Isaac Garbutt moved from Yorkshire, England to Canada with his bride Mary Clark in 1832. They travelled to Smith Township in 1835, from the Brighton area of Northumberland County with two small children by foot and oxcart with a cow, a pig and all their belongings.  Isaac had located fifty acres on concession nine in Smith Township for mixed farming.  By 1875, Isaac had eight hundred acres and a family of eight.

Isaac was very involved in community life, helping fellow farmers buy seeds in volume and speaking to groups to improve farm practices.  Isaac judged plowing matches and the sheep show at the Provincial Exhibition in 1866.  He was president of the Peterborough Agricultural Exhibition in 1871-1872.

Isaac’s political career spanned many years.  He was a member of the first Smith Township Council in 1850.  He was also appointed Justice of the Peace that year. Isaac was Deputy Reeve many times and served as Reeve in 1858 and again in 1874-75.  Isaac was elected Warden of the county in 1874.

In 1840, under the guidance of Reverend John Gilmour, a group of Smith Township people built a chapel known as the Line Church which was later known as Gilmour Memorial Baptist Church.  Isaac was a founding member of this church.

In 1868-69 he served on a committee to supervise the construction of the floating bridge across Chemong Lake.  In the 1880’s he was a member of the delegation to Ottawa to urge the Minister of Railways and Canals to construct a canal from Lakefield to Peterborough.

Nominated by Yvonne Garbutt, 2018