Bishop John Horden
John Horden (1828 - 1893) Entered in Canadian Anglican Calendar 1962; Episcopal Church Calendar 1990
Father, journeyman printer. Moved to Cowick Street 1840. JH Blueboy 1935-40. Then apprenticed to blacksmith. Taught in St T Sunday School. Missionary youth group. John Medley Bp of Fredrickton 1845. JH becomes school teacher in Teignmouth c.1848. Offered to CMS for India 1850. Offered post on Hudson's Bay 1851 with one month to marry and sail. Married Elizabeth Oke, also from Cowick St, May 25 in Teignmouth. Sailed 8 June to Orkney and HB. After 1 year at Moose Factory, visited by Bp of Rupertsland, ordained deacon and priest in one week. By then expert in Cree; later learnt Ojibwe, some Inuktituk, and Norwegian. Moose only accessible by sea or river. Translating hymns, prayer book and some gospels. Annual ship brought printing press. Builds church (St T). First leave due 1864. Vessel foundered in Hudson's Bay. Left 1865 for England with five children. Returned with wife and 2c, 1867. New bishop decided to divide diocese into four. Moosonee (300 miles around HB) created 1872 with JH as bishop - to Westminster for consecration. Many travels. Much translation, and training of other missionaries, also schooling for Cree at Moose. 1878 wife and 2 youngest children to England for schooling, Elizabeth provides home. JH visits remote parts of diocese before leave 1880-82. Visiting of Indian homes with epidemics especially whooping cough and scarlet fever. More travels and translation. Back for Lambeth conference 1888. Determined to return to complete revision of Cree Bible. Died 1893, buried beside one daughter and one grandson at Moose. "Great Praying Chief". Memorials set up in St Thomas, Blueboy School (lost in WWII), and Cathedral 1895.
[Thanks to Revd Dr Robert Burn for this sketch.]
