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 United Farmers may refer to: *The United Farmers' MPs in the Canadian House of Commons who founded the Progressive Party of Canada in 1920 *United Farmers of Alberta, a political party which governed Alberta from 1921 to 1935 and also elected membe ...

caucus in government.

Early life

William 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. He attended Stratford Collegiate Institute and practiced dentistry. He was married January 30, 1907 to Evelyn Rutherford and had two children. Smith served in the

1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles The 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Army. Raised for service during the First World War as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), it was formed in November 1914, in Brandon, Manitob ...

of the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

during the Second Boer War.

Political career

Smith first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the

1921 Alberta general election The 1921 Alberta general election was held on July 18, 1921, to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly. It was one of only five times that Alberta has changed governments. The Liberal Party, which had governed the province since it ...

, as a United Farmers candidate in the electoral district of Redcliff. He defeated

Charles Pingle Charles Stueart PingleHis middle name is recorded as "Steuart" in his family's bible, along with the Parliament of Canadwebsiteon Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and an additionadocumentfrom the Alberta Legislature, however the s ...

, the Speaker of the Assembly, to pick up the seat for his party. 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. In the

1930 Alberta general election Year 193 ( CXCIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sosius and Ericius (or, less frequently, year 946 ''Ab urbe condit ...

Smith won a tight two-way race over independent candidate E. A. Mantz. In the

1935 Alberta general election The 1935 Alberta general election was held on August 22, 1935, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The newly founded Social Credit Party of Alberta won a sweeping victory, unseating the 14-year government of the United Farmer ...

he was defeated by Social Credit candidate David Lush. He finished a distant second in the three-way race. Smith died in 1968 at the age of 92.

References

External links

Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, William United Farmers of Alberta MLAs Canadian military personnel of the Second Boer War 1875 births 1968 deaths