W. E. and Aggie Smith
Terrace Pioneers
By: Ina McNab
William Edgar Smith (Bill to friends but always Will to wife, mother and
sisters) was born in Listowell, Ontario, on December 31st, 1885. His very
early years were spent on the family farm in that area.
Will was about 12 years old when his parents, Thomas and Isobel Smith decided
they would take their young family of four and travel to the west. They made
the laborious trek by horse and wagon, the only mode of transport in that
age, and took up a homestead in southern Manitoba. After a stay of 2 or 3
winters in Manitoba they again loaded their possessions into their wagons
and travelled into Alberta, where they settled on farmland in the small settlement
of Ribstone. The senior Smiths lived out their lives here.
It is understandable, and likely a very normal thing that the four Smith children
received little formal schooling. Our father, Will, did mange to get the equivalent
of third grade. It was always quite amazing to us that he was very smart in
spite of the lack of education, and to this day, I can’t think of any
requirement he was unable to accomplish.
The farm at Ribstone did not hold Will for long and as a young adult he was
soon earning his living in the hauling business out of Lloydminster, some
60 miles from home.
In 1913 Will met and married Agnes Avila Burrison, who had also made the trek
from her native Ontario in 1911. Soon after their marriage they opened and
operated a small general store in the neighbouring town of Chauvin.
Their first born, Carmen arrived and two years later their first son, Thomas.
He was a sickly baby and died a few months later. Bruce was also born in Chauvin,
in March 1918, and it was the following year that Will and Aggie, along with
the Vanderlip and Waite families decided to move out to Terrace, B. C.
That was a big change from the dry prairie lands and I can remember dad speaking
of their first Christmas in Terrace when the dust was blowing on Kalum Street,
no snow.
They took up residence in a small three roomed house on Kalum Street, the
present site of a new Government Health Centre, and it was in this house their
second daughter, Ina, entered the world on a cold January night in 1920.
The parents of Aggie, Mr. And Mrs. Charles Burrison and Will’s parents,
Thomas and Isobel Smith had also travelled to Terrace in 1920. They did not
remain very long, but returned to their respective homes in Alberta and Ontario
by 1922.
In late 1921, Will moved his family into a spacious new home on Park Avenue,
present site of Park Manor. It was in this home that a third daughter, Lorna
was born on another cold night in January 1922.
In their first years in Terrace, Will established and operated Terrace Transfer,
a much needed hauling service in this nearly-new settlement. He started out
with two trusty horses, Mac and Dan and a sturdy wagon. A short time later
Mac and Dan were sold to John Lipps, a local market gardener and Will, along
with partner Rollie Beecher, purchased a Chevy truck chassis. They built a
flat deck on this truck body and for a number of years they hauled a wide
variety of wares to local homes and businesses. The truck was a welcome sight
on the streets of our small town and when not loaded with coal, fuel and/or
groceries, it was loaded with people. All of the group outings to Kalum or
Lakelse Lake, or wherever roads permitted, were made aboard this truck and
school children were always happy when allowed to pile on for a ride from
Kitsumgallum School to town.
This same truck doubled as a hearse in those years and was always draped with
black cloth prior to loading the casket.
I guess we were among the luckiest kids in town as a taxi car was also part
of dad’s fleet and we were most always transported to and from school
in bad weather.
This business was sold in the early 30’s and dad went to work at the
Lakelse Lake hatcheries until the demise of that operation in 1936. After
that he joined the Department of Highways, bridge division, where he remained
until his retirement, well after his 65th birthday. This work took him away
from home on many occasions since the area covered ranged from Smithers to
west of Terrace.
After his retirement he sold his home in town and moved to a warm and comfortable
house on his beloved Lakelse Lake. It was in this home that he suffered a
fatal heart attack at the age of 78. Death came quickly to our beloved father
and we like to think it was made a little easier because of the presence of
several of us, his family.
The family was devastated in July 1937 by the untimely death of Aggie. She
was a devoted wife, a wonderful mother and a kind and generous neighbour.
Besides raising her family of four under pretty difficult circumstances at
times, she was always interested and involved in community activities. She
was a charter member of Mountainview Rebekah Lodge and worked tirelessly in
that organization, as well as with the United Church Ladies Guild.
Will was also a charter member of the Oddfellows Lodge and the Orangemen Association.
These two Terrace pioneers gave generously of time and selves in the formation
and operation of the various clubs and organizations in the early years.
Two small headstones in the Kitsumgallum Cemetery mark the burial places of
these two early residents, Will (1885-1963) and Aggie (1893-1937) Smith.
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Will and Aggie Smith - 1918 |
Will and Aggie |
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Smith Family |
Carmen, Bruce, Ina, Lorna - 1922 |
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Smith and Waite Families - Terrace, 1920 |
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