The Argyle Photo Archive


Photo Collection  from The Diary of Arni Sveinsson 1851 9128, Pioneer of Argyle Municipality, Manitoba

Translation and Commentary by Arni Sveinsson
Edited by Laara Lindo





Arni Sveinsson

 

Gudrun Sveinsson

 

Arni Sveinsson

 

Gudrun Helga Sveinsson

 

Pioneer Days

 

The home of Arni Sveinsson built on 23-6-14 in 1892.

 
The barn Arni Sveinsson built on 23-6-14 in 1902

 

Arni and Gudrun Sveinsson & family about 1891. Left to right: Sveinn, Gudrun, holding Kris; Jon; Ingiborg’ Arni.;holding Jana; GUdny.
 


Arni & Gudrun Sveinsson & family, top left to right: Anna, Sirun, Valdimar, Albert, Kristjan, Sveinn, Jon, Gudny, Ingiborg, Kristjana

 

Sveinsson home

 

 


Implement shed


 


Sawing wood on the Sveinsson farm

 
Hauling grain.

 

Maria Johannsson with her daughters, Sigurveig (left) and Jakobina (tight) and her son, Egill.
Sigurveig (Veiga) married Jon Sveinsson. Jakobina married Isak Johnson.

 

Jon Sveinsson

 
Steam tractor.

 

Injiborg and Jana


 

Gudney, Injiborg and Jana

 

Sigrun and Anna

 

Kristjan

 

Rev. Fridrik and Bertina Hallgrimson

 

Jakobina Johannsson Johnson

 

Gudny Sveinsson and Gunnar Matthiasson, married October 24, 1905.

 

Gudny and Gunnar’s 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1955.

 
Grund Frelsis (Liberty) Church is the oldest Icelandic Lutheran Church standing in Canada. Arni Sveinassaon and Brying Hallgrimson were head carpenters when the church was built in 1889. When restoration took place one hundred years later, the building wasa found to be not so much as  an inch out of “true”. IN 1975, Arni Sveinsson Jr. played the original 1911 Doherty organ at the dedication of the church as a National Historic Site.

 

The Sveinsson sisters
Left to Right: Sigrun, Gudny, Jana, Ingibjorg, Anna.

 

Viega and Jon Sveinsson at about the time they were married, June 1,1909.

 

Halldor and Ingibjorg Eggertson at the time they were married.

 

Jon & Veiga Sveinsson, with Arni, on the porch of the new home they built in 1909 on the Jon Jonsson homestead, NE 6-6-14. refrred to in the diary as "vestur i 6". Jon farmed here from 1909 until 1933.


 
Gudny Matthiasson with her daughter Elin.

 

Thorstina Jackson

 

Ingibjorg and Halldor Eggertson with Arni and Gudrun (Diddy).


 

Veiga Sveinsson with her son Arni.

 

Sigrun and Anna Sveinsson

 

Egill Johannsson


 

Sigurbjorn Jonannsson, father of Jakobina, Sigurveig and Egill.  Sigurbjorn was a poet of some note both in Iceland and in Canada. He was Community Skaid (“poet laureate”) in the Icelandic Community in the District of Argyle, where he wrote poems for various special occasions. A book of his poetry was published by his friends in 1902. He died in 1903.

 

The diary entry from April 1913 indicates that Arni ordered a Ford from Snaebjorn Anderson.



Sigrun, daughter of Jon & Veiga Sveinsson.


 
Gudny Matthiasson with her two older daughters, Elin and Helen (Unnur).

 

Sveinn Arnason Sveinsson


 

Matthias Jochumsson.

 

Jon Sveinnson farm 



Maria Johannsson

 

Kristjan and Olina Sveinsson



Svein, Sigrun and Arni Sveinsson



Diddy, Edwina, Margaret and Arni Eggertson


 
Jon Jonsson

 

Halldor Eggertson



The children of Gudny & Gunnar Matthiasson: Thora, Arni, Elin and Helen.


 
Albert and Anna Sveinsson


 
Albert & Anna Sveinsson’s 50th Wedding Anniversary, 1970

 

Anna and Jack Lowe

 

Phyliss and Florence Sveinsson


 

Anna Sveinsson Lowe

 

Margaret Anna Sveinsson, born Aug. 19, 1924.  (Daughter of Jon & Veiga)

 

Unnur Sveinsson, born March 9, 1919. (Son of Jon & Veiga)
 


Sveinn, Marie, Arni, Sigrun an Unnur Sveinsson.

 

Helene and Albert Hallgrimson

 

Donald Sveinsson, Kristjan and Olina’s son, born February 21, 1925, in Seattle, Washington.

 

Valdimar Sveinsson

 

Sigrun and Tom Findlay

 

Anna Sveinsson

 

Joyce Findlay, Sigrun and Tom’s daughter, at 8 months of age.

 

Gudrun and Arni with their daughter, Anna Lowe.

 

Injibjorg (Bjornson Sveinsson 1891 – 1985

Imba taught for many years in schools in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. From 1937 until she retired in 1967, she worked at Betel Home in Gimli, first as a Night Nurse and then as Assistant Matron. Her son, Lawrence, was postmaster in Gimli for many years.
 




Gudrun Sveinsson with her granddaughter, Anna.

 

Svein Arnasson, Arni’s dad, and his mom, Ingibjorg Bjornsdottir, immigrated to North Dakota.
 


Gudfinna Johnson, Arni’s sister. Lived in Red Deer, Alberta,

 

Anna Myrdal, Arni’s sister, lived in North Dakota.

 

Kjartan Sveinsson, Arni’s brother, lived in North Dakota.



Gudrun Helga’s father, Jon Jonsson and his wife Arnfridur