Bjorn Magnusson

Bjorn Magnusson was born July 5, 1876 at Grimstadum near Reykjavik. His father was Magnus Thorkelson. His mother was Vigdis Gudmond's daughter (Gudmondsdottir).

My grandfather Magnus B. Magnus recounted many stories, and he noted that his father, "Bjorn Magnusson had a genealogy count that dated back to Thormunds Heljarskinns. That history was lost in the fire at Audnum. On the night of the fire, Bjorn escaped the fire dressed only in a nightshirt, and his father died saving others. In 1887, Bjorn, with his mother and siblings went to America."

It has been said that Bjorn worked hard for Iceland's reforestation. "He longed to put forth his best effort and sought out the head in the patriotic league and put before them valid reasons why they should help to clothe Iceland from shore to mountain with forest. Yet nothing came of it. It may have been he took the wrong approach, but his purpose was sincere."

"Bjorn sought to fight erosion and to save his Motherland from blowing away. Bjorn sent home some seed from Canada, and corresponded with those who stood foremost in forestry in Iceland. An article in the Forestry year book noted in 1950 "It is to be said that a western Icelander, one named Bjorn Magnusson who had a burning desire to aid reforestation in Iceland and he had written several articles, contacted influential men and though unable to help financially his efforts has no doubt encouraged and sped up the establishment of the Reforestation Co. of Iceland."

"Bjorn Magnusson was an adventurer, his occupations were hunting, fishing and prospecting. The gold fever took him in 1898, and he was of a strong mind to go to the Klondike and he marshalled his resources, but to the Klondike gold rush he did not go, fate took him instead east to where he found not gold, but met his wife to be and has counted it the most fortunate to have happened, for a good women was more of a find than all the gold in the world. "

"On December 31, 1899, Bjorn married Ingibjorg Thorstein's daughter. In his diary he wrote "I learned to read English after I married Ingibjorg. I have lived an outdoors mans life trapping, hunting, fishing and prospecting, the needs of which taught me to build my own boats. Then others saw them and wanted similar boats, so I got into boat building and from there into house construction. I worked for a local firm and as foreman built ten houses. Then on my own I built 85 houses in Winnipeg up to 1932. Bjorn built a shack near Lake Winnipeg, 24 miles north of Riverton, there he tended both hunting and fishing."

Björn and Ingibjörg Magnusson 

Bjorn and Ingiborg's marriage was as happy one. They had two children, Magnus and Margret. Bjorn passed away January 24, 1954, and he rests in Kenora, Ontario.



Information from "The Magnus Family History" - M.B. Magnus