First Lieutenant Governor of Province of Ontario, Canada. His father was a Royal Navy captain who died on the way to Quebec with General Wolfe in 1759. John was brought up by his mother in Exeter, England. At the age of 18 he joined the 35th Regiment of Foot and was sent to Boston, which was under siege by Washington's Army. He soon became a commanding officer and was wounded three times before being captured in an ambush. He spent three months as a prisoner in 1779. Invalided back to England, he settled in Exeter and married a wealthy heiress. In 1795 he was appointed the first Lieutenant Governor of the newly created Province of Upper Canada (now Ontario). He was the first to propose the outright abolition of slavery. Because the opposition was strong, he had to make some compromises and passed the legislation that allowed for gradual abolition. His suggestions effectively ended all slavery in 1810. He was also responsible for designing a military strategy for the defence of Upper Canada and built roads to encourage settlers and improve trade. By 1796 his health became poor and he returned to England, where he was appointed military commander of Devon and Somerset. In 1806 he was sent to Portugal to undertake negotiations on behalf of the Government. He became ill on the way and returned to England, where he died in Exeter and was buried in a small chapel on the Simcoe family estate.
First Lieutenant Governor of Province of Ontario, Canada. His father was a Royal Navy captain who died on the way to Quebec with General Wolfe in 1759. John was brought up by his mother in Exeter, England. At the age of 18 he joined the 35th Regiment of Foot and was sent to Boston, which was under siege by Washington's Army. He soon became a commanding officer and was wounded three times before being captured in an ambush. He spent three months as a prisoner in 1779. Invalided back to England, he settled in Exeter and married a wealthy heiress. In 1795 he was appointed the first Lieutenant Governor of the newly created Province of Upper Canada (now Ontario). He was the first to propose the outright abolition of slavery. Because the opposition was strong, he had to make some compromises and passed the legislation that allowed for gradual abolition. His suggestions effectively ended all slavery in 1810. He was also responsible for designing a military strategy for the defence of Upper Canada and built roads to encourage settlers and improve trade. By 1796 his health became poor and he returned to England, where he was appointed military commander of Devon and Somerset. In 1806 he was sent to Portugal to undertake negotiations on behalf of the Government. He became ill on the way and returned to England, where he died in Exeter and was buried in a small chapel on the Simcoe family estate.
Bio by: julia&keld
Family Members
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See more Simcoe memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
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Geneanet Community Trees Index
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Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-22
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Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1532-1812
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England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973
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Devon, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
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