Dr Sigga Houston - September's Interesting Icelander
by Shaune Jonasson
Our September Interesting Icelander profiles the life and achievements of Sigridur “Sigga” Augusta Christianson Houston, MD. (1893–1996). She was a remarkable pioneer woman in the field of medicine, an era where women were not readily accepted into the profession. She was the first Icelandic-Canadian woman doctor, and the fourth Icelandic woman doctor in the World. Sigga Houston was not an extremist, but rather a woman with conviction and dedication to her profession and her family, generous in heart and enjoyed the beauty of the world around her.
Sigridur Augusta Christianson Houston, M.D.
Sigridur Augusta Christianson (I528213), born as the second child, but the first daughter of three, to Geir Kristjánsson / Christianson and Sesselja Rakel Sveinsdóttir on 28 June 1893 in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
In 1905 at the age of twelve, Sigga and her family joined the exodus of other Icelandic families relocating to Vatnabyggd, the Quill Lakes settlement area in Saskatchewan. Similar to many immigrants arriving, their belongings were few and setting up their homestead had its hardships.
This move did not please Sigga. There was no school to attend, nor teachers to give instruction for the first two years, a significant hindrance working against her aspirations. From her early years of school in Grand Forks, Sigga, who enjoyed school, was a bright and intelligent girl, with teachers acknowledging her as an outstanding student. Wanting for more, Sigga remained resolute towards advanced education.
Sigga’s son, Dr CS (Stuart) Houston, wrote three articles, biographical in nature. Through Stuart’s writing, we learn that Sigga’s parents met in Iceland, where they each worked on a farm, and a fondness had grown between them. The following season, Sigga's father, Geir, was shocked to learn that Sesselja had emigrated to Canada. He soon followed, and after finding his beloved, they married and had a family.
Stuart relays the family’s plight after moving to the Quill Lakes area near Wynyard, Saskatchewan, in the early 1900s, and Sigga’s education, career, and family life, until her passing in 1996. Many accounts of Sigga’s life have been written where attribution relates to Stuart’s writings.
While researching this article, I also found a podcast called “Yorkton Stories”, where the host, Dick DeRyk talks about and interviews interesting people and events in Yorkton. It is through this podcast I learned more about this dynamic woman and respected doctor, including who she was as a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbour.
The podcast, Sigga Houston: Pioneer Doctor, addresses Sigga’s life, intertwined with that of her husband, Dr Clarence “CJ” Houston, and the medical practice they had in Yorkton, Saskatchewan for 50 years. The anecdotes and family stories are conveyed by two of their eldest grandchildren, Doctor Stan Houston and his sister, Dr Margaret Houston, as well as Nancy Morrison, the daughter of Sigga and CJ’s close neighbours.
Nancy remembers being very young when she first met Sigga Houston. She stayed with the Houstons while her parents were away and how Sigga, who was also Nancy’s doctor, intervened when Nancy’s health was challenged. Sigga, CJ, and Nancy’s parents were displeased with the diagnosis from a Winnipeg specialist, suggesting Nancy wear a metal brace to help straighten her curved spine. After sending Nancy to a second specialist, the diagnostic cause of her back problem was polio. It was the era when the polio epidemic gripped the nation in panic. Rather than sending Nancy to Winnipeg for a year of treatments, as was recommended, Sigga and Nancy’s mother declared Nancy would remain at home, and they would treat her polio there. Nancy received the best care with positive results.
Sigga had an excellent reputation in her practice of paediatrics and gynaecology. She was the doctor families pursued when their babies were failing to survive, an area not practiced by most others. Families came from miles away, the furthest estimated at 100 miles, often by harsh means on poor roads, if any.
Dr Margaret Houston, years later, asked her Amma Sigga, what she used to help the babies. Sigga proposed there were “different formulas depending on the age of the child” but didn’t remember specifically. They were fed porridge, sometimes using a special oatmeal called “Robinson’s groats”, milk other than cow’s milk, and sometimes lamb broth.
“[Sigga] loved beauty...and created beauty” both inside and outside of the home. They had built their house in Yorkton in the 1930’s, apparently the only house built during that one year. The house was crafted beautifully with fashionable style uncommon in the area for that time. The yard and flower gardens were beautifully maintained and, over time, allowed ample space for their grandchildren to play.
Sigga, as a full-time doctor and office manager of their medical practice, employed an Icelandic housekeeper in their home who also cooked. Despite her professional responsibilities, Sigga herself was a wonderful “pioneer cook” with a root cellar of preserves that would be the envy of many cooks today.
The Houstons hosted elegant dinner parties, with Christmas and New Year’s being formal events in their home. Even family dinners were served on Spode china, placed on fine linen tablecloths with linen napkins. The after-dinner tea was served from a sterling silver tea service into the china cups with saucers, recalls her granddaughter, Margaret.
Sigga dressed fashionably and was a talented seamstress. She was also very generous with her time volunteering within the city and helping at their church, Trinity Anglican Church in Yorkton. “Generosity was one of her beautiful traits,” states Nancy Morrison.
The Houstons were a small, close-knit family. They had a cottage at York Lake, just a few miles south of the city of Yorkton. When the grandchildren were older, they would spend summers with their grandparents at the cottage. The larger group would also spend weeks at a cottage on Waskesiu Lake in central Saskatchewan. They played golf and spent a lot of time in or on the water canoeing, waterskiing and swimming. A video in the Yorkton Stories podcast (available at the link below) shows these shared family times.
Sometimes it was just Sigga and CJ alone with the grandchildren for a visit. Stan comments “…from the point of view of the grandchildren, she was mostly just a sweet, doting grandmother”.
Sigga and her sisters, Dora and Babs, stayed close over the years visiting when they could. One lived in Winnipeg, the other in Vancouver.
Vínarterta was a favourite of Sigga’s. She served it on special occasions and always at Christmas. Stuart writes about Sigga’s 100th birthday, 28 June 1993, that was celebrated with vínarterta. Margaret, her granddaughter, was delighted to have vínarterta served as her wedding cake adorned with the flag of Iceland and complemented by other Icelandic treats.
Sigga apparently embraced her Icelandic heritage much later in life, still refusing to discuss her earlier years living on the farm. The grandchildren stated that they learned more of Sigga’s upbringing from their grandaunts rather than their grandmother.
Sigga lived beyond the 100 years she aimed for, passing at the age of 102 on 21 January 1996 in Saskatoon, SK. She is buried beside her husband, Dr DJ Houston, at the Yorkton City Cemetery, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
The University of Manitoba (U of M) has designated a bursary known as the Sigga Christianson Houston Travel Award. It honours her, the first Canadian woman of Icelandic descent and a pioneer, who became a doctor. She graduated from U of M in 1925.
A significant donation from Dr. C. Stuart Houston and his family to the University of Manitoba helped to facilitate the bursary’s establishment. “It will offer travel bursaries to medical students who participate in a summer early exposure program or clinical elective in a remote northern community with a general practitioner or pediatrician.”
Sigga’s accomplishments were recognized with high honours by each of the governments of Denmark and Iceland. In 1969 she received The Royal Danish Medal in recognition of her loyal service to the same private employer for 50 years. In 1987, Sigga received the Order of the Falcon with the Knight's Cross for her distinguished achievements and significant contribution to humanity.
Dr Sigga Houston’s legacy intertwined with the work of her husband, Dr CJ Houston, continues today. They started their medical practice together in Indiana, then in North Dakota for two years before they relocated and opened their practice in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, where they practiced for over 38 years. The Doctors CJ and Sigga Houston, each retired in 1975. Sigga was 82. CJ continued with surgeries for one more year.
They led a dynasty of medical doctors. Their one child, Dr C Stuart Houston and his wife have four children, three of whom are medical doctors. Their daughter, Dr Margret Houston, and her husband have three children, two of whom are doctors, as well as one of their grandsons, Eric Ehman. The legacy of the Houston family medical doctors spans four generations.
It is my privilege to present this article on Dr Sigga Houston and her husband, Dr Clarence J “CJ” Houston, both renowned doctors from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, where I grew up. Researching this article has not only brought forward fond memories of Yorkton, but I’ve learned more about the generous contributions they have each made to the community and to medicine overall. Additionally, through the Icelandic Roots relationship calculator, I have learned that Sigga Christianson Houston is my 5th cousin twice removed.
References and Additional Reading:
Icelandic Roots:
· Icelandic Roots Genealogy Database: Dr Sigridur Houston
· Icelandic Canadian: Dr Sigridur (Sigga) Christianson Houston Spring 1994
· L-H article 1989: Letters to the Editor - 22 October 1989
· L-H article 1993: A pioneer woman doctor, Sigga Christianson Houston
· L-H article 1994: Canada’s oldest female physician
· L-H article 2010: Sigga’s Story An Icelandic love story
· UMRÆÐA & FRÉTTIR / SAGA LÆKNISFRÆÐINNAR: Um fyrstu íslensku konurnar í læknastét
Quill Historical Society. Reflection of the Quills, 1981. Pg 73 (Christianson) Friesen Printers, Altona, MB
University of Manitoba: Global News University of Manitoba bursary honors pioneering female doctor December 22, 2011
Yorkton Stories: Sigga Houston: the purposeful life of a pioneer doctor June 2025 Here you can listen to the interview with Sigga’s grandchildren, read the transcript, or watch a family video.
Find A Grave: Dr Sigga Christianson Houston
For Dr Clarence “CJ” Houston: A brief article Dr. Clarence J Houston (1900-1986) can be found at the Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan HERE.
