William Shirley

William Shirley (2 December 1694 – 24 March 1771) was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (1741–1749 and 1753–1756) and as Governor of the Bahamas in the 1760s. He gained experience organizing military expeditions during King George's War when he assembled many of the elements of the New England expedition that successfully captured Fortress Louisbourg in 1745, one of the feats for which he is best known. He again played a prominent role in military affairs during the French and Indian War, briefly serving as Commander-in-Chief, North America.

Shirley was able to successfully navigate the difficult colonial and London politics surrounding Massachusetts, and was the province's longest serving governor. Disputes over military matters with Sir Sir William Johnson and the political intrigues of Thomas Pownall, who succeeded him to the Massachusetts governorship, led to his eventual recall. In his later years he served as governor of the Bahamas, before returning to Massachusetts, where he died.