Jón Þorkelsson Thorkillius (1697-1759) and Sveinbjörn Egilsson (1791-1852), both born in Innri-Njarðvík, were close relatives. Jón was principal of the cathedral school at Skálhotl, and hence he has been called the father of primary education in Iceland. A monument was erected beside the church in his memory in 1965. Sveinbjörn too was a scholar, and the first principal of Reykjavík High School in 1846.

He was a great poet, translator and a grammarian, who wrote a dictionary of Icelandic skaldic language, the Lexicon Poëticum. His most famous works are his translations of Homer. He too is commemorated by a monument at the church.