Reverend Simon Gibbons

Simon Gibbons (June 21, 1851 - December 14, 1896) was Canada's first Inuk priest. The Anglican missionary constructed a number of churches in Nova Scotia.

Early life Simon Gibbons is believed to have been born at Forteau, Newfoundland and Labrador, on June 21, 1851, to Thomas Gibbons, a fisherman, and an Inuk woman who died giving birth. Some stories, possibly legends later circulated by Gibbons, have him found as a child on an ice-floe off the coast of Labrador. Gibbons became known for his education, intellect and sense of humour, as well as his physical stamina and endurance.

In 1881 and 1882, Gibbons travelled to England to solicit funds to build churches in his district, preaching in Westminster Abbey and being introduced to Queen Victoria. He laconically stated "my face was my fortune", alluding to what Canon Morris referred to as his "Eskimo physique". In 1885, Gibbons traveled to the West Indies to regain his health, then was relocated to the parish of Lockeport, Nova Scotia where he served three congregations in a circuit along 35 miles of coastline.