Kristján Skarphéðinsson Photo: VÍÆ IV
Kristján Skarphéðinsson was born in Borgarfjarðarsýsla on September 5, 1886. He died in Selkirk, Manitoba on February 11, 1947. He had the name Kristján S Pálsson in the west.
Spouse: September 1, 1908 Ósk Ingibjörg Klemensdóttir b. September 10, 1885 in Iceland, d. in Manitoba on December 18, 1961. She was known as Ingibjörg Pálsson in the west.
Children: 1. Ingibjörg b. July 10, 1910 2. Pálína b. May 6, 1912 3. Kristján 4. Alive Aðalheiður 5. Margaret, all born in Selkirk, Manitoba.
Kristján came west to Winnipeg in 1897 with his mother Sigurbjörg Helgadóttir. His half-brother, the poet Páll S Pálsson, came west to accompany the musician Jónas Pálsson in 1900. Páll immediately took Jónas’s last name because it was clear to everyone that the name Skarphéðinn would not go well with English speakers. Kristján followed Páll’s advice. He lived with his mother in Winnipeg until 1908, then moved to Selkirk where he lived after that. He worked in iron smelting, his last years at Selkirk Rolling Mills. Ósk Ingibjörg was the daughter of Klemens G Jónasson and Ósk Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir and moved west with them in 1886.