Hans Vilhelm Pálsson was born in Eyjafjarðarsýsla on August 14, 1857. He died in Regina, Saskatchewan on April 25, 1935. He took the name W. H. Paulson in Canada.
Spouse: 1) Þóra Jónsdóttir b. 1860 in Skagafjarðarsýslu 2) Jónína Margrét Nikulásdóttir b. February 14, 1862, d. April 2, 1894 3) 1897 Anna Nikulásdóttir b. 1874, Jónína Margrét’s sister.
Children: With Jónína: 1. Þóra 2. Margrét 3. Hilda. With Anna: 1. Jónína Nikólína 2. Pauline May b. April 7, 1907.
Hans emigrated west to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1883. He settled there and worked various jobs while concentrating on studying English. He was employed by the Government of Canada from 1890 and, from 1896 to 1905, he worked on immigration issues, especially those related to the settlement of the Canadian plains in western Canada. He played an important role in the planning of the Icelandic settlement in Saskatchewan. He turned to politics and ran for office in Manitoba in 1910, but lost the election. He soon moved to Vatnabyggð (Lakes Settlement) in Saskatchewan, where he won over the Wynyard constituency in the 1912 election. He devoted himself to politics in the province until 1934.