J. Lawrence Smith (1889-1967)

Municipal politician, flood-damage assessor.

Born in Dundee, Scotland on 21 January 1889, he came to Canada at the age of 22, and settled in the Sidney district of Manitoba, where he farmed until 1928. He subsequently farmed in the MacDonald District and northeast of Portage la Prairie. He served as Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie from 1949 to 1961. He served as president of the Union of Manitoba Municipalities in 1959-60, and as its secretary from 1960 to 1967. Smith was appointed a flood damage assessor for the province in 1950, and served on the Red River Valley Board, 1966-67. He was a President and Director of the Portage Industrial Exhibition and Director of the Portage Mutual Insurance Company. In 1956, he received the Golden Boy Award for his public service. He died at Portage la Prairie on 7 March 1967 and was buried in Hillside Cemetery.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 9 March 1967.

Profile revised: 4 October 2009

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