Memorable Manitobans: James Wellington Smaill (1860-1937)
James W. Smaill
Businessman.
Born at Goderich, Huron County, Ontario on 3 March 1860, son of architect James Smaill, he was educated at the Goderich Public School and Collegiate Institute. He came to Manitoba in 1880, working in the real estate business in Emerson in the days of its boom then moved to Crystal City in 1881 where he opened an office and had charge of the business of the late Hon. Thomas Greenway. He moved to Killarney in 1884 where he homesteaded and opened a real estate business.
He and wife Ruth Ella Burns of Bowmanville had one son and two daughters. He was active in municipal affairs, serving as Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Turtle Mountain and Mayor of Killarney (1910, 1928-1937). He served for 13 years as County Court Clerk, was a member of the Killarney School Board for nine years, and President of the Killarney Curling Club for fourteen years. A notary public and a Police Magistrate, he was President of the Killarney Board of Trade for several terms. During the First World War, he was a member of the Tribunal Board and Chairman of the Red Cross and Patriotic League. He was Secretary of the Jamestown-Brandon Highway and Governor of the Highway for Canada. He was an Anglican and supported the Liberal party in politics.
He died at Killarney on 6 September 1937.
Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.
Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 13 April 2013