Before The War - Governor John Graves Simcoe

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John Graves Simcoe (1752 - 1806) was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada.

From Upper Canada History:

"He was Upper Canada's first lieutenant-governor and the most effective of all British officials dispatched from London to preside over a pioneer society. Simcoe was denied the opportunity to serve his country in a military capacity and became instead a stubborn, strong-willed autocrat presiding over a forested fiefdom deep in the heart of North America."

"In a letter to Joseph Brant in 1791, the Duke of Northumberland called Simcoe "brave, humane, sensible and honest." These qualities shine forth from the military journal Simcoe kept. About Simcoe's performance as lieutenant governor of Upper Canada there may be divided opinions, but as a military man there can be no doubt at all. His talents were surely wasted during a very tense and trying period of British history."

"...the sovereign's "trusty and well-beloved John Graves Simcoe" accepted the position as lieutenant governor of Upper Canada at a salary of 2000 pounds a year, the appointment to be effective on December 24th, 1791.

Simcoe's Military Journal recounts his service as commander of the Queen's Rangers in the American Revolution. While taking part in the siege of Boston, Simcoe purchased a captaincy. His subsequent promotions were all based on merit.

Per the United States NPS:

"Realizing the tension between the United States and Great Britain would only grow, Simcoe began preparations for war as early as 1794. He supplied Indian allies with weapons, fortified the fleet on the Great Lakes, and established a capital further inland at the Indian settlement of Toronto, renaming it York after King George III’s second son, the Duke of York."

Pre-War Captivity In Detroit

CAPTIVE WHITE BOY STOLEN BY INDIANS IN OHIO AND BROUGHT TO MICHIGAN

"In 1793, O. M. Spencer, then a lad of 12...while at play...near Cincinnati, was taken captive by a prowling band of Miami Indians and brought to their village near the present site of Fort Wayne.  His parents sought the assistance of Gen. Washington, and at his request Gen. Simcoe, commander-in-chief of the British forces in the northwest, directed Col. England, then in command at Detroit, to ransom the lad.  This was done, but a few months elapsed before he could be sent to Cincinnati, and during this time he remained with the colonel at Fort Lernoult."

Spencer Tied For The Night [Source]

"Even at that age young Spencer was an intelligent and observing lad, and kept a daily journal of all he saw and heard.  Subsequently this journal was published, and the following is the boy's description of Detroit three years before it became an American possession:

'Detroit is a small town, contains only wooden buildings, but few of which are well furnished, surrounded by his pickets inclosing an area of probably half a mile square, about one-third of which, along the banks of the river, as the strait is called, is covered with houses.'"  [Source]

I do have Spencer ancestors, but O. M. Spencer is not among them. 

Which Country Owned Bois Blanc?

"After the War of 1812 the question was again raised...".

From The Northwest under three flags, 1635-1796:

Entering the Detroit River on the 11th of July, 1796, they discovered first a few widely scattered houses set along the low lying shores, but as they progressed they found clustered about the new British post some twenty houses in all stages of completion. The region [in Canada] was known as the district of Malden, but as yet the name of Amherstburg had not been given to the town, and for months it was known simply as the new British post and town near the island of Bois Blanc, an island by the way that was claimed to be within the United States, greatly to the disturbance of Governor Simcoe (3).

(3) The ownership of the island was not settled until after the treaty of Ghent in 1817.  After the War of 1812 the question was again raised.--War Department MSS.:  Protest of Colonel Anthony Butler, July 1, 1815; and Andrew J. Dallas to Colonel Butler, May 31, 1815.

Which country owned Bois Blanc after 1817?  Canada.

Governor Simcoe's Portrait

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Governor Simcoe as explained by Wikipedia.