Lieutenant Francis Gwillim Simcoe 1791 - 1812

First Private Owner of Land in Cabbagetown

Plaque located at: Riverdale Park, Winchester Street, Toronto, ON, Canada

Francis Simcoe was the eldest son of John Graves Simcoe and Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe. John was the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. Elizabeth drew sketches and painted watercolours as well as wrote detailed diaries.

Francis was a year old in 1792 when the family came to Newark, now known as Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In 1793, John Simcoe moved the capital of Upper Canada to York, later to be named Toronto. He selected a 200-acre lot that was put in his son’s name. It was well-located on a height of land and looking down upon the Don River. By law, a structure had to be built in order to secure Francis’ title to the land. This was done, the new summer home of the Simcoes was called Castle Frank, and Francis technically became the first private owner of these lands, which encompass present day Cabbagetown and surroundings.

The Simcoes’ stay in York/Toronto was short (1793-1796). However, it was marked by important measures that would influence the future of the colony.

With Attorney General John White, Simcoe worked at adapting English law to a colonial context.

Simcoe was also an early opponent to slavery. He tried to ban slavery altogether but was forcefully opposed by some members of the Upper Canada gentry that owned slaves. He had to water down his legislation to have it pass. The 1793 Act Against Slavery made it illegal to bring new enslaved people into Upper Canada and made any enslaved person who stepped into the province instantly free. It also declared that any children born to enslaved mothers after the act was passed would be freed once they reached the age of 25. Simcoe’s law was a compromise but it laid the foundation for future efforts. The Slavery Abolition Act finally passed in 1834 fully ending slavery in Upper Canada and across remaining British territories.

As for Francis, letters written by his mother, sisters, and by Francis himself tell about his childhood at Eton, in London England.

At sixteen, Francis was an ensign on the 27th Inniskilling Regiment. He died at the age of 21 while leading a storming party under the command of the Duke of Wellington, during the Siege of Badajoz, Spain (one of the great Napoleonic Battles).