Alan R.G. Smith

Alan R.G. Smith was born on Churchill Farm in Wilmot Township. A public servant most of his life, he served as secretary of the Wilmot Agricultural Society, the New Hamburg Board of Trade and the Waterloo County Mothers Allowance Board. He was president of the Ontario Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, the Ontario Experimental Union and the Waterloo Crop Improvement Association.

For thirteen years he lectured for the Ontario Department of Agriculture and spearheaded a campaign to eradicate sow thistles in Western Ontario. He was District Weed Inspector for several years and was an active member of the Farmers Institute.

For several years he was superintendent of the Ontario Government’s “Soils and Crops Train” – a project with speakers encouraging farms to use up-to-date methods of farming.

Smith’s interest in local history led to the discovery of native artifacts in the Baden Hills area and he wrote a number of articles for the Waterloo Historical Society’s annual volume.