Victoria Vanier
The Stanstead Journal (*Reprinted with permission)

The town of Stanstead is renowned for being the birthplace of Canada’s first car, Henry Seth Taylor’s steam buggy. On a similar note, it is also the home of one of Canada’s oldest, possibly the oldest, drivers, Mrs. Myrtle Stewart Smith.

At one hundred years of age, Mrs. Smith recently renewed her driving license, following the obligatory medical check-up for “senior” seniors. “I’m in good health. I’m just old,” she joked from her home in Stanstead. Mrs. Smith, whose own mother lived to one hundred and four, does not take any medication and remains active taking care of her home, knitting and sewing. “I’ve always loved dress making and making my own clothes. I used to sew for men, women and children all over the three villages,” she commented. And she enjoys taking the car out to go on errands and visits.

“I’ve been driving since I was young. When I started driving, people had a “family” license and anyone in the family could drive,” explained Mrs. Smith. The first car that she drove was a Model T Ford. She also fondly remembered driving a V 8 coupe, but her favourite car was a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle. “I liked that car an awful lot,” she admitted. In 1995, she bought herself a new Cavalier which she is still driving today.

“Cars are more fun today,” commented this driver with well over eighty years of experience. “They are quicker and they’re safer. And we didn’t have automatics before,” she added.

Mrs. Smith, born Myrtle Stewart, first came to the region, from New Brunswick, when she was twelve, moving to a farm in Burrough’s Falls with her parents and older sister. “I remember walking to Ayer’s Cliff every Saturday morning to learn to play the piano. I loved playing piano,” said Myrtle who still plays in her home in the evenings.

It was also during her trips to Ayer’s Cliff that Myrtle met her future husband, William Smith. They married on May 12 th, 1925, and soon after moved to Stanstead. “Bill came home one night after work and said ‘I want to build a house’, and so I built it right along with him,” mentioned Mrs. Smith who has always enjoyed working hard. “I always worked very hard. It doesn’t hurt anybody to work hard when taken with reason,” she said.

“When Mr. Smith came home after the Second World War, he said, ‘Let’s put a second story on this house’ and that pleased me because I wanted a bigger house, so I built that with him too!” she explained about the home where she still lives.

“I loved living in Stanstead and after I had a daughter and then a son, I knew I had everything I always wanted,” she said, referring to her children, Doreen and Terry Smith who both still live in the area. Mrs. Smith also has two grandsons who come by and help her with the heavier chores related to daily living.

This centenarian had some good advice for staying healthy: “I eat lots of fruit and vegetables – and eat three good meals a day. And I get a lot of sleep. With a good appetite and plenty of sleep, you can get along almost anywhere. Don’t worry too much. Accept what comes and make the best of it. I try not to let anything bother me. And don’t be afraid to undertake something difficult!”

Mrs. Smith concluded the interview with perhaps the biggest reason for her long and healthy life: “I like living!”



(Photo: Victoria Vanier)