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
Fielding and Julia Spotts were part of the first Black community that settled in Saanich, just north of Victoria. They had eight […]
The Society promoted this event put on by the UVIC Office of Community-University Engagement. “A Queer Trial“, written by University of Victoria […]
In May 2023, after the close of the “Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum” exhibit, BCBHAS and Royal BC Museum […]
In 1986 the City of Victoria undertook The Fort Victoria Brick Project to commemorate early Victoria pioneers and settlers. A double row […]