A Short History of the Beginnings of St.David's Church, Fort Simpson
In 1848 the Archdeacon James Hunter, an Anglican missionary at Cumberland Mission (The Pas, Manitoba), received a message from an Athabaskan chief, Tripe de Roche, earnestly requesting a teacher for his people. At that time Hunter had neither the funds nor a missionary available to send to the Athabaskan's country, thought to be near Fort Chipewyan.
The failure to fulfill this request troubled Hunter and his anxiety was shared by the Church Missionary Society, who, by the early 1850s, had helped to establish missions as far west as Lac La Ronge. After much correspondence, "men and means" did not materialize and so it was that nearly ten years later that Archdeacon Hunter formulated a plan to make the trip north himself.
On June 6th 1858, Archdeacon Hunter left his family and congregation in Red River. Hunter carried with him a letter of introduction from Sir George Simpson to Mr. BR Ross, the (Hudson Bay's) Company's officer-in-charge for the MacKenzie. With this letter Hunter was able to establish a mission along the MacKenzie River.
List of the priests in charge who served the parish of Fort Simpson :
Ven. James Hunter 1858 - 1859
Ven. & Mrs. Kirby 1859 - 1868
Rec. W.C. Bompas* 1865 - 1890
Ven. & Mrs. Reeve* 1869 - 1879
Rev. Spendlove 1879 - 1886
Rev. David Kirby 1885 - 1890
Mr. Hawkesley 1887 - 1891
Rev. Hawkesley 1890 - 1891
Bishop & Mrs. Reeve 1891 - 1907
Rev. Lucas* 1900 - 1913
Rev. Day & Rev. Winch 1907 - 1909
Rev. Bowring 1913 - 1917
Rev. Tremain 1918 - 1919
Rev. Blow 1920 - 1921
Rev. & Mrs. Clarke 1922 - 1935
Rev. & Mrs. Cooke* 1935 - 1943
Rev. & Mrs. Bell 1948 - 1953
Rev. & Mrs. Hyett 1954 - 1956
Ms. Houldcroft 1958 - 1960
Rev. Hanna 1960 - 1961
Rev. & Mrs. Hamilton 1961 - 1966
Rev. Sheppard 1966 - 1969
Rev. & Mrs. Brooke 1969 - 1971
Rev. & Terry Mrs. Buckle* 1972 - 1975
Rev. & Mrs. Seegmiller 1975 - 1977
Rev. & Mrs. Bishop 1978 - 1981
Rev. & Mrs. Drake 1984 - 1986
Rev. Jean Boyd 1986 - 1991
Rev. & Mrs. Robertson 1993 - 1994
Rev. David Lehmann 1994 - 2000
Rev. Carol Vatcher 2000 - 2004
Rev. & Mrs. Robin Trevors 2004 - 2005
*denotes elected Bishop. Bishops Bompas and Buckle moved to the Yukon.
- lay leaders ministered in the absence of clergy.
- the parish is currently without clergy.
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