Lieutenant-General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...
John Graves Simcoe (25 February 1752 – 26 October 1806) was a British army officer, politician and colonial administrator who served as the
lieutenant governor of Upper Canada from 1791 until 1796. He founded
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
, which is now known as
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, and was instrumental in introducing institutions such as courts of law,
trial by jury,
English common law,
freehold land tenure, and also in the abolition of
slavery in Upper Canada.
His long-term goal was the development of Upper Canada (Ontario) as a model community built on aristocratic and conservative principles, designed to demonstrate the superiority of those principles to the republicanism of the United States. His energetic efforts were only partially successful in establishing a local
gentry
Gentry (from Old French , from ) are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. ''Gentry'', in its widest connotation, refers to people of good social position connected to Landed property, landed es ...
, a thriving
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
, and an anti-American coalition with select indigenous nations. He is seen by many Canadians as a founding figure in Canadian history, especially by those in
Southern Ontario. He is commemorated in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
with
Simcoe Day.
Early life
Simcoe was the only surviving son of
Cornishman John (1710–1759) and Katherine Simcoe (died 1767). His parents had four children, but he was the only one to live past childhood; Percy drowned in 1764, while Paulet William and John William died as infants. His father was a captain in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
who commanded the 60-gun
HMS ''Pembroke'' during the
siege of Louisbourg, with
James Cook
Captain (Royal Navy), Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 176 ...
as his
sailing master
The master, or sailing master, is a historical rank for a naval Officer (armed forces), officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing ship, sailing vessel.
In the Royal Navy, the master was originally a warrant officer who ...
. He died of
pneumonia on 15 May 1759 on board his ship in the mouth of the
Saint Lawrence River a few months prior to the
siege of Quebec, and was buried at sea. The family then moved to his mother's parental home in
Exeter
Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...
. His paternal grandparents were William and Mary (née Hutchinson) Simcoe.
He was educated at
Exeter Grammar School and
Eton College
Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...
. He spent a year at
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 126 ...
; he was then admitted to
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...
, but decided to follow the military career for which his father had intended him. He was initiated into
Freemasonry
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
in Union Lodge, Exeter, on 2 November 1773.
Military career in American Revolutionary War
In 1770, Simcoe entered the British Army as an ensign in the
35th Regiment of Foot, and his unit was dispatched to the
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were the British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America which broke away from the British Crown in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and joined to form the United States of America.
The Thirteen C ...
. Later, he saw action in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
during the
siege of Boston. After the siege, in July 1776, he was promoted captain in the
40th Regiment of Foot. He saw action with the
grenadier company of the 40th Foot in the
New York and New Jersey campaign and the
Philadelphia campaign. Simcoe commanded the 40th's Grenadiers at the
Battle of Brandywine on 11 September 1777, where he was wounded. Legend has it that Simcoe ordered his men at Brandywine not to fire upon three fleeing rebels, among whom was
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
.
In 1777, Simcoe sought to form a Loyalist regiment of
free blacks from Boston but instead was offered the command of the
Queen's Rangers formed on
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...
on 15 October 1777. It was a well-trained light infantry unit comprising 11 companies of 30 men—1
grenadier, and 1
hussar, and the rest light infantry. The Queen's Rangers saw extensive action during the Philadelphia campaign, including a successful surprise attack (planned and executed by Simcoe) at the
Battle of Crooked Billet.
In 1778, Simcoe led an attack on
Judge William Hancock's house during a foraging expedition
opposed by Patriot militia. Hancock was also killed, although he was not with the Americans. The attack took place at night and with bayonets. On 28 June of that year, Simcoe and his Queen's Rangers took part in the
Battle of Monmouth, in and near
Freehold, New Jersey.
On 31 August 1778, Lieut. Col. Simcoe earned a victory over
Daniel Nimham's Native American force serving under the Continental Army as the
Stockbridge Militia in the
Battle of Kingsbridge (also known as the “Stockbridge Massacre”). The skirmish had been planned by Simcoe for an earlier ambush by the same unit, and took place in what today is
Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York. The battlefield is recognized as th
Indian Fieldthere.
On 26 October 1779, Simcoe and 80 men launched an attack on central
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
from southern Staten Island known as Simcoe's Raid, from what is known today as the
Conference House, resulting in the burning of Patriot supplies inside a
Dutch Reformed Church in
Finderne, including hay and grain; the release of Loyalist prisoners from the
Somerset County Courthouse; and Simcoe's capture by
Armand Tuffin de La Rouërie. Simcoe was released at the end of 1779 and rejoined his unit in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. He participated in the
Raid on Richmond with Benedict Arnold in January 1781 and was involved in
a skirmish near Williamsburg and was at the
siege of Yorktown. He was invalided back to England in December of that year as a lieutenant-colonel, having been promoted in March 1782.
Simcoe wrote a book on his experiences with the Queen's Rangers, titled ''A Journal of the Operations of the royal Queen's Rangers from the end of the year 1777 to the conclusion of the late American War'', which was published in 1787. He served briefly as Inspector General of Recruitment for the British Army, from 1789 until his departure for Upper Canada two years later.
Marriage and family
Simcoe convalesced at the
Devon
Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
home of his godfather,
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Samuel Graves. In 1782, Simcoe married
Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim, his godfather's ward. Elizabeth was a wealthy heiress, who acquired a estate at
Honiton in Devon and built Wolford Lodge. Wolford was the Simcoe family seat until 1923.
The Simcoes had five daughters before their posting in Canada. Son Francis was born in 1791. Their Canadian-born daughter, Katherine, died in infancy in
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
. She is buried in the
Victoria Square Memorial Park on Portland Avenue, Toronto. Francis returned with his father to England when his tenure expired and joined the army. He was killed in an infantry charge during the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
in 1812.
Son Henry Addington Simcoe became an English theologian.
Member of Parliament
Simcoe entered politics in 1790. He was elected
Member of Parliament for
St Mawes in Cornwall, as a supporter of the government (led by
William Pitt the Younger). As MP, he proposed raising a militia force like the Queen's Rangers. He also proposed to lead an invasion of Spain. But instead he was to be made lieutenant governor of the new loyalist province of
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...
.
He resigned from Parliament in 1792 on taking up his new post.
Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada
The
Constitutional Act 1791 divided Canada into the Provinces of
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...
(Ontario) and
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada () was a British colonization of the Americas, British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence established in 1791 and abolished in 1841. It covered the southern portion o ...
(Quebec). The Act established separate governments and
legislative assemblies for each province. Lower Canada was the French-speaking eastern portion, which retained the French
civil law and protections for the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
established when Britain took over the area after its defeat of the French in the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
. Upper Canada was the western area, newly settled after the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. The settlers were mostly English speakers, including Loyalists from the
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were the British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America which broke away from the British Crown in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and joined to form the United States of America.
The Thirteen C ...
, and also the Six Nations of the
Iroquois, who had been British allies during the war. The Crown had purchased land from the
Mississauga and other
First Nations
First nations are indigenous settlers or bands.
First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to:
Indigenous groups
*List of Indigenous peoples
*First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...
to give the Loyalists land grants in partial compensation for property lost in the United States, and to help them set up new communities and develop this territory.
Simcoe was appointed Lieutenant-Governor on 12 September 1791, and left for Canada with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Sophia, leaving three daughters behind in England with their aunt. They left England in September and arrived in Canada on 11 November. Due to severe weather, the Simcoes spent the winter in
Quebec City
Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...
. Simcoe finally reached
Kingston, Upper Canada, on 24 June 1792.
In a proclamation on 16 July 1792, he renamed several islands at the mouth of the archipelago at the head of the
St. Lawrence river to commemorate the British generals of the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
(
Amherst Island
Amherst Island is located in Lake Ontario, west of Kingston, Ontario, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Amherst Island, being wholly in Lake Ontario, is upstream, above the St Lawrence River Thousand Islands. The island is part of Loyalist, Ontario, Lo ...
,
Carleton Island,
Gage Island,
Wolfe Island, and
Howe Island).
Under the Constitutional Act, the provincial government consisted of the Lieutenant-Governor, an appointed Executive Council and Legislative Council, and an
elected Legislative Assembly. The first meeting of the nine-member Legislative Council and sixteen-member Legislative Assembly took place at Newark (now
Niagara-on-the-Lake) on 17 September 1792.
Following Simcoe's work precipitated by the
Chloe Cooley incident, the Assembly passed the ''
Act Against Slavery'' in 1793, the first legislation to limit slavery in the British Empire; the English colonists of Upper Canada took pride in this distinction with respect to the French-Canadian populace of Lower Canada. The Upper Canadians valued their
common law
Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...
legal system, as opposed to the civil law of Quebec, which had chafed them ever since 1763. This was one of the primary reasons for the partition of 1791. Simcoe collaborated extensively with his Attorney-General
John White on the file.
However, this Act did not free anybody directly, and slaves continued to be held across Upper Canada. The Crown abolished slavery throughout the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
, including Upper Canada, in 1834.
Simcoe's priority was the
Northwest Indian War between the United States and the "
Western Confederacy" of Native Americans west of the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
and south of the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
(the
Shawnee,
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
,
Wyandot, and other tribes). This conflict had begun in 1785, and was still raging when Simcoe arrived in 1792. Simcoe had hoped to form an
Indian barrier state between the two countries, even though he distrusted
Joseph Brant, the main Indian leader. Simcoe rejected the section of the
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed in Paris by representatives of King George III of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and representatives of the United States on September 3, 1783, officially ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized ...
which awarded that area to the US, on the grounds that American actions had nullified the treaty. However, the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
broke out in 1793. The government in London decided to seek good terms with the United States. Simcoe was instructed to avoid giving the US reason to mistrust Britain but, at the same time, to keep the Natives on both sides of the border friendly to Britain. The Indians asked for British military support, which was initially refused, but in 1794 Britain supplied the Indians with rifles and ammunition.
In February 1794, the
governor general,
Lord Dorchester, expecting the US to ally with France, said that war was likely to break out between the US and Britain before the year was out. This encouraged the Indians in their war. Dorchester ordered Simcoe to rally the Indians and arm British vessels on the Great Lakes. He also built
Fort Miami (present-day
Maumee, Ohio) to supply the Indians. Simcoe expelled Americans from a settlement on the southern shore of
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...
which had threatened British control of the lake.
US President Washington denounced the "irregular and high-handed proceeding of Mr. Simcoe." While Dorchester planned for a defensive war, Simcoe urged London to declare war: "Upper Canada is not to be defended by remaining within the boundary line." Dorchester was officially reprimanded by the Crown for his strong speech against the Americans in 1794.
Simcoe realised that Newark made an unsuitable capital because it was on the Canada–US border and subject to attack. He proposed moving the capital to a more defensible position, in the middle of Upper Canada's southwestern peninsula between
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...
and
Lake Huron. He named the new location
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, and renamed the river there the
Thames in anticipation of the change. Dorchester rejected this proposal, but accepted Simcoe's second choice, the present site of
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. Simcoe moved the capital there in 1793, and renamed the settlement
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
after
Frederick, Duke of York, King
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
's second son. The town was severely underdeveloped at the time of its founding so he brought with him politicians, builders, Nova Scotia timber men, and Englishmen skilled in whipsawing and cutting joists and rafters.
Simcoe began construction of two roads through Upper Canada, for defence and to encourage settlement and trade.
Yonge Street
Yonge Street ( ') is a major arterial route in the Canadian province of Ontario connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Great Lakes#Geography, Upper Great Lakes. Ontario's first colonial administrator, ...
(named after British Minister of War Sir
George Yonge) ran north–south from York to
Lake Simcoe. Soldiers of the
Queen's Rangers began cutting the road in August 1793, reaching
Holland Landing in 1796.
Dundas Street (named for Colonial Secretary
Henry Dundas) ran east–west, between York and London.
The Northwest Indian War ended after the United States defeated the Indians at the
Battle of Fallen Timbers. They made peace under the
Treaty of Greenville. While still at war with France, Britain could not afford to antagonise the US in the
Jay Treaty of 1794, and agreed to withdraw north of the Great Lakes, as agreed in the
Treaty of Paris. Simcoe evacuated the frontier forts.
Later career
In 1794, Simcoe was appointed to the rank of
major general. In July 1796, poor health (
gout
Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...
and
neuralgia) forced him to return to Britain. He was unable to return to Upper Canada and resigned his office in 1798.
From October 1796 until March 1797, Simcoe briefly served as the commander of the British expeditionary force which was dispatched to captured the
French colony of
Saint-Domingue, which was in the midst of the
Haitian Revolution. After assuming control of the British forces in Saint-Domingue, Simcoe was attacked by troops under the command of Black general
Toussaint Louverture, who at the time was fighting for the
French Republic
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. An assault on the British-held town of
Saint-Marc was repulsed, though Louverture's forces captured
Mirebalais and the Central Plateau. Simcoe was eventually replaced as leader of the expeditionary force in March.
Simcoe was appointed
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
of the
81st Foot in 1798, but exchanged the position for the
22nd Foot less than six months later.
Simcoe was appointed commander in chief in India in 1806, but he fell ill on his way there. He returned to England, where he died. He was buried in
Wolford Chapel on the Simcoe family estate near
Honiton, Devon. The Ontario Heritage Foundation acquired title to the chapel in 1982.
Many of Simcoe's personal effects including his sword, sabre, and walking cane, may be viewed by appointment at the
Archives of Ontario in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. Elizabeth Simcoe's personal effects and hundreds of her watercolour paintings are also available there.
Legacy

* In the winter of 1779, the first known
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a Christian martyrs, martyr named Saint Valentine, Valentine, and ...
letter in America was given by then Lieutenant Colonel John Simcoe to
Sarah 'Sally' Townsend.
* Simcoe Street in
Oyster Bay, New York is named after him for his destruction of a vast apple orchard and reconstruction of a hill fort on the site.
*
Act Against Slavery passed in 1793, leading to the abolition of slavery in
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...
by 1810. It was superseded by the
Slavery Abolition Act 1833 that abolished slavery across the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
.
* Simcoe named
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, Ontario and the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...
in Upper Canada.
* He named
Lake Simcoe and
Simcoe County to the west and north of
Lake Simcoe in honour of his father.
* Simcoe named his summer home
Castle Frank for his first son Francis Gwillim, who was preceded by eight daughters. (It is in what is now named Rosedale, a neighbourhood in
downtown Toronto.)
* The
Ontario Heritage Foundation placed a plaque in Exeter's cathedral precinct to commemorate his life.
* Simcoe's regiment is still called the
Queen's York Rangers, now an
armoured reconnaissance regiment of the
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...
reserves.
Many places in Canada were named in honour of Simcoe:
* The town of
Simcoe in southwestern Ontario
* The Simcoe Fairgrounds in Simcoe
*
Civic Holiday, a
statutory holiday celebrated throughout Canada under a variety of names by region,
[Holidays in the Provinces and Territories](_blank)
was established in honour of Simcoe by the Toronto City Council in 1869.
[Toronto.com – A holiday with history](_blank)
Other Ontario municipalities and then other provinces soon took up the holiday as well, leading to its Canada-wide status, but without any attribution to Simcoe. In 1965, the Toronto City Council declared the holiday would henceforth be known as
Simcoe Day within Toronto.
Attempts have been made to have the official provincial name—still Civic Holiday
—amended, but none have succeeded.
*
Governor Simcoe Secondary School in
St. Catharines, Ontario
* Governor Simcoe Public School. Grades K – 8, in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, Ontario. The now closed and demolished school was located at the corner of Simcoe and Clarence Streets.
* Three parallel streets in downtown Toronto,
John Street, Graves Street, and Simcoe Street, are all located near the fort where Simcoe lived during his early years in York and were named for him. Graves Street was later renamed Duncan Street.
* Simcoe Street, Simcoe Street United Church, and Simcoe Hall Settlement House in
Oshawa
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe. It ...
.
* Simcoe Street in
New Westminster and Simcoe Park was named by Colonel Moody in reference to the surveying of the area after the city of Toronto.
* Simcoe Street, Simcoe Street School and the Simcoe Street School Tigers Bantam Baseball Team of Niagara Falls
*
Simcoe Island, located near
Kingston, Ontario
*
Simcoe Hall, located on the
St. George campus of the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...
*
John Graves Simcoe Armoury, located on Industrial Parkway in
Aurora
An aurora ( aurorae or auroras),
also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly observed in high-latitude regions (around the Arc ...
, Ontario
* Governors Road, a named section of
Ontario Highway 99 running between
Dundas, Ontario and
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Ontario
Two places have been named for Simcoe with the title ''Lord'', even though Simcoe was never a Lord in his lifetime:
* Lord Simcoe Drive in
Brampton
Brampton is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario, and the regional seat of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#L ...
, Ontario
*
Lord Simcoe Hotel, which operated from 1956 to 1981
Captain John Kennaway Simcoe, the last member of the Simcoe family, died without issue in 1891 and was survived by his widow beyond 1911.
In popular culture
A fictionalised version of John Graves Simcoe is a primary antagonist in the 2014–2017
AMC drama ''
Turn: Washington's Spies'', portrayed by
Samuel Roukin. He is portrayed in the series as a cruel and ruthless sociopath.
Despite the strong fictionalisation of the namesake TV-show character, several biographical aspects of the latter's historical counterpart appear to have been adapted for and transferred onto the fictional character Edmund Hewlett. For instance, Hewlett's romantic ambitions regarding
Anna Strong in the series resemble Simcoe's courtship of
Sarah Townsend, sister of
Culper Ring spy
Robert Townsend, for whom he wrote a poem that is thought to be the first verifiable valentine on the North American continent.
It is presumed that Townsend, much like the fictionalised portrayal of Anna Strong on ''Turn'', may have gathered and passed on intelligence gleaned from her unsuspecting suitor to the Culper Ring.
Similarly, Hewlett's close bond with his horse Bucephalus (presumably named after
Bucephalus, the horse of
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
) which overarches all four seasons, appears to have been inspired by history: in 1783, John Graves Simcoe sent a series of letters to New York in order to find the horse he had ridden on campaign, Salem. Salem was located and Simcoe subsequently paid the considerable sum of £40 to have him shipped to England and thus returned to him. Shortly before his departure to Upper Canada almost a decade later, it is reported he was greatly concerned for Salem's welfare in his absence, therefore making arrangements for the latter's care and upkeep.
Footnotes
Further reading
* Craig, Gerald M. ''Upper Canada: the formative years, 1784–1841'' (McClelland & Stewart, 1963) ch 2
*
* .
*
* Read, David Breakinridge. The Life and Times of John Graves Simcoe. Toronto: George Virtue, 1890.
* Riddell, William Renwick. ''The Life of John Graves Simcoe, First Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Upper Canada, 1792–96'' (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1926.)
* Scott, Duncan Campbell. ''John Graves Simcoe'' (Toronto: Morang & Company, 1905
online*
*
Primary sources
*
External links
*
The Real Castle Frank (Toronto Star)Simcoe family fonds Archives of Ontario
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