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Gudrun Tomasdottir and Bodvar  Johnson

This description of the lives of two Icelandic members of the Big Point settlement draws upon information from several sources, including their obituaries, written in Icelandic by J. J. Bildfell and later translated, and a short story written in 1986 by their niece, Margaret (Olafsson) Cantelon.   In addition, my cousin Haraldine (Magnusson) Webb has provided information and direction.

--- Dr. Allan Michael Johnson, Aylmer, Quebec

My grandparents, Böđvar and Guđrun Jónsson (Johnson) moved from the Thingvalla (near Churchbridge, SK) area to the Wild Oak Icelandic settlement (now Big Point) in 1896, where they took a homestead quarter (Pioneer's Rights) and bought three additional quarter sections.   Guđrun was 32 years old.   Böđvar was 27.

Böđvar was born in Auđsholti in Ölfusi in Árnessýsla in Iceland, on May 23 1869.  His parents were Jón Saemundsson, a farmer in Búrfelli, Grimsnesi, and his mother was Ingibjorg Böđvarsdöttir from Reyđarvatni at Rangávöllum.   Böđvar lived with his parents on a prosperous farm in Auđsholti, until his father was lost at sea in 1883, in one of the worst storms of the century.   Ingibjorg moved to Canada with her parents and four of her children in 1886.   Magnus, the oldest son was left in Burfelli (Iceland) with Jón Saemundsson's brother.  

Ingibjorg went directly to Thingvalla, where she and her son, Böđvar, homesteaded.  They built a house and barn and started breaking the land.   They had little money, as was the case for most settlers.    To supplement their income, Böđvar worked on the railroad, then being built from Portage la Prairie west -- the "Manitoba Northwestern Railroad" (CPR).

After farming at Thingvalla for five years, Böđvar sold his farm and house -- for one horse, according to Helgi Arnason, his neighbour -- and moved to Vatndalsbygđarinnar, where he lived for two years, before moving with his wife, Guđrun, to Big Point.

Guđrún was born in Littlamóti in Flóa in Árnessýsla in Iceland on September 26 1864.  Her parents, Tómás Ingimundarson and Guđrún Eyólfsdöttir, lived first at Littlamóti and later moved to Egilsstöđum in Ölfusi in Árnessýsla.

In 1886, Guđrún moved to Canada with her parents and siblings (Jóni, Eyólfi, Bjarni, Guđfinnu, Ragnheiđi, Katrinu, and Guđrún, the younger).  Her parents obtained land at Thingvalla, but Guđrún remained in Winnipeg with her sisters where she worked as a maid for a few years, as did many young Icelandic girls when they first arrived in this country.

In 1890, Guđrún married (in Winnipeg) Jónasi Jónssyni from Árhrauni at Skeiđum, Iceland.   They had one child, Ingibjorg, whom they lost in her first year of life.   Two years later she lost a second child, Jónas, in infancy.   Her husband died that same year, 1893, and Guđrún moved to Thingvalla to be with the rest of her family, where Guđrun and Böđvar were "married" by her father.   In 1896, when a minister finally arrived, they were "formally married", before moving to the Big Point Icelandic settlement.

Margaret (Olafsson) Cantelon, a niece who was raised in his home after her own parents died, described Böđvar as "… tall and powerful with reddish brown hair, flecked with grey.  His face was round and florid, adorned with a bright mustache.  He was big and blustering and with his presence any room in the house appeared to diminish. … I remember his kindness, his roughness, his understanding, his sensitivity, his silences, his garrulous boasting, his courage … I have met many successful people, but the most unforgettable person I have ever met was my Uncle Bodvar."    All of his grandchildren experienced this direct gruffness and at the same time his lovable compassion for those around him.   He often took a cow or horse out of the stable and sent it to someone in need.

One day when my brothers and I were aged 9-11, our Grandpa arrived at our farm on horseback, leading a second horse.   He announced that this was Fern and that she was to be shared by the three of us.  We were to care for her and use her for our own transportation.   For example for going to Big Point School.   We loved Fern and we kept her until she died of old age.   On another occasion, our Grandpa had heard that a 4H Calf Club was to be established in Langruth.   This time he arrived by horse and buggy.   He visited for a while and then told us that he wanted us to visit him on Saturday.  On Saturday, we went over to the Johnson Homestead and our Grandpa took us out into the pasture, where he had a huge herd of cattle.   He told us that we could each have our pick of any calf from the herd, so that we could become members of the 4H Calf Club.   We took our calves home and spent the year feeding them, training them, grooming them and loving them, all under the careful and professional guidance of our 4H leaders, Fred Jonasson and Arni Johanson.  In the spring, the 4H Club held its first ever show in Langruth (1948) and the Johnson boys proudly demonstrated their "pets" for the judges.   My brother, Roland Bodvar Johnson, won Grand Champion of the 4H show that year with the calf that Grandpa had given him.  A proud day for the Johnson family!   Then, sadly, the calves were taken off to market.  I'm not sure that we really understood until they were gone what the end result of this 4H business would be.  If we weren't crying, we certainly felt like it.

I had the good fortune to live full time at my Uncle Archie's (Johnson Homestead), during the last year of my grandfather's life.   It was a great experience.   Other grandchildren visited often, particularly my cousin Bodvar (Buddy).   Grandpa loved to spend time with us, although I must admit we didn't fully appreciate this at the time.   For example, Uncle Archie would send Buddy and me for a load of hay and our Grandpa would come along.  As we loaded the hayrack, he would tell us where to put each forkful and we, being teenagers, would laugh.   They were great times.  He also spent a lot of time telling us stories of the old days, when he had immigrated to Canada, but again I must admit he didn't have our full attention.    If only we could run it by again!

"Böđvar was a man of direct action who participated fully in community life.  He played a major role in establishing the church in Langruth and was its President for many years.   He established a farmer's school in Langruth and remained on its board for a long time.   He was a booster for the community and loved to see it prosper.   He supported the drive to build the Community Hall, not only with his leadership, but also with money.  He was also a member of that board for many years."    (J.J.Bildfell, 1951)

"Gudrun was a small, pretty woman with dark hair and dark brown eyes."( Dorothy Koss ).

"She ran a tight ship and was very well organized" (Eleanor Sigurdson)   

Her daughter - in -law, Svienna Johnson, described her as being the kindest person that ever lived. 

" Nothing was too good for his (Böđvar's) wife, our grandmother.   He adored her and she was his queen."(Dorothy Koss)

"This big rough man never raised his voice to her, and often he would sit beside her at the spinning wheel with his big hands delicately sorting the wool for two-ply yarn." (Margaret Cantelon)

Guđrun and Böđvar had eight children (Jonas Kristian, Tómás Gudmundur, Haraldur Allan, Ingibjorg Guđrun, Kristin Vilhermina, Jónína Sigurrös, Mabel and  Archibald Magnus).  Haraldur Allan (my father) died at age 34, as the result of an accident in a grain mill at the Federal Grain Elevator in Langruth, where he was working for the summer.   Mabel died as a child in 1907.    All the other siblings have passed on, the last being my Uncle Archie (Archibald Magnus) who died in October 2000 at the age of 91.   He and his wife, Sviena, had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in July 2000.

Guđrun and Böđvar have left 20 grandchildren, most of whom are still living, in Langruth and across Canada and the United States.   These grandchildren, in turn have produced many great-grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren.  We are all very proud to have descended from this hearty and loving pair of Icelandic immigrants.   Our heritage is rich indeed!