Magnus Thorkelson - The Burning at Auðnum

Magnus Thorkelson (1830-1885) was the son of Thorkel Rafnson and Margaret Gudmundsdottir.  Magnus married Vigdis Gudmundsdottir (1834-1906), daughter of Gudmundur Gissarson (the watchman) and Ingibjorg Jonsdottir. Magnus and Vigdis had 8 children together Gumundur, Margret, Vigdis, Gudrun (1862-), Thorkel (1866-1955), Grimur (1870-), Ingibjorg (1871-1962), Björn (1876-1954). They lived at Grimsstudum for 18 years, then moved to Auðnum, Vatnsleysuströnd across the bay from Reykjavik.  They were there nine years until the fire at Auðnum.

Vigdis Gudmundsdottir and Magnus Thorkelson

Magnus B Magnus records note that Magnus Thorkelson worked as a seafaring, outfitted his own ship and was counted a capable man. He was held in high esteem as may be seen when he was chosen to sit on a committee for the underprivileged, when it was first formed in Reykjavik in 1872.  He held this position till 1877, then he moved to Auðnum on the Vatnsleysuströnd, as he felt it was a better site for his undertakings. 

  

On the evening of October 2nd, 1885, a tragedy took place at Auðnum. Magnus Thorkelson died when his house caught fire and he did not escape.  Reports state that he was rescuing entrusted accounts out of his burning house, but failed to get out himself. Others of his household escaped unharmed.  Vigdis and their children were left homeless. In 1887, Vigdis decided to go to America with five of her children, Gudrun, Thorkel (Charlie), Grimur (Jim), Ingibjörg and Bjorn, and grandson Sigurdur (Sam). They came to America on the ship Romney.  

By then, the three oldest children were married, Gudmundur (father of Sigard), Margret was married to Sigurdur Sigurdsson. They had three children and later immigrated to Canada.  Vigdis was married to Gudmund Thorareinson, and had two children. 

Kristleifur Thorsteinsson wrote the following :

At Auðnum were two dwellings when I first came there. Both farms had timber houses and they were rather small and plain in all. A little distance was between these houses.   In the farther house lived Magnus Thorkelson and his wife Vigdis. Magnus was big and manly and noted for his strength. He had black wavy hair and dark whiskers. His face was not fleshy and his jowles were smooth. He was firm mouthed with compressed lips. Coarsely big he was not, but he stood out among average men, both in stamina and temperament. Little had these neighbors in common at Auðnum, but they were good neighbors. The other neighbor was Gudmundur Gudmonson. It did happen that they refreshed themselves with wine and there was making of fists, but it never lasted the day.

In the fall of 1885 flared up fire in Magnus’ house. A shed was built to the house that had hay and various articles stored and the fire started there and quickly caught the rest of the house. It was at night time. The people all got out.  The fire was so wild that the house filled quickly with smoke, as it was impossible to save clothing or household goods. Magnus still sought to enter and toss out the window anything he could reach. He was asked not to take these chances, but entered through the fire and smoke, where the hand could not be seen for the smothering smoke.  There had now gathered many people to the rescue, but all stood helpless. Sigudur Thorlaksson (workman) of Gudmundur was there with the others, he was an agile man and quick to act but rather small and moderate in strength. He broke a window in the house and got Magnus to it for a moment, he slid in and tried to get him by the hair and was going to pull him out, but Magnus broke loose and re-entered the burning and there he died.  After a little while the house and all in was levelled to the ground. A bearable turf house was build up on or close to where the house had stood, in the fall, and there stayed Vigdis, Magnus’s widow with some of the children for the winter.   I came to them there and found it very depressing to see the burned house and that big greater man of hers dead in such a horrible way.   

Misfortune did not come singly for those who lived after, Gudmundur oldest son of this couple had a mental breakdown and caused his own death by a gun shot.  He was well past 20 and a robust man. Both father and son were foreman and each had their own ship and were the main support of the home in full bloom when the big tragedy happened and completely destroyed the home. Never was Magnus Thoreklson’s house rebuilt and never has there been two dwellings at Auðnum since the burning.