Re: Sigridur Erlendsdottir b. 12 March 1853 in Reykjavik.
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In reply to:
Re: Sigridur Erlendsdottir b. 12 March 1853 in Reykjavik.
maggie shepherd 9/19/06
Hi Maggie,Yes, my Vigfus was married to Oddbjorg Saemundsdottir in Stokkseyri, Arnessysla, Iceland on 28 Nov 1885. He adopted my Father Erlendur Otteson. He took the name Erlendson after he was adopted. After emigrating to Canada, Vigfus moved to Winnipeg. His two children were born in Canada. They were Albert b. 31 Dec 1889 in Winnipeg, d. in Blaine, Wash. and Halldora b. 1894 in Winnipeg.
Vigfus's sister Halldora, emigrated to Canada in 1891 with my father Erlendur and stayed with Vigfus. Halldora remarried in 1892 but died in 1899 when Erlendur was about 10. He was adopted by Vigfus at that time.Vigfus moved his family to Point Roberts, Wash. after 1901. At that time several Icelandic families were living there. The 1910 Census for Point Roberts shows Vigfus, Oddbjorg, Albert, Halldora and Erlendur living together. From there they moved to Vancouver, B.C. for a brief period before moving to Hunter Island in about 1913-1915. Vigfus had been granted a pre-emption ( homestead)on the Island. Hunter Island is a large Island ( 334 sq km) off the mid B.C. coast. It is 500 km north of Vancouver and 350 km south of Alaska. They get about 10 - 14 feet of rain a year.The lots were about 140 acres and fronted on the Lama Passage. The Island was a wilderness with thin soil and all the cattle died of TB. By the mid 1920's most of the homesteaders had left as probably did Vigfus and his family. I have no information on where he went but I would guess that it was to Washington state. I know that halldora and Albert went there. My father married a neighbor on the Island, Guthrun (Frid)Leifson the daughter of John (Frid)Leifson, and moved to Ocean Falls where I was born.
I would be interested in learning about your connection to Vigfus. I have a lot of data on Vigfus's siblings and their families if you are interested.
All the best, Harold Erlendson
e mail [email protected]