Halla Jónsdóttir with two of her grandchildren Photo FAtV
Jóhannes Jónasson was born in Dalasýsla August 2, 1854. Died February 5, 1904 in New Iceland.
Spouse: March 24, 1879. Halla Jónsdóttir b. in Mýrasýsla in 1859, d. December 16, 1929 in Víðir Settlement.
Children: 1. Ólafur b. November 6, 1878, d. November 26, 1944 2. Þuríður b. 1880. Died in infancy 3. Guðný b. April 1, 1883, d. August 27, 1914 4. Þuríður (Thura) b. May 20, 1885, d. 1962 5. Kristín (Stina) b. May 30, 1887, d. November 16, 1947 6. Jónas b. October 5, 1888, d. October 14, 1959 7. Ásgerður (Ása) b. February 27, 1891, d. December 2, 1934 8. Hermann b. July 13, 1893, d. October 17, 1969 9. Einar b. April 9, 1896. 10. Hjörtur b. September 21, 1898, d. 1963 11. Guðrún (Rúna) b. March 19, 1901, d. March 26, 1982 12. Ingigerður (Inga) b. December 30, 1903. First born, girl, died in infancy.
Jóhannes emigrated west to New Iceland in Canada in 1876 along with his mother, Guðný Einarsdóttir, and his young sister, Jóna. Young Halla Jónsdóttir, Jóhannes’ wife-to-be was also in that group. They spent the first winter in the Arnes Settlement but a year later Jóhannes moved onto his own land in the area. Just married, Jóhannes and Halla moved to Mikley but floods in Lake Winnipeg forced them off their land two years later so they moved to the Icelandic River Settlement. Life was hard so the young couple decided to try their luck in Winnipeg, but in 1885 they were back in the Icelandic River Settlement where they lived for many years. After Jóhannes’ passing, Halla stayed on the land nine more years after which she moved to the Víðir Settlement where her sons had homesteaded.