John E. Smith (Born July 12th 1849- 1919)
7/12/2010 at 7:42 AM
When he moved to Brandon, he established his "Beresford Farm." In 1882, the town of Beresford, which is located southwest of Brandon was named after this enterprise.
He raised stock, and farmed on approximately 7,000 acres. He began to Subdivided his property, and sold this land to new Settlers.
In 1892 he started the Smithfield Stock Farm, where he also resided. He continued to farm, and raise Thoroughbreds, (Horses) which he shipped throughout the Territories, British Columbia, and western United States.
He was considered one of the largest individual Landowners in Manitoba, establishing several farms, and selling them to more newcomers.
Mr. Smith was born on July 12th 1849 in the Township of Clark, Durham County, Ontario. He was the son of Rutherford Smith, and his wife Mary who in 1831 had immigrated from Roxborough, Scotland to Durham Ontario where they homesteaded for thirty years.
In 1861 the family moved to Huron County where they continued to engage in farming until the death of Rutherford Smith.
John E. Smith was educated at Public School in Huron County, and Rockwood Academy after which he worked as a Clerk in a Mercantile store for five years.
He then taught school in Huron County from 1869 until 1872. Between 1871 until 1881 he was a General Merchandiser at Brussels in Huron County.
In the spring of 1881 he moved to Manitoba before the Canadian Pacific railway was built. On July 1st he arrived in Winnipeg, and after a visit to Brandon returned to Birds Hill, where he purchased 240 acres.
He returned to Ontario intending to stay there, but in December the Real Estate market had began to Boom in Winnipeg, and so he sold property for the following winter.
He was a member of the Independent Order of Foresters (I.O.F), the Council of Fellows (C.O.F), the Ancient Order of United Workmen (A.O.U.W.), the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) the Liberal Party, and a member of the Presbyterian Church.
In 1878 John married Margaret Hunter of London Ontario who was born on 26th April 1857, she was the daughter of Jake Hunter, (a merchant), and Mary McLean both emigrants from Armagh, Ireland.
They had arrived in Canada in 1848, and settled in Middlesex County, Mr. Hunter later retired to Gray, Durham County.
In 1905, John, and Margaret erected ‘one of the finest homes in Western Manitoba’ at 1036 Louise Avenue where they raised five children, Archibald W. H., (A graduate of Manitoba College, BA, LLB): he practiced Law in Virden with the Hon. J. H. Agnew, Hunter, (a hardware merchant in Brandon), Stella, (in 1906 she attended Manitoba College, and received 5 scholarships during her three years there), Beatrice, and Laura.
In 1906 the J. E. Smith Block was under construction when Brandon’s first builders strike ensued, and labourers on the site demanded more money. This building was the city’s loftiest when construction was finished.
Margaret died in Brandon on the 21st of October 1912 at age 55 years.
John died in Brandon on the 24th of November 1919 at age 70 years.
They are interned together in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery.
Note: The house at 11th Street, and Louise Avenue is constructed in the Queen Anne Style. The prominent tower, and relatively large size cause this building to stand out from the other neighbouring structures.
The unique architectural design can be observed in the overhanging gables supported by knee braces, and the sumptuous veranda with its bulbous Tuscan columns. Family tradition says that this house is a duplicate of a relative’s home that existed in Brussels, Ontario.
The building was used to house the Brandon Allied Arts Centre from the 1959’s until 1984 when it was turned into a community group home named the Welcome Inn.
Source: The History of Manitoba, by Professor George Bryce, 1906.
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