HISTORY: Families and People: R-S | SMITH

Tom Smith, his wife, Isabella and their five children moved to Joe Rich in 1922. They owned the 160 acres on the south side of Mission Creek where the Russells now live. Their property also included all the properties between Thelwell Road and Mission Creek, the property now subdivided to Ken and Madeleine Hryciw, the Dunworkin’ property, and the Graham’s and Miller’s properties on the north side of Mission Creek. The remaining portion now owned by the Russells is 120 acres.

For a while Tom worked as foreman on the road. The highway bridge across Mission Creek has sometimes been called the Tom Smith Bridge. The Smiths also grew turnips and lettuce. They had milk cows for family use, but didn’t raise cattle. Mrs. Smith sold milk and eggs to whoever was living at Dunworkin’ which the family called ‘the Willett’s’. The children, Audrey born in 1913, Jenny Elizabeth born in 1915, Donald born in 1917, Winnie born in 1918, and Alan born in 1921 all attended Joe Rich School.

In 1922 and 23, they were living in town and the Philpotts lived in their house while Mr. Philpott built a log home for the family on the present Philpott property. The Smith house must have been hard to heat, because the Philpotts always remembered being very cold that first winter in Joe Rich. Later, the house burned down.

Tom Smith died of cedar poisoning and septicaemia in 1956.

Alan was killed in Italy while fighting in World War II. Don died in 1983 and Jenny (Smith) Giggy died in 1991 in Kelowna.

In 1958, the Smith’s place (Russell’s) was sold for $5,000 by Don and Doreen Smith to Mr. Christianson.