Memorable Manitobans: Metusalem Jonsson “Salli” Thorarinson (1888-1946)

Metusalem Jonsson Thorarinson Click to enlarge

Building contractor.

Born in Iceland on 27 August 1888, he came to Winnipeg in 1905 and worked as a building contractor for over 30 years. In partnership with his brother-in-law Viglundur Andrjesson Davidson, he built some 200 residences around the city before switching to apartment blocks in the 1920s. Later, he was President of the Thor Gold Mines Company and Pioneer Chrome syndicate. He and wife Sigridur Katrin Sigurros Davidson (1890-1954) had two sons: Metusalem Willmundur Ernest Thorarinson (1914-1929) and Sigurstein Aleck Thorarinson. He died on holiday at Vancouver, British Columbia on 3 March 1946 and was buried in the Glen Eden Memorial Gardens.

Some of his construction works in Manitoba included:

Building	Location	Year	Status
Mount Royal Apartments	36 Navy Way, Winnipeg	1926
Astoria Apartments	445 Kennedy Street, Winnipeg	1927
Palliser Apartments	370 Stradbrook Avenue, Winnipeg	1929
Royal Crest Apartments	273 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg	1930
Smith House	133 Machray Avenue, Winnipeg	1931

Sources:

Birth registrations [Metusalem Willmundur Ernest Thorarinson, Sigursteinn Alex Thorarinson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Death registration [Metusalem Willmundur Ernest Thorarinson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Three persons lose lives in gun accidents,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 October 1929, page 2.

“Auto kills Winnipegger in Vancouver,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 March 1946, page 1.

Death registration, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

Obituary, Winnipeg Tribune, 9 March 1946, page 17.

Obituary [Sigridur Katrin Sigurros Thorarinson], Winnipeg Tribune, 14 January 1954, page 32.

“Early Icelandic builders in Winnipeg” by S. Aleck Thorarinson, Logberg Heimskringla, 30 March 1967, page 7.

Obituary [Sigurstein Aleck Thorarinson], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 September 1998, page 38.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 5 April 2023

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