Ck €arly Icelandic Settlements in Canada 



At a meeting- of the Manitoba Historical and Scientific 

 Society held in the City Hall, Winnipeg, on Friday, 22nd 

 March, 1901, the President, Mr. J. R. Grant in the chair, Mr. 

 Sigtr. Jonasson, editor of The Logberg, read the following 

 paper : 



Though only a little more than a quarter of a century has 

 passed by since the Icelanders began to settle in Canada, yet 

 it is somewhat difficult to gather up certain facts which appear 

 to me absolutely necessary to embody in a paper of this kind, 

 in order to make it of some real historical value. 



Before taking up the main subject of this paper — The 

 Early Icelandic Settlements in Canada — I think it is proper to 

 touch on certain events which led up to the founding of these 

 settlements. And in this connection it is necessary to explain 

 that one of the difficulties in framing this paper is the fact 

 that the writer had a considerable share in matters connected 

 with the first Icelandic settlements in Canada. 



It naturally suggested itself to the writer that he should 

 leave himself entirely in the background, but he, himself, be- 

 ing one of the actors in the drama, it seemed impracticable to 

 ignore the fact altogether. 



The information that the writer had some share in the 

 matters he has undertaken to record may also be of some im- 

 portance, inasmuch as it makes clear that he is not altogether 

 depending an material furnished by others — is not merely 

 dealing at second hand in this matter — but has personal know- 

 ledge of most of the facts recorded. 



With reference to the events, then, which led up to the 

 establishing of Icelandic settlements in Caanda, I think it is 

 not out of place to mention, that as far as known, no emigra- 

 tion had taken place from the Island of Iceland from the time 



