Memorable Manitobans: Skuli Benjaminson (1879-1970)

Building contractor, fur farmer.

Born in Iceland in 1879, he came to Canada with his family in 1883 and settled on a farm at Arnes. After his father's death, he moved with his mother and sister to Winnipeg. In 1905, he homesteaded at Guernsey, Saskatchewan and returned three years later to go into the construction business. Described as an “extremely active and reputable builder during the early year,” he built houses, schools, school, banks, and apartment blocks. In 1930, he switched to fur farming from which he retired in 1948.

He was married twice, first to Laufey Swanson (1879-1921) with whom he had four children: Edward Benjamin “Eddie” Benjaminson (1914-1973), Elvera Steinun Benjaminson (1915-1993, wife of Gissur Eliasson), Inga Anna Melba Benjaminson (1917-1990), and Fredrick Carl “Fred” Benjaminson (1918-1992). On 22 March 1927, he married Setselja “Setta” Ogmundson (1880-1967) at Winnipeg.

He died at Palm Desert, California on 8 January 1970 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

Some of his construction works in Manitoba included:

Building	Location	Year	Status
Simcoe Apartments	614 Simcoe Street, Winnipeg	1912
Saxon Apartments	190 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg	1923
Sparling Apartments	217 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg	1925
Winnitoba Apartments	54 Young Street, Winnipeg	1926
Enfield Court	661 Sara Avenue, Winnipeg	1927
Brantford Apartments	550 Ellice Avenue, Winnipeg	1928
Churchill Apartments	115 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg	1929
Gaspe Apartments	597 Broadway, Winnipeg	1929
Bessborough Apartments	380 Assiniboine Avenue, Winnipeg	1931
Raleigh Apartments	340 Vaughan Street, Winnipeg	1931

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Benjaminson Park Plaque (Assiniboine Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Death registration [Laufey Benjaminson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Setselja Benjaminson], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 January 1967, page 21.

“Early Icelandic builders in Winnipeg” by S. Aleck Thorarinson, Logberg Heimskringla, 30 March 1967, page 7.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 12 January 1970, page 31.

Obituary [Edward Benjamin Benjaminson], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 October 1973, page 39.

Obituary [Inga Benjaminson], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 February 1990, page 35.

Obituary [Fredrick Carl Benjaminson], Winnipeg Free Press, 25 February 1992, page 31.

Obituary [Elvera Eliasson], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 April 1993, page 33.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 1 June 2022

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