.gif)
Harry Smith (Alberta politician)
Encyclopedia
Henry Richard Smith (September 11, 1873 – October 24, 1928) was a politician and physician
in Alberta
, Canada
. He served on Edmonton City Council
from 1912 until 1914 and as president of the Edmonton Conservative
Association and the Alberta Medical Association
.
, Ontario
. He was educated in Oxford County
and at the Woodstock Collegiate Institute in Woodstock
, Ontario
, and studied medicine at Trinity University
in Toronto
, from which he graduated in 1899. He did post-graduate work in Edinburgh
, Scotland
and London
, England
, and was house surgeon at Toronto General Hospital
upon his return.
In 1901, he moved west to Alberta and practiced medicine in Star
for a year and a half before relocating again to Edmonton. There he specialized in surgery. In 1910 he was elected president of the Alberta Medical Association
, and in 1912 was appointed to the board of directors of Alberta College.
In 1901, he married Martha Doyle, with whom he would have a daughter. Martha died in January 1901, and Smith married Mabel Rife, with whom he would have a son and a daughter.
, but was defeated, finishing fourth of six candidates in an election in which the top three were elected. In 1912
he ran for and was elected as alderman on the Edmonton City Council
, finishing first of seventeen candidates. He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of his two year term.
and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
, and was a Methodist.
He was taken with erysipelas
October 21, 1928, and died three days later.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served on Edmonton City Council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
from 1912 until 1914 and as president of the Edmonton Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
Association and the Alberta Medical Association
Alberta Medical Association
The Alberta Medical Association is an organization of physicians in the Canadian province of Alberta. It describes itself as an "advocate for its physician members, providing leadership and support for their role in the provision of quality health care"...
.
Early life
Harry Smith was born September 11, 1873 in New HamburgNew Hamburg, Ontario
New Hamburg is a community of approximately 8,739 in Wilmot Township, a rural township of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He was educated in Oxford County
Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County is a regional municipality and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Southern portion of the province. The regional seat is in Woodstock...
and at the Woodstock Collegiate Institute in Woodstock
Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock is a city and the county seat of Oxford County in Southern Ontario, Canada. Woodstock is located 128 km southwest of Toronto, north of Highway 401 along the historic Thames River...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and studied medicine at Trinity University
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, from which he graduated in 1899. He did post-graduate work in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was house surgeon at Toronto General Hospital
Toronto General Hospital
The Toronto General Hospital , is a part of the University Health Network, and a major teaching hospital in downtown Toronto, Ontario. It is located in the Discovery District, directly north of the Hospital for Sick Children, across Gerrard Street West, and east of Princess Margaret Hospital and...
upon his return.
In 1901, he moved west to Alberta and practiced medicine in Star
Star, Alberta
Star is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Lamont County. It is located on Highway 831, approximately north of Lamont and south of Highway 45.- See also :*List of communities in Alberta*List of hamlets in Alberta*Edna-Star Colony- References :...
for a year and a half before relocating again to Edmonton. There he specialized in surgery. In 1910 he was elected president of the Alberta Medical Association
Alberta Medical Association
The Alberta Medical Association is an organization of physicians in the Canadian province of Alberta. It describes itself as an "advocate for its physician members, providing leadership and support for their role in the provision of quality health care"...
, and in 1912 was appointed to the board of directors of Alberta College.
In 1901, he married Martha Doyle, with whom he would have a daughter. Martha died in January 1901, and Smith married Mabel Rife, with whom he would have a son and a daughter.
Politics
Smith ran for the Edmonton public school board in the 1910 municipal electionEdmonton municipal election, 1910
The 1910 municipal election was held December 12, 1910 for the purpose of electing a mayor and five aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as three public school trustees and five separate school trustees...
, but was defeated, finishing fourth of six candidates in an election in which the top three were elected. In 1912
Edmonton municipal election, December 1912
The second of two 1912 municipal elections was held December 9, 1912 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and three trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards....
he ran for and was elected as alderman on the Edmonton City Council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
, finishing first of seventeen candidates. He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of his two year term.
Later life and death
In 1921, after several years as city coroner, Smith was appointed medical superintendent for the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where he was credited with vastly improving the hospital's financial position and with advocating for the creation of a children's hospital. He remained active with the MasonsFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...
, and was a Methodist.
He was taken with erysipelas
Erysipelas
Erysipelas is an acute streptococcus bacterial infection of the deep epidermis with lymphatic spread.-Risk factors:...
October 21, 1928, and died three days later.