Oddný Magnúsdóttir from the Westmann Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) was, together with her husband, Eiríkur Bjarnason, a pioneer settler in Canada. She was a midwife, had studied in Denmark and worked in North Múlasýsla until the couple moved west to Canada. They spent some time in Manitoba, but then moved to the Þingvalla settlement in Saskatchewan. There they broke land and built a home like other pioneers. Soon, Oddný began to do her work and went to many places under extremely primitive conditions to visit Icelandic women in various parts of the district. In 1949, she was remembered on the pages of the Almanak:
“Oddný Magnúsdóttir Bjarnason
Midwife
By Séra Sigurð S. Christóphersson
It is not the purpose of these lines to review the career of this woman; it has been done by Björn Þorbergsson well and clearly (Lögberg, June 16, 1932); the other, however, is the purpose of uncovering several things in Oddný’s life, which could lead to a clearer picture of her personality and ways of proceeding. Oddný’s husband was Eiríkur Bjarnason, born in East Skaftafellssýsla. Eiríkur was well-bred with an outward perspective, a brave man for all jobs. He had sailed around countries and continents, and knew a lot. He did not boast much about himself and did not trumpet his own virtues, but his chest was warm, whole and firm: he was therefore a little annoyed to see men pushed aside or diminished in the campaign of life; would lend a helping hand to those who seemed to be struggling.
Oddný was born in Vestmannaeyjar in 1855. She went to Denmark when she was still young, and she studied midwifery there and worked there for a while. There she married Eiríkur, and they moved to Iceland. There she carried out her practice in Seyðisfjörður for a while. They headed west across the ocean in 1888 and settled in the Þingvalla settlement in Saskatchewan, which was then in the settlement period. Soon Eirík and Oddný’s home greatly improved and became one of the main homes in the settlement. Oddný immediately took up her duties; births increased year by year; doctors were nowhere near, so she was sought to cure smallpox and many other types of disease; I thought it worked out great.
In those years, there were almost no roads, and people’s means of transport were so poor and all equipment was so poor that it would hardly be considered useful nowadays. Those of us who now rush in decent vehicles along smooth roads, rarely remember those who were happy to keep their “ox path” through countless dangers and obstacles, people set out before the day to get firewood and kindling, in order to reach home in the evening. It was the fate of Oddný to be subjected to all these inconveniences, and to seek to support and relief by participating in the miserable conditions of the settlers; after all, there was a shortage in many households, but Oddný had the luck and economy to survive with what was available, so that everyone did well and appropriately. It probably means that there was not much money; Oddný did not worry, even though the riches were unequal; it concerned the most, being able to assist and sympathize. It will be true in the near future that few of those who are now alive will be able to understand the human trials that Oddný had to go through, but her will and endurance were unwavering, the weather was uneven and harsh but did not hinder her travels; it was never mentioned that she refused to go, even though the weather was nearly impossible. Midwifery by Oddný increased evenly and steadily, it was sought not only by Icelanders but also by many people of other ethnic groups from far and near. Births by Oddný were so frequent that she was away from her home for hours because she went from one place to another before she could get home. Eiríkur was never heard to speak a disparaging word, even though he had to look after the farm and children in his wife’s absence; it goes without saying that much was left undone at home during her absence. At the age of twenty-two, Oddný begins to work, her tenure must have been a full fifty years or something more. In a report written by herself, it is mentioned that she was a midwife to 840 children, of which 611 are Icelandic, and the rest belong to various ethnic groups. No other cases of disease are specified when she was researched. It would be interesting to know about that. Oddný was a midwife by God’s grace; she was everyone’s friend and trusted by everyone.
Oddný was elegant in appearance and she walked every day in unadorned, but high-quality clothing. She didn’t show off much, but her tact was the fruit of a good mind, a lot of life experience, and of socializing with refined and cultured people. She remembered her time in Copenhagen and meeting Jón Sigurðsson with great admiration; she created a gorgeous and clear picture of those days. She had a great compassion for the plight of others, and a sensitive feeling for the good and the generous. The dearest hope in her breast was founded on the truths of the Christian faith; after all, she became a great support to the church and congregation and won their hearts. She was the driving force behind the women’s group of the Konkordia congregation, her suggestions creating an overall impact. She was the president of the women’s association for a long time and its honorary president until the end of her life. The women’s association formed a meeting in April for the benefit of the congregation; Oddný was there with advice and admiration.
On the third day after that, she had a journey on foot, but she did not feel well, so she laid down again, and died that day. The heart that had long given life, relief and blessing to others, was exhausted, and could not continue any longer. The noble and glorious career was over. I would like to dedicate Matthias’s words to her:
”Gangið að leiði göfugrar konu,
Hreinnar, hógværrar, hné beygjandi.
Liggur hér liðin laukur kvenna,
signuð Guðs lilja ljúf í dauða”
People wanted to show Oddný many signs of respect and kindness while she was struggling with her health. She was still young in spirit and kept her strength of spirit to the end: it is not possible to think of her as a woman suffering in the end. That’s how her memory is with everyone who knew her. Women in Lögberg and the Þingvalla settlements collected money and bought a baptismal font, which they gave to Konkordia Church in memory of Oddný and her work. This baptistery is the most magnificent work of art made of shadowed marble; does not avoid the fact that this treasure increases the glory of the house, which represents the throne of God’s glory, and that it therefore attracts goodwill among the congregation members.”
English version by Thor group.