Stefan Arnason's Lineage on His Father's Side
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Stefan Arnason’s lineage on his father’s side This is an edited and translated version of a lineage that Judith Fulford (née Arnason) got from the Íslendingabók (see glossary below). I’ve also combine this with information found in the Book of Settlements, the Sturlunga and Njall Sagas, and information on Geni. Please let me know if you spot any errors or other issues. (Jon) The idea was to take Stefan Arnason’s direct patrilineal line back as far as it would go –– a line of fathers and sons with the names highlighted in red. I’ve also added dates of key events in Iceland’s history to try to put some of these lives into the context of the times they lived in. 1 Stefan Arnason (1882 – 1956) Born: August 6, 1882. Died: December 17, 1956. Husband of Gudrun Sigurbjorg Arnason. In 1904 Stefan emigrated to Canada Father of Olof Gudrun Steeves, Einar Arni Arnason, Herman Arnason, Marvin Skafti Arnason, Katrin Margret Morgan, Valgier Snorri Arnason, Evelyn Ingibjorg Arnason, Mildred Lillian Hooke, Stephan Arnason, Anna Sigridur McLeod, Helen Donovan and Norman Gisli Arnason 2 Árni Jónatansson (1840 – 1921) Born: May 21, 1840 at Reykjadal. Died: January 19, 1921, Farmer at Þríhyrningi 1885–98 and Auðbrekku 1883–5 & from 1898 on. Husband of Gudrun Jonsdottir Father of Stefan Arnason, Valgier Sigurjon Arnason, Sigurbjorg Arnadottir, Gudrun Arnadottir, Hildur Sigrun Arnadottir, Jonaton Arnason, Anna Steinunn Arnadottir, Svanfridur Arnadottir, Snorri Jonsson Arnason, Hilmar Arnason, Sigrun Arnadottir and Ingolfur Arnason Note: This is the ancestor the surname Arnason was derived from. 3 Jónatan Eiríksson (1817 – 1879) Born: August 10, 1817 at Skriðulandi at Aðaldal, Died: May 17, 1879 at Sámstöðum at Öngulstaðahreppi Farmer at Bergsstöðum at Aðaldal. Husband of Guðrún Stefánsdóttir Father of Árni Jónatansson [1875 – A tremendous eruption happened at Askja in Iceland's central highlands. The immense ash–fall that followed poisoned the land and killed livestock throughout the eastern part of Iceland. This triggered a substantial wave of emigration to North America.] [1887 – peak of Icelandic émigration to North America. Two thousand people emigrated that year, approximately 3% of Iceland’s population. Displaced by the Mount Askja eruption, Stefan's wife's parents emigrated in 1886.] 4 Eiríkur Oddsson (1783 – 1856) Born: July 11, 1783 at Þórðarstöðum at Fnjóskadal. Died: February 4, 1856 Farmer at Skriðulandi at Aðaldal. Husband of Ingunn Hrólfsdóttir Father of Jónatan Eiríksson 5 Oddur Oddsson (c. 1750 – ?) Farmer at Steinkirkju at Fnjóskadal. Husband of Guðný Jónsdóttir Father of Margrét Oddsdóttir and Eiríkur Oddsson [1703 – Under the direction Árni Magnússon, the first Icelandic census is taken. There were approximately 50,000 people living in Iceland. Note that the 2007 census has approximately 313,000 Icelanders living in Iceland. 1707 – Iceland’s worst smallpox epidemic – called Stóra Bóla (the Big Pox) – kills 1 in 4 Icelanders. 1783 – Mount Laki in SE Iceland erupts. It is the most catastrophic volcanic event in Iceland’s history. During the three– year period that followed (called the Haze or Mist Famine), the sulphur dioxide and smoke that was released killed much of Iceland's vegetation and caused the death of 3/4 of its farm animals and 1/4 of its population (about 12,000 people) By 1786, Iceland’s population is 39,000, the lowest level since the beginnings of settlement.] 6 Oddur "eldri" Björnsson (1693 – ?) Farmer at Steinkirkju at Fjóskadal. Husband of Björg Nikulásdóttir (1714–1806) Father of Oddur Oddsson 7 Björn Jónsson (1663 – ?) Farmer at Syðri–Tjörnum, Öngulstaðahreppi 1703. Husband of Þórunn Oddsdóttir, born1661, Lady of the house at Syðri–Tjörnum, Öngulstaðahreppi Father of Oddur Björnsson 8 Jón Guðmundsson (c. 1630 – ?) Farmer at Syðri–Tjörnum. Husband of Kristín Egilsdóttir Father of Björn Jónsson [1627 – Four Barbary pirate ships (i.e. from the Algerian and Moroccan coast) conducted several raids on Iceland’s coast. They took 400 Icelanders into captivity, and took them back to North Africa, where they were sold as slaves. To this day, the Icelanders call this incident “The Raid of the Turks.”] 9 Guðmundur "seki" Jónsson (c. 1600 – 1636) Farmer at Grýtu at Eyjarfirði (beheaded) Husband of Katrín Magnúsdóttir, born circa 1601, Lady of the house at Grýtu at Eyjarfirði. Father of Jón Guðmundsson [1564 – The Stóridómur laws are passed by the Althingi. Iceland had recently adopted Lutheranism, and these laws were enacted to reduce perceived moral licentiousness in the country. It did this by introducing harsher punishments – such as decapitation – for various moral crimes, e.g., incest and having children out of wedlock. Seki Jonsson’s 1636 beheading probably had something to do with these laws.] 10 Jón Halldórsson (c. 1550 – ?)1 Priest at Kaupangi and butler at Skálholti. Husband of Sigríður Jónsdóttir Father of Guðmundur "seki" Jónsson 11 Halldór Benediktsson (c. 1510 – c.1582) Priest at Helgastaðir at Reykjadalur and at the monastery at Möðruvellir. Husband of Katrín (Born: c. 1530), Lady of the house at Helgustöðum Father of Benedikt 'ríki' Halldórsson , Kristín Halldórsdóttir, and Jón Halldórsson [1530s – Danish king Christian II, needing money for warfare, offers to sell Iceland to England, but Henry VIII refuses to buy it. 1540 – Lutheran adherent Oddur Gottskálksson translates the New Testament into Icelandic. Printed and published in Denmark, it’s the first book ever printed in the Icelandic language. 1550 – Execution of last Catholic Bishop in Iceland. The Evangelical Lutheran Church is made the only legal church in Iceland. Basically, the Reformation has had a complete victory in Iceland.] 12 Benedikt Grímsson (c. 1485 – ?) Sheriff and lawyer at Möðruvöllum Father of Halldór Benediktsson 13 Grímur Pálsson (1460 – 1526) Sheriff and lawyer at Möðruvöllum. Husband of Helga Narfadóttir Father of Benedikt Grímsson, Ingibjörg Grímsdóttir, Þorleifur Grímsson, Sólveig Grímsdóttir, and Páll Grímsson 1 Jón Halldórsson, b. 1550, Priest in Kaupangur .... Einar Bjarnason strongly doubts that Jón in Kaupangur was the son of Reverend Halldór Benediktsson. This bears more research because it means a break in the patrilineal line. 14 Páll Brandsson (c. 1440 – 1494) Sheriff at Vaðlaþingi Father of Grímur Pálsson, Benedikt Pálsson, and Bjarni Pálsson 15 Brandur Jónsson (c. 1410 – 1494) Husband of Ónefnd Ónefndsdóttir (born: c. 1415), Lady of the house at Hofi at Höfðaströnd Father of Steinn Brandsson (1435 – 1494) and Páll Brandsson (1440 – 1494) [1477 – Columbus travels to and visits Iceland on an English ship. He would certainly have heard about Vinland while he was there. 1494 – Second wave of Black Plaque strikes. It was called the svarti dauthi, black death, a translation of the Latin mors nigra. It’s almost as severe as the one in 1402 (see note below) but less is known about it. It looks like Brandur and his two sons might all have died from this epidemic.] 16 Jón "maríuskáld" Pálsson (c. 1390 – 1471) Husband of Þórunn Finnbogadóttir Father of Brandur Jónsson and Finnbogi "Maríulausi" Jónsson 17 Páll Þorvarðsson (c. 1360 – 1403) Lived at Eiðum at Múlasýslu Husband of Sesselja Þorsteinsdóttir (1350 – 1403) Father of Ingibjörg Pálsdóttir, Jón Pálsson, Ragnhildur Palsdottir, and Thorstein Pálson [1397 – With the thrones of Norway, Sweden and Denmark now unified by marriage and with the king of Denmark (the richest of the 3 states) holding the majority of the power, Iceland is taken over by the king of Denmark. The Danes will govern Iceland until 1944, when it again becomes an independent republic. 1402 – bubonic plague arrives carried by a sailor. Over two years, it kills 30 to 60% of population. It looks like Páll and his wife Sesselja might both have died of this.] 18 Þorvarður Pálsson (c. 1300 – 1376) Husband of Ragnhildur Karlsdóttir Father of Páll Þorvarðarson 19 Páll Oddsson (c. 1290 – 1350) Father of Þorvarður Pálsson Note: “He is not found on the Íslendingabók, but he is mentioned in Íslenzkum Æviskrám [Iceland Progeny].” 20 Oddur Þorvarðsson (Died 1301) Knight Father of Gróa Oddsdóttir and Páll Oddsson 21 Þorvarður Þórarinsson (c. 1228 – 1296) Knight and Lawyer Born c. 1228 at Hof in Vopnafjörður Father of Oddur Þorvarðsson From the Íslendingabók: “... a mythologist and knight. Lived at Hof in Vopnafjörður, at Grund, later at Keldar and in Arnarbæli. Got a farm at Grund in Eyjafjörður but was flooded from there because of the killing of Þorgils skarð, "moved east to the fjord, and never became a chief in Eyjafjörður" says Grund. He became the king's messenger and was a master.” Sources: Sturl., Grund 101, Bysk., Ann., AusturlIII, Esp.94, DI.I.187 [1262 – Icelandic aristocracy agrees to allow Iceland to be ruled by the king of Norway. This is probably an attempt to introduce stability in response to the lawlessness of the Sturlunga years. ] 22 Þórarinn Jónsson (c. 1202 – 1239) Born 1202 at Hofi at Vopnafirði. Husband of Helga Helgadóttir Father of Þorvarður Þórarinsson Note: In the Íslendingabók he is referred to as Jón Sigmundarson’s “unintentional son” [It happens] 23 Jón "yngri" Sigmundarson (c. 1170 – 1212) Born: 1170 at Svinafell, Hjaltastadur, Nordur Mula, Iceland Died: July 14, 1212, at Svinafell, Hjaltastadur, Iceland Husband of Þóra "Eldri" Guðmundsdóttir and Gróa Teitsdóttir Father of Ormur Jónsson and Þórarinn Jónsson 24 Sigmundur Ormsson (1140 – 1198) Lived at Valþjófsstöðum. Husband of Arnbjörg Oddsdóttir Father of Jón Sigmundarson and Ásdís Sigmundardóttir 25 Ormur "gamli" Jónsson (c. 1115 – 1191)