Many Icelanders arrived direct
from Iceland in 1883 with practically
nothing. Most of them living friends that winter and building homes.
This same year a post office was opened at Grund with Christopherson as
post master, the mail carrier from Millford and later from Stockton;
also a small store. Up till this time groceries and supplies were
bought at Millford near where Treesbank is now located.
Education and religion were established at almost the very commencement
of the farming operations. In 1884 the Heckla school was built on
16-6-14. The school district was 12 miles square. The first trustees
were Alex Card, Evan Jones and Christjan Johnson. School opened in the
spring with Mr. James Dale as the first teacher who taught
taught two terms. The following successive teachers were Miss
Campbell from Brandon, Miss Touchburn, Brandon, Mr. Alex
MacKenzie, Thomas H. Johnson - later Attorney-General of
Manitoba, Miss Johnson, (now Mrs. Magnus Paul in Winnipeg) and Olafas
Bjornson later Dr. Bjornson of Winnipeg.
School was open during the summer only until 1889. After that it was
open the year around and very well attended by adults as well as
children, having an enrollment of 120 in that year. The children sat
abreast listening to lectures, on door steps with slates on their laps
and on the woodpile with their readers. In time some of these left for
higher education. Haroldur Sigmar, Sig
Chistopherson, Mrs. Lindal, Bru Halgrimson and Rosa
Christopherson finished off at Wesley College. Several graduated from
Agricultural College. Honorable Thomas H. Johnson became the Attorney
General for Manitoba; Rev. B. B. Johnson, Bru, minister of the First
Lutheran for many years.
The Bru School was completed in the spring of 1884 with trustees as:
follows: Harvey Hays, Harolder Anderson, Bjorn Johnson.
Religion was encouraged. In January 1884 a meeting was held in Bjorn
Sigvaldasonars and the congregation was called "Frekirkjusofnudur",
referred to as Bru Church. In October 1884 Rev. Jon Bjarnason preached
the first sermon and started ministers work. In 1885 this congregation
was divided in to two sets. The second was called
“Frelsissofnudur", the Grund Church. This went on till1890.
Rev. J. Bjarnason wrote to Iceland for another minister. In 1888 a
letter came from the Theology school in Iceland recommending a
minister.. Rev Hafstein Petursson was accepted as the first minister
for the Lutheran church for Argyle. He came late in 1889 to Winnpieg,
was ordained in February 1890, and came to Argyle for four years. In
June 1893, he resigned and went to Winnipeg. The Lutherans
were without a minister for three years. They tried to get one from
Iceland, suggested Arna Jonsson from Thingeyjarsyslu but could not get
him. Then they called on
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Thorkel Sigardsson who had just
graduated from Theology School in Philadelphia. He came to North Dakota
and was ordained in 1895, took sick and died before reaching Argyle. In
1896 they called Jon Jonsson Clemens from Chicago and he came and
preached for several years In 1896 a church was built for both
congrgations and officially opened in the summer of 1896.
In 1898 the minister organized Young People's Society called the
“Luther League." The ladies of the Lutheran church organized a Ladies
Aid and are worthy of great praise for the splendid work they have done
for the sick and poor.
The first Methodist minister. Rev. Hoskin, from Baldur came out to
preach at Heckla school, which is now Victoria Church in 1884. Those
succeeding him were Mr. Gourd, Rev. Wilson. Rev. Darwin, Rev. Waggel,
who stayed five years, and Rev. Joslyn. After that ministers from
Glenboro preached, namely. Rev. Spence and then Rev.
Twayer.
The first picnic in the district took place in 1884 at Jones's Lake.
Baldwin Benedickson entertained at stilts Sigurjon Snydal shone in the
ox race, and talk about swinging the ladies with their hoop skirts and
peak-a-boo hats under the oak trees; Albert and George Cramer shone
there, as well as Hossy and Joe Josephson. Albert Cramer, the popular
ladies' man, came to this picnic in a brand ne wagon. Bjorn Anderson
remembers escorting his 'water-loo' home hand in hand along the
prairie road picking and saying it with flowers. Other sports were
baseball, a club had been formed in Heckia School and bicycle riding
was popular. The first bicycle road race was won by Siggi Sigmars.
One Sunday at Grund, 125 bicycles were counted. The first bicycle was
brought to the district by Frank Flatt, a teacher at Heckla and sold it
to Jack Dale in 1886. Knitting was popular, at least at Baldwin
Benidictson's wedding. A mitt partly knitted was found lying on hand
and picked up spasmodically and knitted by Kris Johnson, Eyolver
Snydal, and Joe Sigurdson and Joel Cobb, and before the party was over
the mitt was two feet long. Some of Sigurdur Antonius friends sponsored
him for the Marathon Race in Winnipeg and he came back with $50.00 for
walking 132
miles in 24 hours in hard leather boots.
W.C. Christopherson
The Skjalbreid Hall built in
Grund in 1896 was used for various social events. It is a commemorable
event on the celebration of the Silver Anniversary of four of the first
pioneers of Grund district, namely: Mr. and Mrs S. Christopherson, Mr.
and Mrs Skatti Arason, Mr. and Mrs. Ami Sveinson and Mr. and Mrs.
Kristjan Johnson, the community having presented each couple with a
beautiful silver tea service.
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