The Ruth Morton Memorial Baptist Church, 1919

The Ruth Morton Memorial Baptist Church, 1919

The Ruth Morton Memorial Baptist Church (at the corner of 791 East 27th Avenue) is a historic link to one of Vancouver’s earliest pioneer settlers, John Morton.

Famous for being one of the “Three Greenhorns”, along with Samuel Brighouse and William Hailstone, these three Englishmen were the first white settlers of the area that is now today’s Vancouver downtown West End. In 1862, they arrived in the place that is now Vancouver and purchased the land at an inflated price that earned them ridicule and thus their nickname.

John Morton’s first wife was Jane Ann Bailey of Blackpool, England, who unfortunately died in childbirth. Later, he married Ruth Mount and this lifelong romance is now captured in the Ruth Morton Baptist Church. When Ruth arrived in 1884 to marry John Morton, she became the first white woman to settle in the area.

The church began in 1911 with meetings in vacant stores, homes and even a tent until the building construction was completed in 1914. Upon John’s death in 1912, he provided substantial funds to build the church as a memorial to his wife. The church retains much of its heritage of original pews and stained glass windows. For over a century, the church has been ringing its bell and playing its 1920’s pipe organ for Sunday Service.

Download the PDF sign artwork

Studio portrait of Ruth Morton, John Morton, and Joseph Morton, 1884

(source: http://ruthmorton.org/site/about-us/history)
(source: http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/archives_1939.htm)
(source: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Greenhorns)
References

  1. ^ a b c Morton, Michael Quentin (May 2006. 1st edition), In the Heart of the Desert (1st edition) (In the Heart of the Desert ed.), Aylesford, Kent, United Kingdom: Green Mountain Press (UK), ISBN 9780955221200, 095522120X
  2. ^ George Redmonds (2004), NAMES AND HISTORY (NAMES AND HISTORY: PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS. ed.), LONDON: HAMBLEDON AND LONDON LTD, ISBN 185285426X, 185285426X
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h “New Liverpool and the Greenhorns”. Vancouver Exposed – A History in Photographs. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  4. ^ Derek Pethick (1984), Vancouver, the pioneer years, 1774-1886, Langley, B.C: Sunfire Publications, ISBN 091953113X, 091953113X
  5. ^ a b c Chamdler, Maggie. “West End History”. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  6. ^ a b Jill Foran (2003), Vancouver’s old-time scoundrels, Canmore, Alta: Altitude Pub. Canada, ISBN 1551539896, 1551539896
  7. ^ Tom Snyders (2001), Namely Vancouver, Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, ISBN 155152077X, OCLC 42683110, 155152077X
  8. ^ Derek Pethick (1984), Vancouver, the pioneer years, 1774-1886, Langley, B.C: Sunfire Publications, ISBN 091953113X, 091953113X
  9. ^ Richard M. Steele (1993), The Stanley Park explorer (Stanley Park ed.), Heritage House Publishing Co., ISBN 1895811007, 1895811007
  10. ^ “The birth of a city, from humble beginnings as a two-block strip on the Gastown waterfront”,Vancouver Sun, 6 April 2011, [1]
  11. ^ Vancouver History and Heritage [2]
  12. ^ “Samuel Brighouse fonds”, City of Vancouver Archives, retrieved 24 July 2011
  13. ^ “William Hailstone fonds”, City of Vancouver Archives, retrieved 24 July 2011
  14. ^ “George Cunningham Memorial Sundial”, Public Art Registry (City of Vancouver Community Services Group), retrieved 25 July 2011