John Freemont Smith was born in the Danish West Indies (now the Virgin Islands). He initially prospected in the Interior then spent some time in Victoria where he married and started a family. The family moved back to Kamloops where John owned and operated a retail business. In 1902 he became secretary of the Board of Trade. A year later he was elected alderman and served for four years. Various sources report that Smith served as the Indian Agent for the Kamloops Area from 1912 to 1923 and was instrumental in community organizations, including the Kamloops Agricultural Association, Rifle Association, Children’s Aid and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.
You may also like
Designation Date: April 20,2009 “Our government is proud to honor a man who worked tirelessly for the local Black Community as a […]
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaque (designation date: 1997-09-22) commemorating the arrival of the Black settlers in 1858 as “an event […]
Barack Obama was elected President on November 4, 2008, becoming the first African American to hold this office. He was re-elected in […]
The Imperial Government of the Crown Colony of Vancouver Island was created on March 11, 1850. Richard Blanshard, a 32 year-old barrister […]