Sigmundur þiðriksson was a farmer at Bæ on Höfðaströnd, he was born 1841 at Mannskaðahóli on Höfðaströnd and died after 1891 in North America. His parents were Þiðrik Ingimundarson, a farmer at Sviðningi in Kolbeinsdal, and his first wife Helga Bjarnadóttir. (See chapter on Þiðrik in this volume)

    Sigmundur grew up with his parents until his mother died in 1855, but became a farmhand in Viðvík in 1855-57 and at Saurbær in Kolbeinsdalur in 1857-58. He was confirmed [Luther’s catechism] while living with his grandfather’s sister, Anna Jónsdóttir and her husband Björn Þórðarsson at Skálá in Sléttahlíð in the spring of 1858. Sigmundur received the following testimony at his confirmation: “Very intellectually challenged and has not memorized the shorter book, but he knows the longer book reasonably well, and some verses and prayer.” Sigmundur was a laborer with his grandfather, Bjarni at Mannskaðahóll in 1858-59, with his grandfather’s sister, Anna at Skálá in 1860-63, with his father at Sviðningi in 1863-64, at Hólar in 1864-65 and at Heiði in Gönguskörðum in  1865-66. He worked for the widow Elísabet Jónsdóttir at Krithóll in Neðribyggð in 1866-67, after that he established a farm.  Sigmundur was a farmer at Ytra-Mallandi on Skagi in 1867-68 with Jórunn Jónsdóttir as a housekeeper. He withdrew from his farm and worked as a laborer at Skefilsstaðir on Skagi in 1868-69, he worked with his sister Sigríður at Slehólum in Gönguskörðum in 1869-70, at Fagranes on Reykjaströnd in 1870-71, at Skarð in Gönguskarð in 1871-72, at Hvalnes on Skagi in 1873-74 and at Vakurstaðir in Hallárdalur in 1874-75, then he re-established a farm. He was a farmer at Kirkjubær in Norðurárdalur in 1875-76 and at Núpur at the mouth Laxárdalur in 1876-77. Sigmundur withdrew again from his farm for two years and worked as a laborer on Heiði in Gönguskörðum in 1877-78 and at Hólakot on Reykjaströnd in 1878-79. He was a farmer at Sæunnarstaðir in Hallárdalur in 1879-81 or longer, and at Harrastaðakot on Skagaströnd in 1883-84. He then withdrew again from his farm for one year and was worked as a farm hand at Sæborg on Bæjarklettar in 1884-85. He was a farmer at Bæ on Höfðaströnd in 1885-86. He withdrew again from farming and worked as a farm hand at Sæborg in 1886-88, and then went to North America. He settled at Gimli in New Iceland in 1891 and appears to have lived there for a while, but otherwise little is known about his affairs after he went abroad.

Sigmundur experienced prolonged scarcity while here in Iceland. He was found guilty of simple sheep theft and petty stealing in 1867-68. He seized an adult sheep from the round-up at Bakkakot in the autumn of 1867, he butchered it and ate it. The sheep belonged to the widow Elísabet Jónsdóttir at Krithóll. She had been Sigmund´s housewife the year before.  He had fully compensated her, on his own accord, for the sheep by paying her 8 states dollars before legal proceedings began against him. At the district level Sigmundur was sentenced to 60 strokes with a rod as punishment. He also had to pay a premium on the stolen sheep and all legal costs "and be subject to special monitoring  by the Police Board for 18 months." Sigmundur appealed this ruling to the supreme court , which  mitigated the judgment so that Sigmundur was made ​​the subject of  40 strokes by a rod as punishment. He also had to pay a premium on the stolen  sheep with 7 state dollars and 72 shillings, and all legal costs "and be subject to special monitoring by the Police Board for 1 year." Sigmundur  was again caught for petty theft  early in Þorri (the  mid-winter month of January)  in 1870 and was sentenced by the district court to 12 strokes by a rod as punishment. He also had to pay a premium for the stolen item, with 1 state dollar and 64 shillings, and all legal costs.

In 1892, Sigmundur´s debt free assets were valued at 135 dollars, and he owned three cows and a four young bulls.

Sigmundur married Kristín Jóhannesdóttir in 1875, she was born in 1847 at Kirkjuskarð in the mouth of Laxárdalur, and she died after 1888 in North America. Her father, Jóhannes Ingimundarson, was then a laborer at Kirkjuskarð. Jóhannes´s father, Ingimundur Jónsson, was a farmer at Glaumbær in Langidalur. Ingimundur´s wife was Kristín Jónsdóttir from the parish of Bólstaðarhlíð. The wife of Jóhannes and mother of Kristín was Ragnheiður Brandsdóttir. Ragnheiður´s father was Brandur Gíslason, a farmer at Úlfagil in the mouth of Laxárdalur. Brandur´s father was Gísli Bjarnason, a farmer at Lækjarmót in Víðidalur. Gísli´s wife was Ólöf Árnadóttir. Before that, Ólöf was first married to Ólafur Þórðarson a farmer at Saurum on Skagaströnd. Her second marriage was to Guðmundur Arason, a farmer at Sporður and at Auðunarstaðakot in Víðidalur.

Ólöf´s father, Árni was from Bergsstaðir. Brandur was the half-brother (same mother) of Anna Ólafsdóttir. Anna was the wife of Haraldur Natanaelsson a farmer at Sauðafell in Miðdalur. Brandur´s first wife and the mother of Ragnheiður was Steinunn Bjarnadóttir. The parents of Steinunn were Bjarni Bjarnason a farmer at Neðri-Fitjum in Víðidalur and his wife Ragnhildur Gunnarsdóttir. Ragnhildur´s father was Gunnar Jónsson a farmer  at Klambrir in Vesturhópi .

Kristín was confirmed [Luther’s catechism] while living with the couple Ingialdur Þorsteinsson and Guðrún Runólfsdóttir at Balaskarð in the mouth of Laxárdalur in 1862. She worked as a maid at Sölvabakkin in Refasveit in 1865-66, at Holt in Ásum in 1866-69 and at Þverá in Norðurárdalur in 1869-70. She was a housekeeper for the widower Nikulás Halldórsson at the same place in 1870-74. Nikulás died in 1874, Kristín ran the estate until flitting days, [at the end of May (old style)] in 1875, and then became a housekeeper for Sigmundur at Kirkjubær, and they married that same year.

Children of the couple were:

Margaret, born in 1876. Went with her parents to America in 1888.

Ingimundur, born in 1879. Went with his parents to America in 1888.

Steinunn, born in 1880. Went with her parents to America in 1888.

Albert, born in 1883. Went with his parents to America in 1888.

Before her marriage Kristin had a child with her house-master Nikulás. Nikulás Halldórsson, born in 1802 at Balaskarð in the mouth of Laxárdalur, died in 1874 at Þverá in Norðurárdal. Nikulás was a farmer there with his wife, Ósk Ólafsdóttir, from 1842 until his death,. Nikulás was the brother of the mother of Nikulás Guðmundsson a lodger at Hróarsstaðakot on Skagaströnd and other places; he was in his time called “thieves-lási”. The child of Kristín and Nikulás was:

Kristmundur Nikulásson, born 1871, died 1877. He was fostered at Þverá.

Sources: P. Z.; Jarða-og búendatal; Svipir og sagnir, bls 198; Troðningar og tóftabrot, bls 100-104; Landsyfirréttardómar X, bls.295-298; Vesturfaraskrá, bls 277 and 279; búnaðarskýrsla frá Nýja Íslandi 1892, bls. 32-33; Skagstrendingasaga Magnúsar Björnssonar, bls. 68; Dóm. Skag. 31, marz, 24. maí and 9, júlí 1870 and 21, okt. 1882; kirkjubækur and other sources (G.S.J.)