Icelanders in Utah

ICELANDERS IN UTAH By E. H. Johnson A Contribution to the History of the Icelandic Pioneers of the West (From the Icelandic by J. M. Sjodahl) \ Translator's Note: It is seventy years, this year, since the first Icelanders, Samuel Bjarnason, his wife Margret Gisladottir, and another lady, Helga, who later was married to Thord Didriksson, came as immigrants to Utah. It is. therefore, thought timely to recall that incident of the history of our Church and State, and an effort has been made to tell the story as nearly as can be done in a translation, in the words of an Icelandic chronicler, himself. To the entire world of letters, and particularly to the Anglo-Saxon and Teutonic-Scandinavian families of nations, Iceland is one of the most in- teresting spots on the earth. The island was settled by liberty-loving men and women, who took up their victorious battle for independence at a time when darkness covered the earth. There poets and writers were born. There scholars, explorers and colonists saw the light of day. To these Icelanders the world owes a great deal of its knowledge concerning the history of Europe, and many languages, including the English, are, as it were, constructed upon the old Icelandic as upon one of the main foundation stones. The Icelanders in Utah have been doing fairly well. They are few, but good citizens, and their children are coming to the front in educational and other activities of the State. — J. M. S.] Settlement stories often begin by the writer first exhibiting the habits of the country where the story originates. This is especially necessary when the question is of settlement in deserts where nobody has taken up his homestead before the story begins . The sagas or little stories, which here follow, are somewhat of an exception, for it is not a fact that Utah was without settlers every- where even before the first Icelanders came here. Utah was. as is known, scantily settled, that is to say by white men, for it was in the year 1847 that companies of white men, under the leadership of Brigham Young, came and established themselves. Utah was already then inhabited by Indians, and they considered the land their property and they opposed colonization by those white men ("pale faces," as they called them), and were, till about 1860, very* warlike in their strongholds. But* now it is over sixty years since Utah was first settled, and the report is known among all people, and thus I need not for the sake of those who read this almanak repeat the story in these chapters. The Icelandic story begins in, the early years of the Territory of Utah, and that is why it sometimes goes into the realm of sagas, and particularly so regarding their deeds in the conflicts with Indians and *The 'Almanak" in which the article appeared wis published in 1915.

724 IMPROVEMENT ERA in the part they took, in breaking up and making a beautiful and flourishing country out of a desert. The beginning of our story here is, then, that about the year 1850. T1851] there were two Icelanders in Copenhagen, to learn a trade. Their names- were Thorarinn Haflidason and Gudmund Gud- mundson. Both had their home in the Vestmannaey, and were, in all probability, born there, or in the Landey. Which is the more correct, I do not know, but it is sure that they were in Copenhagen about this time and received there that faith which is called "Mormonism," and for which Utah now-a-days is most famous. Nor do I know how long these men remained in Copenhagen, but Magnus Bjarnason (who is mentioned hereafter) mentions them in his biography and says that it was about this time, and that Thorarinn was the first Icelander to accept the Mormon -faith, wherefore he is correctly called the father of those among the Icelanders1 who have that faith. This happened, Magnus, says, in the year 1851. Gudmund Gudmundson, a gold- smith, and Thorarinn's companion, who afterwards moved to Utah, was the next one, and they made themselves ready to go home to their native place, and there they offered the new faith to their friends and relatives in the island. This, at first, was uphill work, but by and by there was a change and the countrymen began to move to Utah. Two or three prominent men on the island at once accepted this faith, and from this flock came the men who were the first Icelanders to move to Utah. Thorarinn, who has been mentioned previously, was drowned near the Vestmannaey in 1852, and is, therefore out of the story. But Gudmund, his companion, continued preaching the gospel to- gether with a Danishman, who came to the island about this time and remained there for a while. It was in the yea;r 1855 that the first Icelanders emigrated to Utah. He who arranged for the journey was Samuel [Bjarnason] who had his last home in Kirkjubae i the Vestmannaey. His father was Bjarni Jonsson who for some time was a farmer in Kviholum, near Eyjafjoellum. But the wife of Samuel was Margret Gisladottir, (daughter) of a farmer in Gordum in the Vestmannaey. the son of Andresson i Graenuborg i Fljotshlid. Samuel, Margret, his wife, and another lady, whose name was Helga, and who later became the wife of Thord Didriksson, were the first Icelanders, who came to Utah. That was in the spring of 1856. Samuel took up land, 160 acres, or even more, and had here their home for thirty-four years. He died in 1 890; but his widow is still alive, and is now 88 years of age.* The same year, or 1856. Thord Didriksson came out and settled in Spanish Fork. Thord was the brother of Arne in Stak- kargerdi, Vestmannaey, whom many know, but son of Didrik, a farmer *The "Almanak" was published in 1915.

ICELANDERS IN UTAH 725 in Holmin in Eastern Landey; his ancestors being Jonsson from Oenun- darstoed, Didriksson in Midey, Bjarnason in Oenundarstoed, Gislason in Skumstoed, Bardarson, a lawyer in Vatnsdal, Didriksson, Thor- steinsson, Jonsson, a priest who was slain by Turks in the Vestmannaey in 1627; Eiriksson, a pastor in Skalholt in 1520, then in Gilsbakka in 1527, and lastly in Reykholt in 1547-1563; Jonsson.* The wife of Thord was Helga, she who is mentioned here before, daughter of Jons Halfdanarson, farmer i Klasbarda in the Ut-Landey in Rangarvallasyslu. Thord took up land and had a good home for nearly forty years. He was clever, and a poet of the better kind, likewise a good worker, very attractive in appearance and beloved as long as he lived. This couple has now both been dead for some years. This same year, Gudmund Gudmundson, the goldsmith, probably arrived in Utah. He settled in a, town that is called Lehi, and there he resided as long as he lived. He had a Danish wife, and they had three sons, who, however, had little or nothing in common with the Icelanders. In the year 1857, Loftur Jonsson came here. The father of Jon was Arnason, born on the Landey. Loft took up land here, and was considered one of the best farmers as long as he lived. His first wife was Gudrun Halldorsdottir, the widow of Jon Oddsson, a farmer in Thorlangargerdi in the Vestmannaey, who was drowned near the islands about the year 1834. Gudrun was born at Skeidun. His last wife was Haldora, daughter of Arna, a farmer in Undirhrauni in Medal- land, son of Arngrim in Hrounbae in Alftaveri, son of Arnsson, manager of a poor-district, (hreppstjora) Botnum, in Medelland. Loft was a most honorable man. and the best workman in both wood and iron. He died of an accident in Spanish Fork, in 1874. The same year, Jon Jonsson, (son of) Oddsson from Thor- langargerdi in the Vestmannaey, came here. He was a stepson of Loft and therefore accompanied him. Jon took up land here and has since lived here and done well, so far. His wife was Anna Gudlaugs- dottir, from Ketilstoedum in Myrdal, son of Eyjolf in Mortungu, son of Thorarin in Seljaland, east of Sidu. Jon and Anna are yet alive, he 77 and she 75 years of age. Further, in company with Loft was Magnus Bjarnason, born August 3, 1815, and dead in 1904, 89 years of age. He was a son of "Prestmaga Bjarna," who got that name because, in his younger days he had children with two daughters of clergymen. This was before he married the mother of Magnus. The wife of Magnus was Thurid, daughter of Magnus, a farmer in Brekku, in the Landey She died Feb. 1, 1891. Magnus took up land, and his dwelling was **Genealogy of Thord Didriksson, after B. Gudmundsson i Sudurnes- jum, written 18 76. — E H. J.

726 IMPROVEMENT ERA planned on a small scale. He was a most honest and honorable man. With Loft came also Vigdis Bjarnsdottir, daughter of Bjarna, farmer in Landi, son of Gislarson, born in the Landey. This Vidgis did not come to Spanish Fork before 1859. She was married in 1860 to a widower, whose name wa9 Holt, and lived with him in prosperity for thirty years. She has* been, and is yet, when this is being written, keeping house here in the city, although she is now 87 years of age and has been a widow for twenty-two years. I have her here in the pioneer story, first because she came here with the first, and secondly because she has been among us, as the wife of Unnar the Deepey or Oloef the Rich, that is to say, a most excellent and honor- able lady. She was the midwife in the city and vicinity for many years, and was successful. She also practiced as a doctor and healed many, particularly when people in these parts lived by stock-raising, and doctors were not as plentiful as they are now. Mrs. Holt is now (1911) very weak, having lost her eyesight and hearing, and is there- fore very decrepit. Now I have enumerated all those who came here before 1860, and therefore may properly be called pioneers, and thus this part of our story ends. FLOWERS AND EULOGIES By H. M. Monson Flowers and eulogies! I did not have the pleasure of his ac- quaintance in life, but what I see and hear leave no room for doubting his worthiness. His integrity was monumental. The honesty and high purpose of his life were unquestionable. No stain of dishonor — no fault! This final page of his book of life shows no sign of anything but a perfect record throughout. Was it a perfect life that; has just come to so glorious a dose? Had he no fault — no failing? Ah, yes, for else he were not human. But why remember his faults now? Aye, why have they ever been remembered. Was he loved and honored and eulogized in life as he fa now in death? Did the perfume of flowers make life's incense sweet? How grand and beautiful if this were true! The approval of friends must have given him courage to live through the world's bitter strife. His senses must have brought sweet messages of love to his soul, excluding the ugly and odious. Alas, that those senses cannot now receive the wealth of sweetness and love that is here offered! But it is too late. Flowers and eulogies are wasted now, for his record of life is done. He had his faults as we all have our faults. No doubt they oppressed him and caused him deep sorrow. He struggled against the evil influences of the world, but who knew of that struggle or of its

FLOWERS AND EULOGIES 72 7 •extent? Did anyone come to him with encouragement and comforting words then? Was the stench of evil driven from his nostrils by the sweet fragrance of the flowers of love? Or did he who saw the fault add force to its crushing power by bitter criticism and condemnation? O the tragedy of the struggling soul! Who can know its secret? The time for flowers and eulogies is while man lives. They are wasted when he is dead. How eager to do the last touch of kindness now! We handle the cold, lifeless and unfeeling clay reverently and tenderly, scarcely breathing or moving a muscle that would offend if that clay were alive — not leaving the slightest act undone that would add to the comfort of the departed one. Was it always so in life? Were his wishes and comforts so tenderly considered then? The sting of unkind words and of disobedient acts could be felt then. The sweetest tenderness is useless now. Some would say that, being a man, he should be brave in attack- ing life's problems — that he should learn to stand alone — to live without sympathy. Yes, that is the way we usually look at it. And men go on, too proud and too brave to complain under the galling and "hardening influence of a cold and unappreciative world. We have con- demned man for his hardness and it is we that have made him hard. The few poor virtues which we remember so tenderly now, exalt liim to a throne. But who knows of his struggles that have failed? If he is entitled to a crown, it is because he has borne his cross alone, too often made heavier by the condemnation of those to whom he looked for consolation. He is no more worthy of our tenderness and love when life is done than he was when its burdens were crushing him to the earth. It would have helped him then. It is wasted now. Ogden, Utah. June Time June time, and joy time, and sights of myriad bloom! June time, and free time, and breaths of rare perfume! Sky calls, and mate calls, and hearts a' thrill with bliss! Of universe above, below, I ask no more than this. June time, and soul time, and days a'throb with life! June time, and love time, no place for care or strife. Blue skies, and heart balm, and laden all the air With gentle sounds of whispering things — their music sweetly rare June time, and prayer time, with full hearts running o'er. June time, and dream time, what could I wish for more? Sunshine, and bird song, and life a' pulse with rhythm! My trysting place, or here, or there, a gloried bit o'heaven. Tridell, Utah MRS. ALICE MORRILL