Castle Frank in Elizabeth Simcoe's Diary
Note: This article includes historical materials from the collections of Toronto Public Library. Who tells the story, and how the story is told creates tensions when trying to present content written by settlers about Indigenous people. These materials can reflect offensive historic attitudes, and in some cases, were created by individuals directly involved in acts of cultural genocide committed against Indigenous peoples. These materials are included as part of TPL’s commitment to the 69th Call to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which recognizes the inalienable right of Indigenous peoples to know the truth of what happened and why.
In the 1790s, Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe (née Gwillum) drew hundreds of sketches and kept a diary during her time in Canada, providing a settler's account of early York (now Toronto). We preserve rare versions of Simcoe's drawings and early published editions of her diary in our Baldwin Collection of Canadiana.
The following passages from Simcoe’s diary describe a notable landmark in the colonial town of York: Castle Frank. Learn about the log house and surrounding land—both referred to as Castle Frank—through her first-hand accounts.
The woman behind Castle Frank
In 1792, Elizabeth Simcoe accompanied her husband Colonel John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada’s first Lieutenant Governor, to the provincial capital of Newark (Niagara-on–the-Lake). They brought their two youngest children, Francis and Sophia. The family later moved to York due to the threat of an American attack. In York, the Simcoes stayed in a small village of tents with the soldiers beside Fort York on the east bay shore of Garrison Creek. In her diaries, Simcoe repeatedly details her travels between her lodgings at the Garrison and Castle Frank.
The Simcoes named the log house they used as a secondary residence—and the land it stood on—after their son, Francis. Despite its grandiose name, the building of Castle Frank was quite small, with just two rooms. Elizabeth Simcoe documents its construction and surroundings in the entries below. Although the building no longer exists, the name "Castle Frank" lives on in Toronto—as a street, brook and subway station.
Finding a spot to build a summer residence
September 11, 1793
"We rowed six miles up the Don to Coons’, who has a farm under a hill covered with pine. I saw very fine butternut trees. The nuts are better than walnuts; gathered berries of cockspur thorns. I landed to see the shingles made, which is done by splitting large blocks of the pine into equal divisions. We found the river very shallow in many parts and obstructed by fallen trees. One of them lay so high above the water that the boat passed under, the rowers stooping their heads. It looked picturesque, and a bald eagle sat on a blasted pine on a very bold point just above the fallen tree. The Governor [John Graves Simcoe] talks of placing a canvas house on this point for a summer residence."
October 29, 1793
"The Governor having determined to take a lot of 200 acres upon the River Don for Francis, and the law obliges persons having lots of land to build a house upon them within a year, we went to-day to fix upon the spot for building the house. We went six miles by water from the Fort and east along the Bay shore to the Don, and up that river, landed, climbed up an exceedingly steep hill, or rather a series of sugar-loafed hills, and approved the highest spot, from whence we looked down on the tops of large trees and, seeing eagles near, I suppose they build there. There are large pines around it, which, being without underwood, I can ride and walk on, and we hope the height of the situation will secure us from mosquitoes. We dined by a large fire on wild ducks and chowder, on the side of a hill opposite to that spot. Our long walk made it late before we had dined, so that, altho’ we set out immediately afterwards and walked fast, it was nearly dark before we reached the surveyor’s tent.”
January 14, 1794
"There is a great deal of snow on the River Don, which is so well frozen that we walked some miles upon it to-day, but in returning I found it so cold near the lake that I was benumbed and almost despaired of ever reaching my own house, and when I came near the hill was frightfully slippery. Near the river, we saw the track of wolves, and the head and hoofs of a deer. The workmen, who reside in a small hut near the place [Castle Frank], heard the wolves during the night, and in the morning saw the remains of the deer. The Indians do not kill wolves; they seldom take trouble that does not answer to them, and the wolves are not good to eat and their skins are of little value.”
Visiting Castle Frank during its construction
January 23, 1796
"We walked on the ice to the house which is building on Francis’ 200 acre lot of land. It is called Castle Frank, built on the plan of a Grecian temple, totally of wood, the logs squared and so grooved together that in case of decay any log may be taken out. The large pine trees make pillars for the porticos, which are at each end 16 feet high. Some trees were cut and a large fire made near the house, by which venison was toasted on forks made on the spot, and we dined.”
January 28, 1796
"Drove again to Castle Frank, and dined again in the woods on toasted venison. The ice is excellent. The berries of the mountain tea or winter green are now in great beauty, their bright scarlet berries peeping thro’ the snow and the rich colour of their green leaves; they taste like orgeat (or barley syrup), but are of a very warm nature and raise the spirits.”
February 2, 1796
"Mrs. Richardson went with me to Castle Frank; it is not yet floored; the carpenters are building a hut for themselves. I gathered fox berries. They grow like small red currants on a delicate plant. The water elder berries are here called tree cranberries, and are less bitter than in England. We had an immense fire to-day, and dined on toasted venison.”
February 5, 1796
"The ladies did not catch cold, and were delighted with the novelty of dining in the air in winter, so to-day we went to Castle Frank. Mrs. Macaulay joined the party. The ice was not quite so good, and the snow melted. It was so mild we could not wear greatcoats. Francis has a small sleigh, which the servants have taught a goat to draw; he is the handsomest goat I ever saw, and looks very well in harness. It is a very pretty sight to see Francis drawn in this car. They used the animal to draw the sleigh by making him draw it full of wood. At first he was very intractable."
February 18, 1796
"We walked to the town, and from thence drove on the ice to dine at Castle Frank; the ice was good. I made a small sketch of the house.”
March 3, 1796
"Walked to Castle Frank and returned by Yonge Street, from whence we rode [on horseback]. The road is as yet very bad; there are pools of water among roots of trees and fallen logs in swampy spots, and these pools, being half frozen, render them still more disagreeable when the horses plunge into them."
April 18, 1796
"Francis has not been well. We therefore set off to Castle Frank to-day to change the air, intending to pass some days there. The house being yet in an unfinished state, we divided the large room by sailcloth, pitched the tent on the inner part, where we slept on wooden beds. It is quite a summer’s day. Mosquitos arrived at three o’clock. A large wooden canoe was launched here to-day, built by one of the men who ought to have been busy working at Castle Frank."
April 20, 1796
"The porticos here [Castle Frank] are delightfully pleasant, and the room cool from its height and the thickness of the logs of which the house is built; the mountain tea berries in great perfection. Francis is much better, and busy in planting currant bushes and peach trees. There is an insect which is not to be got rid of; it bores into the timber and is heard at night; it is like a very large maggot. I have seen them taken from under the bark of trees to bait fishing hooks."
Visiting during the summer months
June 1, 1796
"I went in a boat to Francis’ estate, Castle Frank. I drank tea at Playter’s."
June 30, 1796
"Sent the children to Castle Frank in a boat. We rode there through those pleasant shady pine plains, now covered with sweet scented fern. There is no underwood under the pines so it is good riding."
July 1, 1796
"A large party from the garrison to dinner [at Castle Frank]. A boat with music accompanied them; we heard it in the evening until they passed the town. It sounds delightfully."
July 3, 1796
"The Governor went to the garrison and returned to supper. Some heavy thunder showers fell this evening and the mosquitos more troublesome than ever. It is scarcely possible to write or use my hands, which are always occupied in killing them or driving them away. This situation being high does not at all secure us from mosquitos or gnats. Mon. 4th—I descended the hill and walked to Skinner’s Mill through the meadows, which looked like meadows in England. Playter was haymaking. Going down the hill some dragon’s blood seed fell out as I passed, which I collected. Wed. 6th—I passed Playter’s picturesque bridge over the Don; it is a butternut tree fallen across the river, the branches still growing full leaf. Mrs. Playter being timorous, a pole was fastened through the branches to hold by. Having attempted to pass it, I was determined to proceed; hut was frightened before I got half way.”
July 10, 1796
"Rode very pleasantly through the pine plains; gathered tea berries. I saw mosquito hawks’ nests, at least the eggs and young birds lying on pieces of bark on the ground. Query, whether the mosquito hawk is not the “whipper will” (whip-poor-will), so called from the resemblance of its notes to the words—which makes such a noise every night. We had company at dinner. I walked down the hill in the evening and gathered dragon’s blood, a plant or dragon root, from which you get resin of darkish red color; Lychnis de Canada, a plant with scarlet flower; tryliums, which resemble lilies; toothache plant, like toothache grass. It has a pungent taste. Licorice, wild lilies, etc."
July 14, 1796
"Walked through the meadows towards Coon’s farm on the Don—saw millions of the yellow and black butterflies, New York swallow tails, and heaps of their wings lying about. Gathered wild gooseberries, and when they were stewed found them excellent sauce for salmon. In the afternoon the Governor received his leave of absence, and information that the frigate 'Pearl,' Capt. Ballard, is at Quebec, and is to take him to England. She sails August the 10th."
Castle Frank after the Simcoes
The Simcoes left Castle Frank for the last time on July 20, 1796 and returned to England. The property's namesake, Francis Simcoe, never returned. He was killed in a battle in Spain while still in his early 20s. The government official Peter Russell occasionally used Castle Frank until 1807. After years of standing unoccupied, fishermen accidentally burned it down in 1829. Forty years later, there was no trace left of the house.
The name Castle Frank is now used for a road, brook and subway station, just northeast of the original location. The promontory on which the house sat is now part of St. James Cemetery at Parliament Street and Bloor Street East.
Comments