Thomas Crosby facts for kids

Thomas Crosby was an English Methodist missionary. He is well-known for his important work with the First Nations people living along the coast of British Columbia, Canada. He helped many communities and shared his beliefs.

Thomas Crosby's Early Life

Thomas Crosby was born in 1840 in a place called Pickering, in Yorkshire, England. His parents were farmers and were part of the Methodist church. When he was 16, he moved with his family to Woodstock, Canada. He had to start working at a tannery, which is a place where animal hides are made into leather.

Becoming a Missionary

In 1861, Thomas Crosby saw an advertisement in a Methodist newspaper. It was a call for missionaries to go to British Columbia. He decided to answer this call. He arrived in British Columbia in 1863. His first job was to teach at a school for Native children in Nanaimo, B.C..

Spreading the Word in British Columbia

In 1866, Thomas Crosby became a traveling preacher. He went with another preacher, Rev. Edward White. They traveled all over Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and the area around Vancouver. In 1869, Crosby got a steady job teaching and preaching in Chilliwack, B.C.. He became an ordained minister in 1871. After that, he started working even more to spread his message across the province.

Working with First Nations Communities

In 1873, Thomas Crosby met Elizabeth Diex at a church meeting in Victoria. She was a respected leader from the Tsimshian people in Lax Kw'alaams. Later, he also met her son, Chief Alfred Dudoward, and his wife, Kate Dudoward. They became interested in the Methodist church.

Moving to Lax Kw'alaams

At that time, Lax Kw'alaams did not have a minister. The Church of England had left the community earlier. Alfred and Kate Dudoward asked the Methodist church to send a missionary to their village. So, in 1874, Thomas Crosby was sent to Lax Kw'alaams. He worked hard to connect with the people there.

Understanding Local Traditions

Thomas Crosby learned to speak the Tsimshian language. However, he believed that many Native traditions, like the potlatch, should be stopped. The Dudowards eventually moved away from some of the strict Methodist rules about these traditions. A very important person in Crosby's work was Victoria Young, also known as "Queen Victoria." She was a leader of the Giluts'aaw tribe and became a Methodist.

Crosby Girls' Home

Thomas Crosby's wife, Emma Crosby, started the Crosby Girls' Home in Lax Kw'alaams in the 1880s. This home later became part of the residential school system in 1893. It closed in 1948.

Expanding Missionary Work

Under Thomas Crosby's guidance, the Methodist church's work grew in northern British Columbia. From Lax Kw'alaams, he helped set up ten different missions. He also oversaw work with the Nisga'a, Haida, Gitxsan, and other groups, in addition to the Tsimshian.

Later Years and Legacy

By 1892, Thomas Crosby began to feel tired from his missionary work and developed asthma. In 1897, he became the chairman of the British Columbia Conference of the Methodist Church of Canada. He left Lax Kw'alaams to manage new mission areas, including Lowe Inlet, Bella Bella, and parts of Vancouver Island.

Lax Kw'alaams remains a strong Methodist community today, now part of the United Church of Canada. A special mission boat named the Thomas Crosby traveled along British Columbia's Inside Passage for much of the 20th century, helping communities.

Thomas Crosby wrote three books about his work with First Nations people. One book, David Sallosalton, was named after an early helper of Crosby's, a teacher from the Coast Salish people. Another book, Up and down the North Pacific Coast by Canoe and Mission Ship, describes his years in Lax Kw'alaams.