In the 19th century, three annual assemblies were permanent items on every farmer´s calendar. Iceland was divided into 23 counties called sýslur (sing. sýsla). In each county were several townships or hreppar (sing. hreppur). The sheriff (sýslumaður) of a sýsla appointed a sheriff (hreppstjóri) for each hreppur.
The Sheriff in each township managed the spring and the autumn assemblies. In the spring farmers accounted for their property, buildings, as well as the number of livestock, but in the fall taxes for each farmer were determined and housing was arranged for poor seniors and children.
This last part was, in a way, similar to an auction. A child for whom parents could not care for and a senior unable to feed himself or herself were introduced and farmers would make a bid, i.e. offer to care for the child or senior in his home. The lowest bid was normally accepted, as the payment to the farmer came from a fund established by the farmers themselves – saving costs mattered much.
The third annual assembly was managed by sýslumaður, the County Sheriff. This was to collect taxes for the State Treasury and the annual census was taken.
The above is based on research by the Icelandic Historian Jón Hjaltason and his article “Þrjú þing”. English version by Thor group