Photo of Andrew Alexander Sibbald, who was born at Tollendal, Innisfil on 19 November 1833 to parents John Sibbald and Elspeth Hogg, Scottish immigrants who arrived at Tollendal in November of 1832. While working on the family farm, an accident caused Andrew Alexander Sibbald to lose his left hand. By August 1871 Andrew received an artificial hand from Rockwood, Ontario and started learning the teaching profession. On a trip to Innisfil in 1875 a Northwest missionary, Rev. George McDougall, recruited Andrew to go west to teach indigenous people at Morley in the Northwest, now the province of Alberta. Andrew along with his wife Elizabeth Ann Robins (1845-1882), three of their children and Rev. George McDougall started for the Rocky Mountains on Friday 9 July 1875, taking with them the equipment to build a sawmill, a school, a church, and other buildings at Morley. Andrew taught at Alberta’s first school at the Morley mission until his retirement in 1896. He also ranched in the Sibbald Flats - Sibbald Creek area (W30-26-6-W5th) with his son until retiring to Banff in 1903. Andrew Sibbald was Alberta's first school teacher and as well as teaching, he designed and supervised the construction of buildings and bridges from Calgary to Banff. Andrew died 13 July 1934 and is buried with his wife in Banff, Alberta. Andrew and Elizabeth had five children: Howard, Elsie, Frank, Albert, and Bert Sibbald. In honour of Andrew Sibbald, the above mentioned Sibbald Flats, Sibbald Creek and Andrew Sibbald Elementary School in South East Calgary are named after him in appreciation of his contribution to Alberta.
