North America was not Thomas Woolsey's first choice for a mission. He
had initially planned trips to
Australia and South Africa, however neither came to fruition. In fact,
both ships that he
would have taken to these mission sites sank. These early disappointments
and disasters did not deter Woolsey, however, and in 1852 he answered a call from Reverend
John Ryerson to proceed to Canada. He then spent three years in the
rural circuits of Upper Canada before being assigned to Fort Edmonton in
1855.
At Fort Edmonton Woolsey discovered that he had no official
status and, as such, was not encouraged to stay. Instead,
he focused his efforts on rebuilding the mission site at Pigeon Lake, established
earlier by Robert Rundle, and on working in the Aboriginal community. The
Pigeon Lake mission was not suited for winter residence so he stayed at Fort
Edmonton, spending much of his time there teaching
children, regardless of their religious background.
By 1858
Woolsey was convinced that the Pigeon Lake site was unsuitable for a
mission: it was situated between, yet too far away from Stoney, Cree, and
Blackfoot communities; as buffalo were becoming scarce, violence in the area
was erupting with increasing frequency; and the poor soil conditions and early
frosts made agriculture difficult. Woolsey, therefore, chose instead to be a
roving missionary. The rigours of this plan had dire
consequences on his health, however, and on more than one occasion he was nursed
back to health by local medicine men, in spite of his skepticism about
their methods.
Woolsey established the Smoking (Smoky) Lake
Mission by 1861 when, upon the orders of George McDougall,
the mission was moved to the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. Woolsey
remained at the new Victoria
Mission for a short while, but was forced to leave in 1864 because
of his failing health. He would not return.

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