caption predecessor successor death_date birth_place death_place religion profession office birth_date term_start signature image article_title term_end name
portrait by thomas hudson , 1750 jonathan -lrb- acting -rrb- belcher spencer phips -lrb- acting -rrb- john gambier spencer -rrb- thomas shirley phips -lrb- acting -rrb- spencer phips -lrb- acting 24 march 1771 sussex , england roxbury , province of massachusetts bay church of england barrister , politician governor the bahamas of the province of massachusetts bay governor of 2 december 1694 14 august 1741 7 august 1753 1760 appletons ' shirley william signature.png william shirley.jpg william shirley
 11 september 1749 25 september 1756 1768 william shirley
william shirley

william shirley -lrb- 2 december 1694 -- 24 march 1771 -rrb- was a british colonial administrator who was the longest-serving governor of the province of massachusetts bay -lrb- 1741 -- 1749 and 1753 -- 1756 -rrb- and then governor of the bahamas -lrb- 1760 -- 1768 -rrb- .
he is best known for his role in organizing the 1745 siege of louisbourg during king george 's war , and for his role in military affairs during the french and indian war .
he spent most of his years in the colonial administration of north america working to defeat new france , but his lack of formal military training led to political difficulties and his eventual downfall .
politically well connected , shirley began his career in massachusetts as advocate general in the admiralty court , and quickly became an opponent of governor jonathan belcher .
he joined with belcher 's other political enemies to bring about belcher 's recall , and was appointed governor of massachusetts bay in belcher 's place .
he successfully quieted political divisions within the province , and was able to bring about united action against new france when king george 's war began in 1744 .
the successful siege of louisbourg , which shirley had a major role in organizing , was one of the high points of his administration .
after king george 's war shirley became mired in disputes over funding and accounting for the war effort , and returned to england in 1749 to deal with political and legal matters arising from those disputes .
he was then assigned to a commission established by great britain and france to determine the colonial borders in north america .
his hard-line approach to these negotiations contributed to their failure , and he returned to massachusetts in 1753 .
military matters again dominated shirley 's remaining years in massachusetts , with the french and indian war beginning in 1754 .
shirley led a military expedition to reinforce fort oswego in 1755 , and became commander-in-chief , north america upon the death of general edward braddock .
his difficulties in organizing expeditions in 1755 and 1756 were compounded by political disputes with new york politicians , and over military matters with indian agent sir william johnson .
these disagreements led to his recall in 1757 as both commander-in-chief and as governor .
in his later years he served as governor of the bahamas , before returning to massachusetts , where he died .
