Time is flying by this summer and now it is crunch time.
In two days, we will set up the Genealogy Center at the annual Icelandic heritage celebration in Mountain, North Dakota. The Genealogy Center has been a unique and popular feature of the weekend celebration since 2003. We help people find the burial locations of their ancestors, help them with genealogy questions, and connect them with other cousins.
This year, we have a special cousin attending the celebration.
The new Icelandic Ambassador to the United States is Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson. He and his wife, Jóna Dóra Karlsdóttir, will be attending the Deuce of August celebration. He will be in the parade and will give a speech during the 2 p.m. Heritage Program at the Mountain Community Center.
We have found many cousins in North Dakota and in Canada for them but the Ambassador has wonderful links to our Icelandic community in northeastern North Dakota.
The siblings of Guðmundur Árni´s great great grandfather, Sigurjón Jóhannesson, immigrated to the Gardar and Mountain area. Family names of descendants are Arnason, Bjornson, Dennison, Dippe, Gillis, Greenway, Hall, Indridason, Johannesson, Myrdal, Ruckert, Shepard, Simundson, Tiffaney, and Westdahl.
We will present the Ambassador with a book of information on his relatives with data on where his family is buried in the area. Living cousins have been contacted so that they can attend the Heritage Program on Saturday, August 4th in Mountain. If you are related to these family members, please come to the Heritage Program.
It is always a lot of fun at this great celebration. There are so many wonderful people that work hard to make it happen. Thanks to everyone that volunteers their time and talents to host this event. The North Dakota Icelanders continue to preserve our Icelandic heritage at this fun and very successful event.
For more information on the Deuce of August, visit the website: www.august2nd.com or join the Facebook Page.