Bill Holm

Minnesota author Bill Holm dies at 65
St. Paul, Minn. — Essayist and poet Bill Holm was nationally known for his distinctly Minnesotan writing.
He's the author of several works, including "Boxelder Bug Variations," "Coming Home Crazy," and "Playing the Black Piano."
In 2007, Holm wrote "Windows of Brimnes: an American in Iceland." It was named for his cottage near a small fishing village in Iceland, where he spent his summers.
His friends and colleagues compare Holm to Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau for writing so devotedly about his home town of Minneota.
They also compare him to Mark Twain, because of his tendency to mix affection and humor with harsh political criticism.
Just this past May Holm won the prestigious McKnight Distinguished Artist Award, which is given to people who could work elsewhere but choose to stay in Minnesota and contribute to the state's cultural life.
"We are losing his authenticity, we are losing his love for the land, for Minnesota itself, and we are really losing one of our greatest authors," said Vicki Benson, arts program director for McKnight.
Milkweed Editions published much of Holm's work, and director Daniel Slager said those works had a sense of appreciation for the people he wrote about.
“The farther away from Minnesota that I got, the more I realized that my material as a writer …had something to do with this funny little town where I was born.” –Bill Holm
"I was particularly drawn to Bill's non-fiction, which combines an interesting political sensibility -- constantly vigilant defense of little people, powerless people, and a constant suspicion of power and its workings," said Slager. "But never excessively earnest, always infused with good humor, and with real love and respect for people from all walks of life."
Holm was born in 1943 on a farm north of Minneota, Minn., and continued to live in Minneota while teaching at Southwest State. Holm taught for 27 years before retiring in late 2007.
While he traveled widely over the years -- to Europe, to China and to Africa -- and spent summers in the Iceland of his ancestors, Holm told MPR in a 2008 interview that he kept coming back to Minneota.
"The farther away from Minnesota that I got, the more I realized that my material as a writer -- not just the material, but the way that I saw the world and the lens through which I observed American, the world and my life was somehow -- had something to do with this funny little town where I was born."
Holm was an occasional guest on A Prairie Home Companion radio show on American Public Media. The program's host, Garrison Keillor, called Holm a great man.
"And unlike most great men, he really looked like one. 6 foot 8 inches, big frame, and a big white beard and a shock of white hair, a booming voice, so he loomed over you like a prophet and a preacher, which is what he was," said Keillor.
"I wish I'd been there to catch him as he fell," Keillor continued. "I hope his Icelandic ancestors are waiting to welcome him to their rocky corner of heaven. I hope his piano goes to someone who will love it as much as he did. I hope that people all across Minnesota will pick up one of his books and see what the man had to say."
Holm died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., according to Rehkamp-Horvath Funeral Directors.
Funeral services are pending.

Daniel H. Ludlow

Daniel H. Ludlow 1924 ~ 2009 Daniel H. Ludlow, 84, died February 14, 2009 in Provo of causes incident to age. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his wife and all of his children.Born March 17, 1924, to Daniel and Wilma Hansen Ludlow in Benjamin, Utah. Married Luene Leifson on June 10, 1942, in the Salt Lake Temple. Survived by wife; one son, and seven daughters: Victor (V-Ann) Ludlow, Sandra Ludlow, Diane (Doyle) Asay, LuAnn Rothe, Carolyn (Brent) Sweeny, Kathy (Mark) Smith, Shauna (Darrell) Smith, Michelle (Garr) Judd; as well as forty-two grandchildren and sixty-four great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by both parents; a daughter, Ruth (Nate) Pierce; a son-in-law, Ed Rothe; and a sister, Margaret. Survived also by brothers and sisters from his mother's later marriage after his father's death to D. Raymond LeBaron: Anna Rae (Gilbert) Nelson; Dollene (Ben) Nason; Garn Q. (Barbara) LeBaron (half-brother); and Nona (Joe Lynn) Spencer (half-sister). Preceded in death by stepbrother Charles D. (Shirley) LeBaron. He also considered his wife's family as his own. Attended schools in Benjamin, Goshen, and Spanish Fork. Attended college at Utah State, where he was elected student-body president twice (1942-46); Indiana University (Masters); and Columbia University (Doctorate). Taught at Utah State (1947-1952) and Brigham Young University (1955-1972), where he served as Dean of Religious Instruction and Director of Institute of Mormon Studies. Received an honorary doctorate degree from BYU in 1995. Served as Director of Correlation Department of the LDS Church for 15 years. Also taught at BYU-Hawaii campus, served as Director of Teacher Support Services for the Church Education System, served on the Scriptures Publication Committee of the LDS Church and served as Editor-in-chief of the "Encyclopedia of Mormonism" published by Macmillan Publishers. Founded and served as the first Director of the BYU Semester Abroad in Israel, and the Faculty Study Tour of the Lands of the Scriptures. Has directed many tours to Israel (often including nearby countries), Central America, Mexico and conducted numerous Church History tours. Served in many leadership positions, including Branch President; member of: a bishopric, four high councils, and two stake presidencies; Regional Representative of the Twelve; President of Australia Perth Mission; and an ordained temple worker. Author of several books (including a series of scripture references), numerous magazine articles, and chapters in Church manuals. Enjoyed sports, gardening, playing games with the family, golfing, fishing, camping, genealogy, and traveling. Had a great love of learning and teaching. Special thanks to Verna, Dana, Jonathan and Luke from Alpine Hospice for their wonderful care. Visitations will be Tuesday, February 17, 2009, at the Provo Walker Mortuary located at 85 East 300 South, Provo from 5:00-8:00 p.m., as well as Wednesday, February 18, 2009, from 9:00-10:30 a.m. at the LDS church located at 2400 North 1060 East, Provo. Memorial services will follow on Wednesday, February 18, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. in the LDS church at 2400 North 1060 East, Provo. In lieu of flowers please donate to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund. Interment in Benjamin, Utah Cemetery.
Published in the Deseret News from 2/16/2009 - 2/17/2009

Auðrósa Eyjólfsdóttir

Auðrósa Eyjólfsdóttir was born 2 May 1857 at Tjorn a Vatnsnesi, Vestur Hunavatn, the daughter of Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, born 11 October 1829 at Illugastadir, Tjorn a Vatnsnesi, Vestur Hunavatn, died 19 October 1913 in Utah; and Valgerdur Bjornsdottir, born 9 September 1828, died 11 December 1916. Audrosa’s father was from Eyjabakki, Tjorn a Vatnsnesi, Vestur Hunavatn, well known everywhere in the north for his care of the watershed of the eider ducks. Audrosa was partially blind; the cause was blamed on dust from the eiderdown. Audrosa married Jon Bjornsson born 24 August 1843.
Eyjolfur Gudmundsson and his family became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and immigrated to Utah. They did stay in Helena, Montana for a time before coming to Spanish Fork in 1885. One of the reasons for the emigration to Utah was in hopes that the blessings of the elders could cure Audrosa.
Jon and Audrosa had a large family: Eygerdur Adrois 1885-1896; Bjarnveig Christine 1888, married Fred Hurst; Jonina 1890-1957, married Richard Eugene Harrison; Johannah 1890-1891; Serenna 1892-1892; Sarah 1892-1892; Martha 1895, married Frank Stubbs Taylor; Margret 1895-1927, married Frank Fjeldsted; Hjalmur John 1898-1972, married Faunella Adams; and John 1900-1909. Audrosa cared for these children, although she totally lost her eyesight. She died 22 March 1941. In Utah she was known as Rosa Jameson. She is number 127 in Icelanders of Utah.

The old Icelandic month of Þorri

The Old Norse Calendar is often broken down into two groups often referred to as "winter months" and "summer months". The midwinter month of Þorri always begins on the Friday after January 19th. The midwinter feast Þorrablót was held to celebrate that winter is half over and we survived without starvation or serious illness.
The first day of Þorri is called Bóndadagur or "Husband's Day/Farmer's Day", and is dedicated to men (formerly only farmers). Earlier it was only the husband who was treated with better food the first day of Þorri, as a credit for bringing the family through half the winter. As time passed all other people in the household where also given more and better food on this day.
In 2009 the old month of Þorri begins on 23 January the last day of Þorri is on Saturday 21 February.
Icelanders serve food for Þorrablót that was regularly eaten in the time of the Vikings and Icelanders in and before the 19th Century. With no refrigerator, the Vikings and the farmers of Iceland used other methods to preserve the food during long cold winters. Food was smoked, soured, salted, and dried; this food has become the food served at Þorrablót as a tribute to the Old Icelandic culture. Some food or Þorramatur served at Þorrablót are: Hangikjot (smoked lamb), Svið (jellied sheep's head), Hrútspungur (cured ram testicles), Bringukollar (breast meat), Lifrarpylsa (liver sausage), Harðfiskur (dried fish, served with butter), Kartöflustappa (mashed sweetened potatoes), Rófustappa (mashed rutabagas), and Rúgbrauð (rye bread).
Traditional Þorrablót’s are an evening filled with drinking and dancing along with the Old Icelandic feast. In Utah we have forgone the traditional; Brennivín (caraway schnapps), or Bjór (beer), for soft drinks. It is still an evening full of fun as we celebrate with Icelanders around the world in remembering the past. So far we have held off those that find the Þorramatur not to their liking by serving roasted lamb and baked or fried cod or haddock. Some have suggested that we should have Þorri chicken, Þorri prime rib, grilled Þorri steak, Þorri pizza, Þorri lasagna, and other such stuff. This is not really Þorramatur, of course, and in my opinion, people who would like a Þorrablót with this stuff would be better off going out to dinner and seeing a show. They, for sure, would be missing out on the special experience of Þorrablót and the tribute to our Icelandic culture of the past.

IAU 2009 Membership Drive

The Icelandic Association of Utah is now holding its annual membership drive.

Please consider becoming a member of the Icelandic Association of Utah. It takes a lot of members to keep this organization going. You are the next generation of Icelanders in Utah and the association needs your support. They only ask for $15.00 per year.

Memberships make it possible to celebrate our Icelandic culture and heritage in Utah by having many activities such as: Thorrablot (importing Icelandic food, renting the building, door prizes…); participate in Scandinavian Heritage Days in Ephriam, Utah; Iceland Days Festival; maintenance for the Icelandic Memorial in Spanish Fork; resources (training materials, supplies, research books from Iceland and etc.) for the Family History Center in Spanish Fork: hosting of visiting Icelanders; newsletters (printing and postage); affiliate membership in the Icelandic National League of North America; and many other activities.

Mission Statement
The purpose of the Icelandic Association of Utah, Inc. is to: Celebrate and perpetuate the common interest in culture and heritage of Iceland, through activities and continuing education. Promote closer and better relations with the people of Iceland. Preserve the memory of the early Icelandic pioneers who established the first permanent Icelandic settlement in North America at Spanish Fork, Utah.

Take the time, today, to send in your membership.

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IAU 2009 Annual Membership ¨ *Family $15.00 ¨ Individual $10.00
* Family members must reside at the same address.
Name/names_____________________________________________________________
Others over 18 years old at the same address _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Address ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________________________________________
City _________________________________ State _______________ Zip __________
Phone _______ _______ ___________ Cell _______ _______ ___________
Email Address ___________________________________________________________
Volunteers are vital to the success of the events of the Icelandic Association, how would like to help? _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Mail to:
Icelandic Association of Utah
P.O. Box 874
Spanish Fork, UT 84660

Eiríkur Ólafsson

Eiríkur Ólafsson (Eirikur Olafsson) was born 14 November 1823 in Steinar, Rangarvalla. His parents are Olafur Sigurdsson, born 29 July 1793, died 25 October 1854; and Helga Eiriksdottir, born about 1791. Eirikur married Runhildur Runolfsdottir, born 17 May 1823 in Heidi, Reynir i Myrdal, Vestur Skaftafell. Her parents are Runolfur Sigurdsson, born in 1798 in Kross, Rangarvalla, died 19 June 1862; and Ingveldur Jonsdottir, born in 1798 in Dyrholar i Myrdal, Vestur Skaftafell, died 13 April 1868 at Skaganes, Reynir i Myrdal, Vestur Skaftafell. Eirikur and Runhildur had four children: Olafur, born 1852; Ingveldur 1854-1930; Skuli 1853-1907; and Sveinn born 1856.
Eirikur and Runhildur joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were baptized by Elder Jakob B. Jonsson on 30 April 1881. Eirikur, Runhildur and their daughter Ingveldur and her son Thorbjorn Thorvaldsson left Iceland 7 July 1881 with a group of 22 Icelandic Saints for America. Runhildur became ill and died while enroute to Spanish Fork, Utah; she is buried at North Platte, Nebraska. Eirikur remained behind to see the burial of his wife; however, his daughter and her son continued on to Utah. The group of Saints arrived in Salt Lake City 8 August 1881. They went directly to Spanish Fork, Utah. Ingveldur and her son stayed with Thordur Didriksson until Eirikur arrived in Spanish Fork 28 August 1881.
Eirikur Olafsson went to Iceland to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint in 1882. His service as a missionary was not the same as that of others who had served as missionaries in Iceland. In 1882 Eirikur reported that his name was called as a missionary in the spring conference in 1882. When he arrived in Salt Lake City he received no letter of appointment and was not set apart like other missionaries, nor did he receive the priesthood, which is given to missionaries before they depart. He felt impressed to go to Iceland and do missionary work without the proper authority.
Eirikur Olafsson went to Iceland with missionaries Elders Gisli Einasson (Bjarnason) and Peter Valgardsson. Eirikur was ordained an elder by Elder Gisli Einasson 7 June 1883, according to instructions received from the president of the Scandinavian Mission. He later apostatized.
Eirikur had written a book before returning to Iceland with the missionaries. The book served as a witness for truth and explained the errors of men by means of quotations from the Bible. Eirikur had one thousand copies of his book printed in Copenhagen, Denmark at his own expense of sixty dollars. He sold his books in districts in Iceland that had not been previously visited by Mormon missionaries. When he arrived in Reykjavik he had problems with the local authorities. He conversed with many priests in Iceland about religious topics. They differed much in their conception, and some became very angry with him, while others acknowledged that the Mormon doctrine was right and said they would be baptized as soon as the bishop would. He visited with hundreds of families and conversed with thousands of people concerning the truth and the commandments of God. Many acknowledged that the Mormon doctrines were true, but at the same time believed that their doctrines were good enough to save them.
He returned to Spanish Fork, Utah in 1883, where he remained for ten years. He then sold his home and went to visit his son Sveinn, in Independence, Missouri. Eirikur lived with him for a year and then went to Canada. He returned to Iceland and married Gudfinna Saemundsdottir, born 2 October 1865; her parents are Saemundur Jonsson, born 13 June 1829, died 13 November 1906; and Gudfinna Jonsdottir, born 8 June 1824, died 8 August 1878. It is said that when Eirikur married Gudfinna, he wanted a Mormon marriage, as he held the highest office in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Iceland at that time. He performed his own marriage ceremony before three witnesses. There was such uproar over it, he wrote to the King of Denmark, telling him of the circumstance. The King sent back his approval of the marriage. A circular was printed with this sanction on it and delivered with the morning paper.
Eirikur later apostiziesed from the Mormon Faith and published another book, tearing to pieces all that he had written and published the first time. The books written by Eirikur were used as research by Halldor Laxness when he wrote Paradise Reclaimed in 1960. Eirikur was one of the characters the novel.
Eirikur was generally known as Eirikur from Brunum. Eirikur died in Iceland 14 October 1900 in Reykjavik. He is number 291 in Icelanders of Utah.

Steinþór Guðbjartsson

Eftir Steinþór Guðbjartsson
Ýtarlegar upplýsingar um Utah-farana í nýrri bók
NÆR 400 Íslendingar fluttu til Utah á árunum 1854 til 1914 og nú hefur David Alan Ashby gefið út nýja bók, Icelanders Gather to Utah 1854-1914, með ýtarlegum upplýsingum um þessa vesturfara og fjölskyldur þeirra.
David Ashby segir að tilgangurinn með útgáfu bókarinnar sé að leggja fólki í Utah af íslenskum ættum lið í því að tengjast uppruna sínum. Reyndar er unnið mjög öflugt starf á því sviði á vegum Íslenska félagsins í Utah (IAU), sem var stofnað 1897, og halda afkomendur íslensku Utah-faranna upprunanum hátt á lofti.
Þó nokkuð hefur verið skrifað um flutningana til Utah. David Ashby hefur með þessari bók endurbætt bókina Icelanders of Utah eftir LaNora Allred. Hann byggir líka á safni móður sinnar, Phyllis Higginson Ashby, sem var sagnfræðingur IAU um árabil. Við gerð bókarinnar naut hann aðstoðar Bliss Koyle Anderson, ættfræðings í Spanish Fork og fór í smiðju Hálfdáns Helgasonar sem heldur úti vef um íslenska vesturfara.
Bókin er rúmlega 150 síður í A4 stærð. Höfundur hennar gaf IAU upplagið og það sér um söluna. Eintakið kostar 18 dollara og flutningskostnaður til Íslands er 12 dollarar en pantanir má senda á eftirfarandi heimilisfang:

Icelandic Association of Utah
P.O. Box 874,
Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 USA