While John Graves Simcoe has been a figure for derision in Canada to all but late-nineteenth century imperialists, his wife has always been given much more positive press.  Why?  In this little essay, I want to explore how Elizabeth Simcoe's life has been represented and used over time.  Changing ideas about who she was and why she mattered tell us as much about the historical context of each observer-historian as they do about the woman herself.   Possibly Charlotteville on