 1946 Emigrated from Iceland in 1887 Arrived in Keewatin 1910

Sam and Runa resided between the homes of Sam’s uncle and aunt. Sam emigrated with his grandmother and her children.(see Vigdis Gudmundsdottirabove) He was employed by the Lake of the Woods Milling Co. His retirement years were spent in Dundas, Hamilton, On. area, where he died. Several of his children had moved east.

Gudrun,(Runa) was the daughter of Gudny Stephens.(below) Her father died in Winnipeg 1915. She also had a brother Oscar Carl.(below). Runa is buried in Kenora.

There were five children. Gwendur,(Alice, Dundas,Ont) Died 1997.Gwen,( Jim Will(s)Winnipeg) Siggi (Jean Douglas, Keewatin) Sigga (George MacDonald, E. Ont.) and Imba, Died 2008 ( Ken Harrison E. Ont.)

Siggi and Jean died in a snowmobile accident on the Lake of the Woods. Sigga is the only child still living. (2009, in a seniors home.)

Gudny Stephens (above) lived in Keewatin with her son Oscar, presumably born in Canada. He resided in the house next to Magnus Sigurdson. Oscar married Helen Perron, Kenora Ont. They had three children: Carl (British Columbia), Joan (Alec McDonald, Keewatin - Died 2004), and Frannie (Keewatin). Gudny’s husband could be the Stefan Sigurdsson who emigrated in 1887 with a wife, Gudney (married 1881) and daughter Gudrun. Gudny lived to a good age and was known as “Granny Stephens”.

Thorkel (Keli, Charlie) Magnuson Born August 12, 1866 Died April 3, 1955 Emigrated from Iceland in 1877
Married March 1914 Arrived in Keewatin 1891
Palina Hjalmarsdottir Born about 1867 Died February 19, 1960 Emigrated from Iceland in 1892

Keli or Charlie Magnuson was a brother to Ingibjorg Magnuson Johnston and Bjorn Magnuson (above). He lived on the opposite side of the Winnipeg river. Originally this street was called Charles St. (Now McLean Ave.) He was a fisherman and later worked in the flour mill. (Retired in c.1927) Charlie also emigrated with his mother, Vigdis Gudmundsdottir. (Above)

Palina married Charlie in 1914.

Palina had been married , to Thorgrim Thorgrimsson, Born 1869 and emigrated in1887. Thorgrim died in a RR accident A brother to Palina, Siggi Hjalmarsson, lived in Keewatin. In the 1901 census Charlie is listed as a lodger in the home of John Palmasson. (below) It is recorded that Charlie and Jon had interests in land purchases. For many years Charlie and Palina tended to cows and chickens on their property. No children. Both are buried in Kenora.

Charlie and Palina cared for an Icelandic woman who lived in a small home below their property. This lady could be Helga Jonatasson Born 1863 in the 1901 census who is listed as a housekeeper of Bjarni Bjarnasson Born 1844. They lived in the home on the other side of the river that Sam Magnuson (above) purchased. In the 1901 census these names are given at the same time as Tom Johnston, therefore it is presumed that would be the house that Sam Magnuson would purchase. Bjarni died. Helga had a sister who is either Kristin Bjorgford (listed later) or sister to one of the Palmasson wives.(listed later). Helga had living assistance from the town. As the Icelanders left or died Helga required other care. The town arranged seniors home assistance for her in Port Arthur, Ont. Bertha Sigurdson (below) was notified of her death in 1958. If the birthdate is corrrect Helga was 95 yrs old.

Sigurdur (Siggi) Sigurdson Born May 15, 1885 Died November 26, 1956 Emigrated from Iceland in 1910
Married September 30, 1915.
Gudbjorg,(Bertha) Paulson (Palson). September 26, 1896 Died February 4, 1959

Sigurdur was the nephew of the above mentioned Magnuson family. His parents were Sigurdur Sigurdsson and Margret Magnusdottir. Margret died in 1897 in Iceland. At the age of 14 when he finished his schooling he worked on farms of his uncles. Sigurdur was also a fisherman and attended the Seaman’s College in Reykjavik. He spent two years fishing on English trawlers. With his father, Sigurdur Sigurdsson , he fished on the east coast of Iceland and at this time the father and son agreed to emigrate to Canada. Another brother, Thorgrimur, remained in Reykjavik and was the principal owner of the fishing vessel, “Baldur”. The two men went to Winnipeg and then Keewatin to stay with another member of the family, Magnus, who had emigrated in in 1904. Magnus lived in Keewatin with his wife. ( See Magnus below). Siggi’s father, Sigurdur Sigurdson, joined his son, Magnus, on the Lake of the Woods at a fishing camp. He only stayed in Canada for a few years and died in Reykjavik in 1920. Siggi spent a little time in Winnipeg and then, for a time, drove a boat for an official of the Lake of The Woods Milling Co. during the summer months. He was employed at the Mill and continued to work full-time there until his retirement. Before marrying, he boarded at the home of Mrs Johnson on Lake Street in Keewatin. Carl Johnson was a son. (1911 census)

Gudbjorg (Bertha) Paulson (Palson) was born at H0ve P.O. Man.. Her parents were Pall Palsson and Sigrun Jonsdottir who emigrated in 1888. Sigrun and Pall emigrated with an aunt who fostered Sigrun and they were married in Winnipeg on December 4,1890 at the First Lutheran Church. After the school years Bertha worked in Winnipeg until she married Siggi. They were married in Keewatin on September 30, 1915, at the Johnson home on Lake Street and lived in the main part of the town for a short time. They purchased a home on the Winnipeg River across the street from Siggi’s uncle, Charlie Magnuson. They were residents there until Siggi’s death in 1956. Both Siggi and his wife are buried in Kenora, Ont.

Bertha was a homemaker. She moved east to Brampton Ont. after the death of her husband and lived in Brampton, until her death in 1959.

Bertha and Siggi had seven children: Margaret (Young; Clarence Garbutt), Malton, Ont; Paul (Ivy Styles), Red Rock,Ont. Carl (Edith Otway) Fort William, Ont. And Victoria, BC; Olive (Ken Marchant) Keewatin Ont and Rexdale Ont, Ont. Dorothy (Ron Smith) Oakville, Ont. Phyllis Rosemary, Rexdale Ont. Harold (Marilyn Collier) Oakville, Ont. Dorothy Smith is the only one of the family who is living.(2009). Paul and Carl were WW2 veterans.

Magnus Sigurdson (Mac, Maungi) Born August 6, 1883 Died May 4, 1952 Emigrated from Iceland in 1904
Married January 21,1910
Margret Valgerdur Thorsteinsdottir Born January 22, 1891 Died May 9, 1930 Emigrated from Iceland in 1904

Magnus was a brother to Sigurd Sigurdson (above). He lived a short distance away on Government Road. He married Margret in 1910 in Selkik Man.

He was a fisherman on the Lake of the Woods and when he settled in the town he worked in the Lake of the Woods Milling Co. until his retirement. He took care of his family after the early death of his wife. The two brothers always had a close relationship, and both of them remained in constant touch with their uncles and aunts in the Magnusson family. There is a lodger in his home in the 1911 census (Ragnar Johnson).

Margret was the daughter of Thorvaldur Thorsteinsson who emigrated in 1904 with his daughter. Margret had a brother in Keewatin. (below) Mac and Margret took care of her parents (in Keewatin) until their deaths. Both parents resided in Keewatin for a time at the Sigurdson home. Margret’s mother was Ragnahildur Eyolfsdottir who died in 1916, and her father (above) died in 1928.

Margret was a homemaker and died at the age of 38 years. There were eight children: Kristjan died shortly after birth. Margret Bjorg (Don Johnson, Ernie Lindstrom); Ragnahildur (Hilda) ( Frank Crowdis); Sylvia (Joe Bynski); Herman Died 1937; Asdis (Thelma) died 1945; twins--Ingibjorg (Imba) (Elgin Phinney); Gudrun (Runa) (Jim Margets); Thomas Thorgrimur Hafstein (Eloise Sparks.) Hilda lived in Montreal Que, Runa in North Gore Ont.and Tom in Fort Frances Ont. The other family members remained in Keewatin or Kenora. Imba, a WW2 veteran, is the only living member of the family. Magnus and Margret are both buried in Kenora.

Margret’s brother Asgeir (Oscar) Thorsteinsson lived near the Sigurdson home. His second wife was Vera Davis (1933). There were 5 children.

Going back to Charles Street, the McClay family from Scotland lived next to Siggi Sigurdson. Stefan (Steve) Sveinson’s was the last house on that side. Earlier there had been two more houses but both were in a flood plain.

Stefan (Steve, Stebbi) Sveinson Born March 13, 1901 Died June 21, 1983 Emigrated from Iceland in 1903
Married 1923 Keewatin 1923
Olafia Krisbjorg Thorsteinsdottir Born January 4,1902 Died February 28, 1992

Steve was the son of Bjarni Sveinsson (listed below). He was one of three children born in Iceland before the family came to Canada. Two of the children died enroute. He worked in The Lake of the Woods Milling Co. until his retirement. Steve also kept cows in a field down the river and a small barn on the lot. He married Olafia in Winnipeg in 1923. Later on the Sveinsons moved up the “hill” in 1948, purchasing the Dempster’s property. Steve’s parents resided with him before buying the farm on the lake. Olafia and Steve are buried in Kenora.

Olafia was the daughter of Eirikur Thorsteinsson and Antonia Oddson. She was born in Selkirk and lived in the Riverton area until her marriage. She was homemaker and took care of her father (in Keewatin) after her mother’s death. There were twelve children: Leslie died shortly after birth; Doris Ingveldur (Ed Dawson), Winnipeg; Norman, Keewatin; Alda Lorraine (Bob Parmeter), Kenora; Allan, Keewatin; Franklin, Thunder Bay; Albert (Olive Mae) Keewatin; Gilbert, Keewatin and Winnipeg; Lillian (Bob Marchant), Keewatin; Lois (Alvin Mensch) Manitoba; David, Kenora; Elaine (Mervin Reynard) Kenora. The Sveinson family in Keewatin and Kenora hosted a family reunion on July 3-4 1993. Attendance numbered 124.

Sigurdur Brandson Born 1886 Died 1927 Emigrated from Iceland in 1892
Married
Gudbjorg Lived in Winnipeg after 1927

Sigurdur Brandson was the first owner of the Sveinson home property. He is the only Brandsson in the Vesturfuraskra. An entry with his name is Margret Thorsteinsdottir, widow, 50 yrs----possibly his mother.

Bjarni Sveinson Born May 5, 1876 Died 1962 Emigrated from Iceland in 1903
Married October 27, 1897
Matthildur Thorvardsdottir Born August 20, 1873 Died 1969 Emigrated from Iceland in 1903

Bjarni and Matthildur at first settled in Winnipeg. His parents were Sveinn Davidsson and Groa Magnusdottir. Bjarni worked as a carpenter and then homesteaded in the Riverton area. The farm was growing nicely but in a flood area. The family moved to Keewatin. Bjarni bought land a few miles north of Keewatin. He farmed and brought up his family there. In his later years he moved to Vancouver, B.C. to live with his son. He died there in 1962.

Matthildur was the daughter of Thorvaldur Gislason and Ingibjorg Jonsdottir. She was a homemaker and worked with her husband on the farm. After Bjarni gave up farming she lived with a son in Winnipeg. She died at Betel ,Winnipeg Man.in 1969. The Sveinson family numbered twelve children, three did not survive. Stefan (above) Keewatin, Thorvarthur, (Doddi) (Mary Patterson) Keewatin. Sveinn (Sigurlaug Vidalin) Winnipeg Man. Carl (Janet McLay) Keewatin. Sigmar (Bina Johnson) Vancouver, B.C. Ingibjorg (Imba) Iceland and U.S.A.. Svava (John May) Illinois, U.S.A. Margaret, Ottawa, Ont. Esther (Charles Roberts) Ottawa, Ontario. Imba trained in Iceland as a nurse and died in the U.S. at the age of 97.(longest living child)

Carl Sveinson (son of Bjarni Sveinson) Born in Canada
Married
Janet McLay /P>

Carl and Janet made their home on Government Road turning left at the home of Jon Palmason. He worked for the Milling Co. Janet was the daughter of the MCLay family living on Charles Street. There were three children, Margaret, Kenora, Clarence, Winnipeg, and John, western Canada.

Opposite to the Steve Svienson home lived another Icelandic family, Bergur Borgfjord and his wife Kristin. Kristin died, a widow, in May 1934. The house was rented until c.1939 when the Oddson family moved in.

Johannes Wathne (Jack) Oddson Born April 7, 1905. Died July 10, 1987
MarriedAug 5th, 1933
Oddfridur Elinbjorg (Freda) Swanson Born October 9, 1905 Died November 30, 1996

Jack was born in Selkirk, Man. Freda was born in Beaulieu Township, N.D.

They were married in 1933 and celebrated their 50th anniversary in Keewatin in 1983.

Jack was the son of Gudmundur. Oddson and Ingibjorg Helgadottir of Selkirk. Man. In Iceland, Gudmundur was a stonemason and trawler hand.The family operated a farm in Selkirk. Freda was the daughter of Oddur Svein Gudmundson and Ingibjorg Thorsteinsdottir of Selkirk, Man.

Jack apprenticed as a motor mechanic. He worked first for Durant’s Motors in Dryden and had a short stay in Thunder Bay before coming to Keewatin and employed by Durant in Kenora. The family lived first in the main part of town and then moved to Charles street c.1939.

Freda ‘s father emigrated to N.D. USA as a young boy with his older sister. He farmed in Akra. N.D.and moved to Selkirk, Man in 1910 There had been a name change in the USA from Gudmundsson to Sveinson and then Swanson in Canada. After some years of farming the family owned Swanson Dairy in Selkirk, Man.

Jack and Freda remained in Keewatin and both are buried in Kenora. There are four children: Keith (Marolyn Gordon) Riverside, California. Dorothy (Robert Eckert) Point Venture,Texas. Robert (Merle Hodgson), Thornhill, Ont. Jack and Virginia live in the family home in Keewatin.

It is not known of an Icelandic family living in the next house. Then there is Charlie Magnuson and Helga J.as given previously. Passing Helga’s little house the family who lived there was a Sigurd Johannsson who is in the 1901 census. Another tenant in this house could be Gudmundur Thordarson , who lived on and owned a property back of the Oddsons. Families McLean and McNichol lived there in the later 30's.

Leaving this area, we go up the hill heading for Government Road.

Sigudur (Sam) Thorgeir Palmasson Born May 11, 1858 Died August 10, 1934 Emigrated from Iceland in 1892
Married August 20, 1881
Solveig Jonsdottir Born May 12, 1862 Died January 24, 1944 Emigrated 1892

Sigurdur and Solveig went to Keewatin in 1892. They lived in a small home and it is believed that he worked in the Milling Co. There were two children (born in Iceland) Sigridur died in Winnipeg at the age of 10. Kristin Thorun Born1884, married Alton Ralph of Keewatin in 1904 and these two moved to the Niagara Falls area. Steina, as she was called kept in touch with Bertha Sigurdson (above). Solveig lived alone in the little house and at some time went to live with the Ralphs. She died in 1944 and is buried in Lundy’s Lane cemetery, Niagara Falls. A granddaughter of Solveig’s gave family history for both Sigurdur and brother Jon. She is an elderly active woman interested in genealogy of the area she lives in. The Palmason home was situated across from the house that Steve Sveinson (above) purchased in 1948. Sigurdur is buried in Kenora.

Turning the corner to Government Road is the small home of Jon Palmasson.

Jon Palmasson Born January 1, 1864 Died January, 1946 Emigrated from Iceland in 1887
Married August 18, 1884 Arrived in Keewatin 1889
Ingibjorg ? Born June 25, 1863 Died 1936 Emigrated from Iceland in 1887

Jon was a farmer in Sunnyside, an area a mile or two north of Keewatin. Later, Sunnyside developed and is a residential area. In 1936 when his wife died he moved to town and lived in the little house on the corner. When he died at 83 years he had lived in Keewatin for some 55+ years. Jon and Ingibjorg had one son who died in infancy and they adopted a boy, Hannes. Hannes was born in Iceland and later made his home in Winnipeg. In the 1901 census he is listed as 14 years old. Born about 1887. Both Jon and Ingibjorg are buried in Kenora.

Gudjon Hermanson Born August, 1864 Died 1938 Emigrated from Iceland in 1904
Married 1886
Magdalene Sigurdsdottir Born May, 1863 Died ???? Emigrated from Iceland in 1904

Opposite the home of Jon Palmasson lived the Hermanson family.

Gudjon and Magdalene immigrated with three children: Sigridur Jonina (Sarah) 12 Svein and Magdal, 11 and 10. The two boys were called Steve and Mack. Both entered the service in WW1. There was one daughter born in Canada– Groa (Conlon) who died in 1939. She has one son (Ken) in London, Ont. Sarah married and lived at the bottom of the “hill”. (below)

Mack was killed at Ypres, France in a gas attack at the age of 20. He was the first Icelandic enlistee in Canada to make the supreme sacrifice. There is a room in the Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg named for him. Steve made his home in Detroit, Michigan.

Sigridur Jonina Sarah (Hermanson) Christianson Born 1892 Died 1980.
Married 1914
Julius Christianson Born in Norway 1891 Died ????

Sarah was an active participant in town affairs over her long life. Julius was a railroad worker in several positions for the C.P.R.until retirement. The four daughters of the family were Bertha, Magdelene(Henry Deverall) Julie (Luke Francis) and Daphne (Bert Husband) Their son Siggi married (Jean) and lived in Keewatin.

Julie is the last surviving member of the family.

Sigmundur (Mundi, Simbi) BjornsonBorn about 1889 Emigrated from Iceland in 1905 at 16 years
Married 1923
Petrina Gudmunson

On the other side of town, closer to HWY.17 and the Lake of the Woods, lived another Icelandic family.

In her 90's when she died, Petra had several sons. Matti, Svavar and Louis were three of them.

Karl Johan Malmquist Born about 1872 Emigrated from Iceland 1914
Arrived in Keewatin 1916.
Halldora Jonsdottir Born about 1860
Fridrika Fridriksdottir Born about 1846 (Mother of Karl)

On the road across the black bridge there was a pathway into the dwellings on the river of the Magnussons . Further down this road one could locate the farm of Karl Malmquist.

Karl was known as Carl or Culli. (sp.?) They had one son Thorir. Carl enjoyed the farm and came into town with milk etc. Thor was a helpful young man to Solveig Palmason when she was alone in her home.

Isfeldt Wolfe came to Keewatin about 1912, and was a WW2 veteran. His mother came to Keewatin with him, but there is no information about her.