Billy Smith, Kanel (1886 – 1968)
	
Billy Smith was born in Dyea, Alaska to mother Jikaak'w. He was a nephew to Skookum Jim and brother to Dawson Charlie, and Patsy Henderson.((//Whitehorse Area Chiefs, 1898 to 1998.// Whitehorse: Kwanlin Dün First Nation, 1997: 12, 30.)) Billy Smith was very young when Skookum Jim, Charlie, and Patsy Henderson left for the Klondike. Billy was left behind to look after his mother, Kooyay. Kooyay was Kate Carmack's (Shaaw Tlaa), sister.((Julie Cruikshank, "Images of Society in Klondike Gold Narratives: Skookum Jim and the Discovery of Gold." //Ethnohistory// 39:1 (Winter 1992).)) Billy travelled to Seattle with his uncle after Skookum Jim discovered gold in the Klondike.((Julie Cruikshank, //Life Lived Like A Story.// Vancouver: UBC Press, 1990: 229, 231-2.))
Before Billy married Kitty, he was partners with Charley Brown and John Joe. Charley Brown was Kitty's mother's brother. When Kitty trapped a live silver fox, she got $1800 for it and Charley told Billy what a good trapper she was. Billy built a house for Kitty and her grandmother at Robinson as part of their marriage agreement.((Julie Cruikshank, //Life Lived Like A Story.// Vancouver: UBC Press, 1990: 229, 231-2.)) 
	
After Smith and Kitty (Kaduhikh), a high-ranking Tlingit woman, were married, Kitty joined her husband at Robinson and brought along her Marsh Lake grandmother.((//Whitehorse Area Chiefs, 1898 to 1998.// Whitehorse: Kwanlin Dün First Nation, 1997: 12, 30.)) They spent years in the area and a number of her children were born there. They hunted with others at Ddhäl Nàdhäda (Robinson Mountain).((Helene Dobrowolsky, “Robinson Roadhouse Historic Site” Bibliography of Archival Resources & Site Chronology.” Yukon Historic Sites, January 2020: 4.))

Kitty Smith worked for four years at the Carcross Hotel while Billy led hunting parties. They and their sons mined for gold in the Wheaton River area for ten years. They had a big house and used hydraulics at the mine but the ground on the main creek was not good. They were trapping at Robinson when the Alaska Highway construction started. Billy became one of the guides for the crews working between Whitehorse and Watson Lake.((Helene Dobrowolsky, “Robinson Roadhouse Historic Site” Bibliography of Archival Resources & Site Chronology.” Yukon Historic Sites, January 2020: 4.)) Kitty Smith described the job by saying the guide walked and walked and two men went behind blazing the trail. Billy knew the way and they made it to Teslin.((Ken Coates, //North to Alaska!// Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1992: 76.)) The United States Army set up a large camp at Robinson and Kitty made enough money to buy a truck by selling hide and fur clothing to the soldiers.((Helene Dobrowolsky, “Robinson Roadhouse Historic Site” Bibliography of Archival Resources & Site Chronology.” Yukon Historic Sites, January 2020: 4.)) 
Over the years, the Smiths travelled and lived at Marsh Lake, Teslin, and Little Atlin areas.((//Listen to the Stories: A History of the Kwanlin Dün: Our Land and People.// Kwanlin Dün First Nation, 2013: 66-67.))

After the Alaska Highway was built, they moved to Whitehorse.((//Listen to the Stories: A History of the Kwanlin Dün: Our Land and People.// Kwanlin Dün First Nation, 2013: 66-67.)) Billy Smith was selected as the first chief of the newly formed Whitehorse Indian Band from 1957 to 1965. He worked to win the right for all First Nation people to vote. His councillors were Scurvey Shorty and John McGundy.((//Whitehorse Area Chiefs, 1898 to 1998.// Whitehorse: Kwanlin Dün First Nation, 1997: 12, 30.)) 

Chief Billy Smith was a sometimes collaborator in creating the carvings of his wife, Kitty Smith. Billy Smith was also a well-known storyteller.((Paul Tucker, “Flea market find inspires new First Nation art exhibition in Yukon.” //CBC News,// 14 May 2017. 2019 website: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/kitty-smith-carving-flea-market-exhibition-whitehorse-1.4113543)) He was well-respected leader and healer. He was a drummer and dancer who composed his own songs. Chief Billy Smith  is buried at the Carcross Indian Cemetery.((//Listen to the Stories: A History of the Kwanlin Dün: Our Land and People.// Kwanlin Dün First Nation, 2013: 66-67.))