John Simcoe and Toronto

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from John Simcoe’s point of view, Toronto before Simcoe, and The Toronto Purchase. Simcoe has ran a unit of loyalists called the Queen’s Rangers that took part in the American Revolution (because they were loyalists). But Simcoe was sadly injured and went back to England in 1781. When he was back in England he married a very wealthy woman named Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim. Because of the military and government positions going to more wealthy and important people; Elizabeth’s money helped Simcoe become the first lieutenant–governor of Upper Canada. Simcoe went to Newark in 1792, and was supposed to report to Sir Guy Carleton who the governor was for the two Canadas. Sir Guy was in Quebec, and stationed there. Simcoe thought that Carleton was not a good captain. Plus, remembering the American Revolution very well, he thought of how Carleton was too close to the American border, and was an easy target, when bad stuff happened, like conflict. Simcoe wanted to build a colony that resembled London. Just like New France, and how did that turn out? He reserved land for the future city. But he wanted to build a strong military base first, and started looking into York. Simcoe thought that York was a perfect place for the military base because it was farther from the border that was so close to Newark, it also had a harbour. York (Toronto) was valued by the First Nations long before John Simcoe. They used it for transportation for generations. When the French came, it was called Teiaigon. It was located at the mouth of the Humber River. The French built a small settlement fort called Fort Rouille in 1620. By 1690; Mississauga had control. Sir John Johnson (The Chief Superintendent of Indian Affairs) in 1787 met with the Mississauga, and they met at the Bay of Quinte. A sale was created of the land along the North Shore of Lake Ontario, including Lake Simcoe, and the Humber River (both sides). What was purchased was unclear by the Crown. When the document of the sale was found years later, it had no description of the sale; it was blank. The Crown asked the Mississauga to redo the purchase when the 1787 purchase screwed up. The deed stated that Mississauga sold a lot of land, and on record was more than what they had said in 1787. The deed was signed on August 1^st, 1805. Not the first or second treaty included the Toronto Islands. A branch of the Mississauga asks to use this land because the land was never purchased from them. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from John Simcoe’s point of view, Toronto before Simcoe, and The Toronto Purchase.