Sveinbjörn Jónsson Photo: SÍND
Sveinbjörn Jónsson grew up in the small Icelandic settlement of Akra, North Dakota. He enrolled at the University of Grand Forks and graduated with a B.A. degree in 1906, M.A. degree in 1907 and a doctorate in Law in 1908. He pursued further law studies at the University of Madison Law School in Wisconsin, returned to N. Dakota and opened a law practice in Cavalier in 1911. He moved from there to Grand Forks in 1913 and opened a law office there but also taught politics and law at the university in the city. He was elected Attorney General of North Dakota in 1821 and held that office for a year, was then elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and held that position for several years. He resigned on September 1, 1926 and became professor of law at Illinois State University. He held that office until 1944, when he opened a law office in Chicago, where he worked until his death.
In “Saga Íslendinga í N. Dakota”, published in 1926, author Þórstína Þorleifsdóttir says of Sveinbjörn: “He was quiet, a little shy, but he excelled in the elementary school. Later, he went to the University of Grand Forks, and soon there were reports of the excellent reputation he had, not only in his studies, but also in his writing and on the podium. Sometime before Sveinbjörn became Chief Justice, there were a lot of riots by the workers (Industrial Workers of the World L.W.W.) in North Dakota. People’s property was often damaged because of these riots. Sveinbjörn made it his principal work to oppose this kind of violation of the rights of individuals, and he wrote long and detailed articles on that issue, which attracted a lot of attention both far and near. In whatever job Sveinbjörn is involved in, he shows judgment, diligence and justice, which inspires trust and confidence in everyone who interacts with him.”
English version by Thor group.