Canada's Coloured Corps-- Part 2: A Move Toward Abolition

The first substantial settle of Blacks in Canada occurred at the end of the American Revolution.  Some like Richard Pierpoint am enslaved man who had gained his freedom by fighting for the British in that war.  Most, however, were enslaved people brought there as spoils of war or as property of Loyalists.

About 500-700 Blacks lived in Upper Canada (Ontario)  by the time Lieutenant-Governor John Simcoe arrived there in 1792.  He wished to abolish slavery entirely, but the legislature of Upper Canada  opposed many of his reforms.

Many of the members of both houses either had slaves themselves or were from slave owning families and were concerned over the economic impact of abolition.  As a result, when the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada passed on 9 July 1793, it severely limited Simcoe's intentions.

It banned the further importation of slaves and limited the terms of enslavement to nine years.

--Brock-Perry

Fort George, Canada-- Part 2: Only the Powder Magazine Remains of the Original Fort

Fort George was rebuilt by the Americans, but the British recaptured it  in December 1813 who held it for the rest of the war.

Several of the buildings were rebuilt  in the 1930s (although not historically accurate) such as the officers quarters,  soldiers barracks, officers kitchen and guardhouse.  The powder magazine (1796) is the only actual structure.

HISTORICAL MARKER

FORT GEORGE

Constructed by order of Lieutenant Governor Simcoe (1796-1799), Fort George served as the head-quarters for Major-General Brock in 1812.  In may 1813, it was bombarded and captured by the Americans who constructed fortifications of their own on the site.

These in turn were retaken by the British in December 1813.   In 1815, Fort George was described as "tumbling into ruins" and ordered abandoned.

The present works are a reconstruction done in 1937-1940, and represent the fort as it was 1799-1813.  Only the magazine of the original fort remains.

--Brock-Perry

Burlington Heights Markers-- Part 3: United Empire Loyalists

UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS  (about 240 meters away).

"IN LASTING MEMORY OF THE UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS

"Who preferred to remain loyal British subjects and came to Canada in large numbers immediately following the American Revolution of 1776 and the signing of the Treaty of Peace in 1783.

"On this site in 1785 was erected one of  the first log houses in this district by loyalist pioneer Col. Richard Beasley who on June  11th and 12th 1796 here entertained Lieut. Colonel John Graves Simcoe the first Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada and Mrs. Simcoe.

"Unveiled July 1st, 1927 the Diamond Jubilee of the Confederation of the provinces of Canada on July 1st, 1867."

SIR JOHN HARVEY  (ABOUT .2 KILOMETER FROM MARKER)

SIR JOHN HARVEY  1778-1852

"From these heights , Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey set out with 700 men on the night of June 5, 1813, to launch an attack  on an invading United States force of some 3,000 men camped at Stoney Creek.  His rout of the troops commanded by  Brigadier-General  John Chandler under cover of darkness in the early hours of June 6, is generally credited with saving Upper Canada from being overrun by the enemy.

"Harvey was knighted in 1834, served as Lieutenant-Governor of  New Brunswick 1834-1841, Governor of Newfoundland , 1841-1846, and Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, 1846-1851."

--Brock-Perry

York/Toronto Canada

From Wikipedia.

In 1793, Upper Canada's Governor John Simcoe established the town of York on the Toronto Purchase Land.  He moved Upper Canada's capital from Newark (today's Niagara-on-the-Lake) to York, believing it to be less vulnerable to American attack.

York Garrison (Fort York) was constructed at the entrance to York's natural harbor.

In 1813, the Battle of York ended with the capture of the town by U.S. forces.  The surrender was negotiated by York's John Strachan.  Americans destroyed much of York during a five day occupation which resulted in British payback with the burning of Washington, D.C..

York was incorporated as the city of Toronto (the Indian name for it) on March 6, 1834.

--Brock-Perry

John Dennis, Master Shipbuilder-- Part 2: Emigrated to Canada

After his father's death in 1782, John and his young family emigrated to Canada.  Eventually they settled in New Brunswick until fire destroyed his property there and they moved for a short time to Alexandria, Virginia.

The following year, John Dennis and family returned to Upper Canada, largely at the invitation of Lt. Governor John Grave Simcoe, who wanted him to build gunboats for the Provincial Marine (Navy).

Dennis set up a shipyard just west of York (now Toronto) at the Humber River where he built ships for the government.  One of them was the government schooner Toronto, which was called "one of the handsomest vessels, of her size, that ever swam upon the Ontario" by the Upper Canada Gazette in 1799.

--Brock-Perry

Penetanguishene Road: A Road Steeped in History-- Part 1

From the April 8, 2010, Simcoe.com by Barrie Advance.

The Penetanguishene Road (I finally remembered how to spell it without looking) is one of the most historical roads in Canada, tracing its roots back to the first days of Ontario and playing a vital role in the province's (Ontario) development.

John Graves Simcoe became Lt.Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1791 and became immediately preoccupied with the threat of the highly expansionist Americans.  he was only to aware that they could easily take the British force at Detroit and thus block all shipping on the Upper Great Lakes.

One of the most strategic sites in North America was British Fort Michilmackinac at the northern extreme of Lake Huron which was very important to the British fur trade and was a good base for improving relations with Indians (and especially steer them away from alliances with the Americans).

Should Detroit fall, Fort Michilmackinac would be isolated and British interests threatened.

He wanted a naval base at Penetanguishene and an alternate route linking lakes Huron and Ontario.

--Brock-Perry