Near Morley in Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8, Alberta — Canada’s Prairie Region (North America)
Establishing Morleyville
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 2, 2022
1. Establishing Morleyville Marker
Robert Rundle introduced the Stoney people to Christian worship during his visit in 1842.
Rundle promised to send missionaries to stay with the Stoney people. In 1873, Rev. George McDougall and his wife Elizabeth, along with sons John and David and their families and friends, and a small herd of livestock arrived to establish a mission. They chose an area a few miles north of the river, but the next spring moved to this location near a natural ford for crossing the Bow River. This site, with trails radiating out in every direction, was a traditional camping spot for Stoneys and other native people.
(letter by Rev. George McDougall, May 28, 1873)
Erected by McDougall Stoney Mission Society; and the Calgary Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion
this page online
Location. 51° 11.219′ N, 114° 49.5′ W. Marker is near Morley, Alberta, in Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8. Marker can be reached from Bow Valley Trail (Provincial Highway 1A) 1.6 kilometers east of Morley Road (Provincial Highway 133X), on the right when traveling east. Marker is located at the McDougall Stoney Mission Historical Site, on the west side of the McDougall Memorial United Church. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Morley AB T0L 1N0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Stoney People (here, next to this marker); The Methodist Missionaries (here, next to this marker); Rev. George MacDougall (a few steps from this marker); Building A Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Restoring the Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Caretaker's Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Morleyville Historic Mission (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); McDougall Memorial (about 150 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morley.
Related markers. Click here
Glenbow Archives NA-1406-182
2. Marker detail: Stoney Tipi Encampment
This etching from 1883 shows a Stoney tipi encampment and across the river a small collection of buildings comprising Morleyville.
Also see . . .
1. Robert Terrill Rundle.
A Cornish Wesleyan Methodist missionary from Cornwall, UK. His most noteworthy activities relate to his missionary work in Western Canada between 1840 and 1848. In 1840, the Hudson's Bay Company reached a deal with the Wesleyan Missionary Society that several Methodist missionaries would be dispatched to the western districts of Rupert's Land. Robert Rundle was among the four who were invited, and after only two months of training, he was ordained. Just over a week later on 16 March 1840, he shipped out from Liverpool.(Submitted on January 20, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Morleyville Settlement.
Methodist missionary John McDougall and his wife arrived in 1873 to establish a missionary outpost in the Bow Valley for outreach to the Nakoda (Stoney) and Siksika (Blackfoot) First Nations. They founded the mission at the request of John's father, George McDougall, the superintendent of Methodist missionary work in western Canada. The site John chose was originally called Ghost River, but he renamed it Morleyville in honour of his friend Morley Punshon, an Ontario doctor.(Submitted on January 20, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 2, 2022
3. Establishing Morleyville Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 84 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 20, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
