Jón Kristinsson Photo: AOTh
Jón Kristinsson was born on August 26, 1873. He died in the Garðar settlement in 1957. He was usually known as J. K. Olafson in the west.
Spouse: November 15, 1914 Kristín Hermannsdóttir b. February 5, 1877 in Raufarhöfn in N. Þingeyjarsýsla
Children: 1. Jón Hermann b. November 4, 1916 2. Brandur Theodore b. June 20, d. December 20, 1940 in an air accident in Grand Forks 3. Marino Magnús b, October 23, 1920, d. April 24, 2015.
Jon was born on a train on the way from Quebec to Milwaukee. There is no evidence of whether he was born in Canada or the United States. He lived with his parents in Dane County, Wisconsin and Lyon County, Minnesota in 1876-1880. He moved from there with them to the Garðar settlement in N. Dakota and later took over their land in the settlement. He was elected to the local council in 1908 and served on it continuously for eight years. He was later elected to Congress in N. Dakota and held a seat in the state legislature for 12 years, longer than any other Icelander.