William C. Smith (politician)

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	(1875-07-12)July 12, 1875 Glenallen, Ontario
Died	May 24, 1968(1968-05-24) (aged 92) Medicine Hat, Alberta
Political party	United Farmers
Spouse(s)	Susan Evelyn Rutherford m 20 Jan 1907[1]
Occupation	politician

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.^[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

Smith 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]