Smith McKay was a prospector, merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Twillingate-Fogo in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

 from 1869 to 1874 and from 1882 to 1889.

He was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia

Pictou, Nova Scotia

Pictou is a town in Pictou County, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Located on the north shore of Pictou Harbour, the town is approximately 10 km north of the larger town of New Glasgow....

 and came to Newfoundland in 1844, becoming a partner in a fishery supply and export business. McKay also was captain of a sealing ship and commanded a schooner which brought back oil from humpback whale

Humpback Whale

The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from and weigh approximately . The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the...

s. He was a partner in the Union Copper Mine, the first significant mining operation in the colony, with Charles James Fox Bennett. McKay was manager for the mine and also was involved in other mining ventures. In 1869, he married Susan Lock. He served as chairman of the Board of Works from 1883 to 1889. McKay died in office in St. John's

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

in 1889.

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