Over a thousand Icelandic immigrants arrived in New Iceland in the autumn of 1876, bringing with them the scourge of smallpox. The epidemic began at Icelandic River and quickly spread south and east across the lake, decimating the Native bands. The Keewatin Board of Health set up a quarantine blockade at Netley Creek, an emergency hospital at Gimli and sent three doctors into the colony.
Over six months all but 11 homesteads were infected by the disease. Many settlers were disfigured, 102 died, mostly children and the young. The pioneers buried their deceased loved ones in family plots on their homesteads, in the Icelandic Pioneer Cemetery in Gimli, in cemeteries at Nes on Icelandic River and at Husavik.
This monument is erected to honour the Icelandic smallpox victims whose exact resting place is unknown and for whom no headstones exist. In 2007, the R.M. of Gimli designated the Icelandic Pioneer Cemetery, the oldest in New Iceland, as a municipal heritage site.
| Dedicated to the Memory of |
| Thorgrimur G Thorgrimsson Age 2 | Hjalmar Palmason Age 7 |
| Kristin S Arnadottir Age 40 | Pall Magnusson Age 9 |
| Lilja Hjalmsdottir Age 24 | Magnus Magnusson Age 1 |
| Arni Arnason Age 12 | Gunnar T Gottskalksson Age 3 Mos |
| Johann Jonsson Age 44 | Pall Palsson Age 5 |
| Ragnheiour J Johannsdottir Age 24 | Jon Sigurdsson Age 1 |
| Ragnar J Gunnarsson Age 2 Mos | Jon G. Sigurgeirsson Age 5 |
| Ragnheidur J Davidsdottir Age 3 Mos | Jon Pjetursson Age 2 |
| Magnus Palsson Age 7 | Thora Kristjansdottir Age 8 |
| Astridur Arnadottir Age 12 | Jon Kristjansson Age 11 |
| Einar Jonsson Age 4 | Gudmundur Gudmundsson Age 1 |
| Thorvaldur Jonsson Age 3 Mos | Albina Einarsdottir Age 6 |
| Petrina S Jonasdottir Age 4 | Margrjet Stephansdottir Just Born |
| Sveinn Thorkelsson Age 8 | Kristjana Kristjansdottir Just Born |
| Jon Thorkelsson Age 6 | Johann Thorberg Just Born |
| Sigurveig I Jonsdottir Age 2 | Jon Halldorsson Age 4 |
| Sigridur M Sigurgeirsdottir Age 3 | Fridrik Halldorsson Age 2 |
| Johanna O Sigurgeirsdottir Age 1 | Teitur Jonsson Age 4 |
| Fridrik Magnusson Age 1 | Sigridur Jonsdottir Age 1 |
| Gunnlaugur B Skagfjord Age 3 | Oddieyfur Sigurdsson Age 52 |
| Thorlakur Sigurdsson Age 17 | Bjorn Sigurdsson Age 30 |
| Gudni Gudnason Age 50 | Agusta Jonasdottir Age 4 |
| Gudmundur Gudmundsson Age 10 | Gudmundur Einarsson Age 4 |
| Ingibjorg Hildibrandsdottir Age 26 | Kristjan Gislason Age 6 |
| Thorunn Gudmundsdottir Age 3 | Holmfridur I Einarsdottir Age 1 |
| Sigbrudur Gudmundsdottir Age 13 | Thorkell S Pjetursson Age 1 |
| Johann Johannsson Age 9 | Ragnheidur Finnsdottir Age 5 |
| Sigmundur Palsson Age 13 | Pall Flietursson Age 1 |
| Pjetur Jonsson Age 9 | Gudrun Palsdottir Age 24 |
| Adalheidur Jonsdottir Age 29 | Thorun Palsdottir Age 14 |
| Arnfridur Johannsdottir Age 39 | Jon Bjornsson Age 4 |
| Sigridur Palsdottir Age 1 | Friorik Fiinnbogason Age 47 |
| Skuli Gudmundsson Age 9 | Bjorn Hjorleyfsson Age 5 |
| Johann Palsson Age 17 | Gudmundur Sveinbjornsson Age 4 |
| Marteinn Jonsson Age 37 | Sigridur Bjornsdottir Age 24 |
| Kristin Marteinsdottir Age 4 | Sigurbjorg Halldorsdottir Age 3 |
| Flovent Halldorsson Age 37 | Thorsteinn Bjarnason Age 29 |
| Pall Johannsson Age 6 | Einar Kr. Johannsson Age 7 |
| Ingiridur Espolin Age 4 | Thuridur Sigurdardottir Age 5 Mos |
| Johannes Indridason Age 4 | Arni Pjetursson Age 12 |
| Anna I Bjornsdottir Age 6 | Jon Samsonsson Age 1 |
| Jonas Tr Bjarnason Age 1 | Jon Jonsson Age 2 Mos |
| Anna S Myrdal Age 3 | Gudrun Thordardottir Age 34 |
| Gurdun Jonatansdottir Age 8 | Thordys Jonsdottir Age 3 |
| Grimur Grimsson Age 48 | Kristjan Kristjansson Age 5 |
| Johanna G Grimsdottir Age 3 | Gudjon S. Jonsson Age 1 |
| Gudmundur Einarsson Age 5 | Gudbjorg Jonsdottir Age 4 |
| Maria Sveinbjornsdottir Age 55 | Steinunn Floventsdottir Age 3 |
| Helga Jonsdottir Age 44 | Ingibjorg Palsdottir Age 4 |
| Eyjolfur Jonsson Age 5 | Thorgerdur Jonatansdottir Age 33 |