Jóhannes Hannesson was born on December 4, 1858 in Skagafjarðarsýsla. He died on September 3, 1947 in Winnipeg.
Spouse: August 3, 1885 Jónína Ásmundsdóttir b. 1864 in N. Múlasýsla, d. September 22, 1948 in Winnipeg.
Children: 1. Sigurbjörg Louise b. 1886 2. Kristín Laufey b. 1888 3. Grace Theodora b. 1894 4. E. Anne b. 1898 5. Hugh Lawrence b. August 14, 1906.
Jóhannes’ parents were Hannes Halldórsson and Sigurlaug Þorsteinsdóttir in Hólasókn in Skagafjarðarsýsla. Jónína was the daughter of Ásmundur Þorsteinsson and Bergþóra Jónsdóttir, settlers in Manitoba in 1876. He came west with his widowed mother, Sigurlaug Þorsteinsdóttir, and his sister Sigríður in 1883. Three of his siblings had come west in 1876. In 1887, Jóhannes opened a store in Gimli in partnership with his older brother, Hannes. Jónína and Jóhannes lived there all their lives, except for their last years in Winnipeg.