William Cunningham Smith (July 12, 1875 – May 24, 1968) was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1921 to 1935 as a member of the United Farmers caucus in government.
William Cunningham Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
| In office July 18, 1921 – June 28, 1926 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Pingle |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Constituency | Redcliff |
| In office June 28, 1926 – August 22, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | David Lush |
| Constituency | Empress |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 12, 1875 Glenallen, Ontario |
| Died | May 24, 1968 (aged 92) Medicine Hat, Alberta |
| Political party | United Farmers |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Evelyn Rutherford m 20 Jan 1907[1] |
| Occupation | politician |
Early life
editWilliam Cunningham Smith was born July 12, 1875, at Glenallen, Ontario to Abram Smith a public school teacher and his wife Eliza Cunningham, both of Irish descent.[2] He attended Stratford Collegiate Institute and practiced dentistry. He was married January 30, 1907 to Evelyn Rutherford and had two children.[2] Smith served in the 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Second Boer War.[2]
Political career
editSmith first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1921 Alberta general election, as a United Farmers candidate in the electoral district of Redcliff. He defeated Charles Pingle, the Speaker of the Assembly, to pick up the seat for his party.[3]
The electoral district of Redcliff was abolished in redistribution by 1926. Smith ran for re-election in the new seat of Empress in the election held that year and defeated two other candidates.[4]
In the 1930 Alberta general election Smith won a tight two-way race over independent candidate E. A. Mantz.[5]
In the 1935 Alberta general election he was defeated by Social Credit candidate David Lush. He finished a distant second in the three-way race.[6]
Smith died in 1968 at the age of 92.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Person Details for William C Smith, "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927" — FamilySearch.org". familysearch.org.
- ^ a b c Normandin, A. L., ed. (1935). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Ottawa: Mortimer Company Ltd. p. 379. ISSN 0315-6168. OCLC 893686591. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- ^ "Redcliff Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ "Empress Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ "Empress Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ "Empress Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ "Obituaries". The Medicine Hat News. 25 May 1968. p. 14.