Stephansson, Stephan G. National Historic Person
Markerville, Alberta
HSMBC Plaque and Cairn
(© Edward van Vliet / Stephansson House Provincial Historic Site / Lieu historique provincial de la maison Stephansson, 2018)
Address :
Markerville, Alberta
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1946-05-15
Life Date:
1853 to 1927
Other Name(s):
-
Stephansson, Stephan G.
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
1946-U.325-14
Importance:
Major Icelandic poet
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: on Community Grounds Markerville, Alberta
Born in Iceland, Stephansson emigrated to the United States in 1873, then moved to Canada, settling near Innisfail, Alberta, in 1889. Ten years later, having endured the hardships of the pioneer and having won respect for his service to the community, he published his first volume of poetry in Reykjavik, Iceland. Between 1900 and 1920 six additional volumes were published. Self-educated, he mastered all the Scandinavian literatures, and critics said of him that he was "unsurpassed by any other Icelandic poet since the Middle Ages". He died on his Alberta farm.
Existing plaque: National Museum
BORN IN SKAGAFJORD, ICELAND, ON 3RD OCTOBER, 1853, HE SETTLED IN THE MARKERVILLE DISTRICT IN 1889 WHERE HE LIVED UNTIL HIS DEATH ON 10TH AUGUST, 1927. RANKED AMONG THE GREAT POETS OF MODERN SCANDINAVIAN LITERATURE, HE ENDURED THE HARDSHIPS OF THE PIONEER AND IN MUCH OF HIS WORK DEPICTED THE LIFE AND SCENERY OF WESTERN CANADA WHICH SHARED HIS AFFECTION WITH THE LAND OF HIS BIRTH.