Simcoe, John Graves

(1752-1806)

   S Speaks in House of Commons on Constitutional Act, 7, 8; birth and family, 15; death of his father, 16; educated at Eton and Oxford, 17; obtains commission as ensign, 18; ordered to America, 18; obtains command of Queen's Rangers, 19, 22; proposes to enlist Boston Negroes, 19; sails with Howe for Halifax, 20; promoted to captaincy, and sails for New York, 20; wounded in action, 22; major in command of Queen's Rangers, 22; his Military Journal, 23; improves organization of his corps, 24; his intense devotion to British cause, 25; promoted to be lieutenant-colonel in America, 25; with a few men disperses considerable body of rebel militia, 26-29; wounded, 27; goes into winter quarters at Oyster Bay, Long Island, 30; operations with right column of army, 30; taken prisoner, 30; released, 31; makes plan to carry off Washington, 32; attached to expedition to Virginia under Benedict Arnold, 33; captures enemy's stores, 34; defeats superior force of the enemy at Spencer's Ordinary, 35; health impaired, 36; after surrender of Cornwallis, sails for England on parole, 37; promoted to be lieutenant-colonel, 39; recruits his health at home in Devonshire, 40; his marriage, 40; released from parole, 41; poetical gifts, 41-43; elected to Parliament, 44; speech on impeachment of Warren Hastings, 44; appointed to governorship of Upper Canada, 45; correspondence with Grenville and Dundas upon Upper Canada matters, 45, 46; desires appointment of a bishop, 46; sails for Canada in Triton, 47; brings out various commissions, 47; delay in swearing in, 48; sworn in, 49, 79; arrives in Upper Canada and proceeds to Niagara, 50; his eagerness to welcome Loyalist emigrants, 56; favours aristocracy, 69, 70, 197; his proclamation on the subject of persons entitled to special distinction as Loyalists, 71; his estimate of the Indians, 75; issues proclamation announcing county divisions, 80; opens first session of Legislature, 82; his speech from the throne, 83; deals with marriage question in Upper Canada, 86-88; strongly supports bill to prevent introduction of slaves into Upper Canada, 90; his speech on closing of fifth session, 95; his satisfactory relations with Legislature, 97; detects "republicanism" in some members of the Legislative Council, 97; changes his opinion, 98; goes to England on leave of absence, 99; his advice regarding Benedict Arnold's application for a grant of land in Upper Canada, 104; receives grant of 5000 acres of land as colonel of Queen's Rangers, 104; endeavours to check abuses of fur trade, 106; desires to promote trade between Upper Canada and the United States, 107; his endeavours to assist the farming community, 110, 198; his scheme to provide currency for the province, 111, 112; his apprehension of war with United States, 117-132, 144; sends his secretary to confer with British minister at Philadelphia, 117; his estimate of Brant's motives, 125, 126; his difficulties with the Indian department, 126-128; loved and respected by Indians, 128; moves to York, 129; his relations with Lord Dorchester strained, 130-132; correspondence with Dundas exhibits petulance, 130, 131; anticipating war, sends Major Littlehales to consult British minister, 134, 144; receives proposition from Spanish governor of Louisiana, 134, 136; despatch from Lord Dorchester leads him to fortify post at rapids of Maine, 136, 210; returns to Niagara, 136; protests against occupation by Americans at Sodus Bay, 137; his despatch to the Duke of Portland explaining his proceedings, 143-144; his conviction of loyalty of Upper Canada militia, 151; his opinion of Washington, 153; believes in a church establishment for Upper Canada, 155; his influence in the framing of the Constitutional Act, 156; a soldier, not a statesman, 157; desires appointment of a bishop and offers portion of his salary to meet the expense, 158; his scorn of dissent, 160; his opposition to repeal of Marriage Act, 161; prefers Roman Catholics as instructors for Indians, 166; his efforts in cause of education, 166-170; desires establishment of university, 168; and of grammar schools, 169; his admonitions to the king's printer, 174; donations to Agricultural Society of Upper Canada, 175; his social influence, 180; entertains Prince Edward, 183, 184; also United States commissioners to the Indians, 184-186, 203; entertains the Duke de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, 187, 214; receives visit from Alexander Mackenzie, the explorer, 188; changes name of Niagara to Newark, 195; appoints lieutenants for the more populous counties, 197; defends measure against criticism of secretary of state, 198; makes official tour through western Canada, 198-201; visits Detroit and examines the fort, 200; impressed by site of present city of London, and proposes to make it the capital of the province, 200; begins a military road (Dundas Street) from Burlington Bay to the Thames, 201; surveys Toronto harbour, 202; hears of declaration of war with France, 203; changes name of Toronto to York, 203; decides to spend winter of 1793-1794 there, 204; brings over his "canvas house" from Niagara, 204; his plans for the defence of province, 204, 205; these not approved by Lord Dorchester, 206; goes north to Georgian Bay and examines harbour of Penetanguishene, 207; makes road north from York, and names it Yonge Street, 207; renames Lac aux Claies, "Lake Simcoe," 207; his anticipation that road to the west by Lake Simcoe would supersede that by the Ottawa, 208; spends winter of 1794-1795 at Kingston, 211; spends summer of 1795 at Niagara, 214; moves government to York (1796), 215; plans new government buildings, 215; applies for leave of absence on account of ill health, 216; leave granted with flattering terms of approval, 216; leaves York, July, 1796, but does not sail from Quebec till November, 217; does not return to Canada, 217; offered governorship of Lower Canada, 218; sent to St. Domingo to quell insurrection, 219; retires on account of ill health, 219; placed in command at Plymouth, 220; appointed commander-in-chief in India, 220; sent instead to Portugal on important diplomatic and military mission, 220, 221; ill health compels his return to England, 221; his death, 222; monument to his memory erected by county of Devon, 222; his great desire to establish the British constitution in Canada, 223; hardships of his life, 224; his hostility to the United States, 224, 225; his military genius, 225; the king's opinion of his military service, 226; his ideas for Upper Canada, 227; founder of the Upper Canada bureaucracy, 227; did not allow for forces at work in a new country, 228; too little control of his temper in controversy, 228; his courtesy and high-mindedness, 229, 230; Pitt's appreciation of his integrity, 231; his lofty aims, 232. Dr Raises and leads Queen's Rangers, 202; appointed first governor of Upper Canada, 258; appointment not agreeable to Dorchester, 259; arrival of, 270; his character and opinions, 271; builds fort on Miami River, 284; relations with Dorchester, 293; situation in Upper Canada, 294; his service in Revolutionary War, 295; colonel of Queen's Rangers, 295; disposed to overlook Dorchester, 296; sustained by home government, 297; his opinion that towns might best grow about military posts, 302. B Favours close relations of church and state, 52. E On the system of colonial government in Upper Canada in 1792, 18. R His educational policy, 35; favours an established church, 47; plans endowment of a university and grammar schools, 51-53; the university question, 133. Bk Entertains distinguished guests at Navy Hall, 57. BL On the new constitution, 7; his phrase that the constitution of Upper Canada was "the very image and transcript of that of Great Britain," 58; his plans for higher education, 105-106, 191. Mc Lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, his views on the Constitutional Act, 54.

   Bib.: Journal of Operations of the Queen's Rangers. For biog., see Morgan, Cel. Can.; Dent, Can. Por.; Dict. Nat. Biog.; Read, Life of Simcoe.