William Shirley was a British governor and soldier in America. He was born in Sussex, England, educated at the University of Cambridge and became a lawyer. In 1731 he went to Boston and became an upholder of British colonial interests in America. Ten years later, he was appointed governor of the colony, serving until 1756, when he was removed from office after he led an unsuccessful attack on Fort Niagara during the French and Indian War. Shirley's greatest accomplishments were his plan that led to the capture of the French fortress of Louisbourg in 1745, during King George's War, and his stabilizing of the economy in Massachusetts. In 1761 he was appointed governor of the Bahamas. He retired in 1770.

Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information on The Olive Tree Genealogy pages, all transcriptions are subject to human error, and researchers should always check the original source of any list.

Return to French-Indian Wars INDEX for more choices