Björn Gislason Photo Well Connected
Björn Gíslason was born on Sept. 3, 1826 at Breidavad, Eidasokn, S. Mulasysla. He died on Aug. 12, 1906 in Westerheim Township, Lyon Co., Minnesota.
Spouse: 1) Oct. 2, 1849 Olof Eyjolfsdottir, b. 1825 at Breidavad; d. c1857 at Vesterhus, Jokuldal in Iceland. 2) July 12, 1861 Sigurbjorg Jonsdottir of Grimsstadir, S. Mulasysla. She was b. Dec. 9, 1837; d. Feb. 15, 1864 3) Sept. 24, 1863 Adalbjorg Jonsdottir, b. April, 1838.
Children: With Olof: 1. Eyjolfur b. July 21, 1851, 2. Kristin b. May, 1855. With Sigurbjorg: 1. Sigurbjorg b. 1860; d. infancy, 2. Gudrun b. March 19, 1862; d. Feb. 23, 1870. With Adalbjorg: (all took the last name Gislason) 1. Sigurbjorn Olafur Bjornsson Gislason b. July 16, 1864 d. Nov. 2, 1864 Grimsstadir, 2. Jon Bjornsson Gislason b. Oct. 13, 1865, d. young 3. Olof (Olive) Sigurbjorg Bjornsdottir Gislason b. Feb. 15, 1868 Grimsstadir, d. 1919 unmarried 4. Thorvaldur (Walter) Bjornsson Gislason b. Oct. 16, 1869/70 5. Jon Bjornsson (J. B.) Gislason b. Dec. 6, 1871 Hauksstadir, Vopnafjordur, 6. Bjorn Bjornsson (B. B.) Gislason b. May 29, 1873 Hauksstadir, 7. Halldor Gislason (H. B.) b. Aug. 1875 Hauksstadir 8. Arni Bjornsson Gislason b. Aug. 8, 1877 9. Petur Bjornsson Gislason b. 1879. Björn had a daughter Ingibjorg (Emma) Bjornsdottir b. Sept. 23, 1873 with Sigridur Sigfusdottir, b. Sept. 21, 1837.
He was known as “A generous farmer”. He became a prominent figure in husbandry in Iceland and was bestowed with the Cross of the Order of Dannebrog in 1874, by the King of Denmark. Bjorn immigrated with his family to Minnesota in 1879. They settled in Westerheim Township near Minneota, Minnesota, and bought the farm ‘Storholl’ (Big Hill) from Eirikur Hjalmarsson Bergmann.