William Pepperrell Papers : 1683 - 1769.

Sir William Pepperrell (1696-1759) was born at Kittery Point, Maine, then part of Massachusetts, the son of William Pepperrell Sr., a prosperous New England merchant. At a young age he worked in his father's store and later became a partner in the business. They dealt in lumber and fish, built and sold ships, sent cargoes to Britain and the West Indies, and imported goods from these countries and from Boston where they established a flourishing business and dealt in real estate. This commercial activity brought William Pepperrell into contact with the leading citizens of the town and in 1723 he married Mary Hirst, the grand-daughter of Samuel Sewell. He was appointed to the Massachusetts Council and served as president for many years. Although he had no formal education or legal training, he was appointed chief justice in 1730. On the death of his father in 1734, he inherited most of his estate and possessed one of the largest fortunes in Massachusetts. After Britain declared war on France in 1744 and the French commander at Louisbourg attacked the British outpost at Canso, Nova Scotia, Governor Shirley of Massachusetts placed Pepperrell in command of the militia forces raised for an attack on Louisbourg. Although Pepperrell had very little military experience, he was popular with the troops and had qualities of leadership that helped lead to the success of the expedition. The French garrison at Louisbourg surrendered on 17 June 1745 and following the victory, in September 1745, Pepperrell was commissioned a colonel in the British army. In November 1746, he was created a baronet and became Sir William Pepperrell, the first man born in the colonies to receive such an honour.

After the capture of Louisbourg, Pepperrell acted as joint governor of the conquered territory with Sir Peter Warren, the commander of the British naval forces during the attack, and remained in Louisbourg until the spring of 1746. In 1749, he traveled to London where he was received by the King and honoured by the City. When the French and Indian War began he was ordered by the King to raise a regiment of 1000 men and was elevated to the rank of major-general in 1755. With the departure of Governor Shirley in 1756 and the death of the Lieutenant Governor, William Pepperrell in his position as President of the Council, became the de facto Governor of Massachusetts until August 1757 when the new Governor Thomas Pownall arrived to take up his duties. In 1759, he was commissioned a lieutenant-general in the British army, but did not continue to take part in the war due to failing health. When he died on 6 July 1759, his baronetcy became extinct and his estate was left to his grandson William Pepperrell Sparhawk on condition that he change his name to Pepperrell. In 1774, this William Pepperrell was created a baronet, but because he was a committed Loyalist, the whole of his estate in Massachusetts was confiscated by the rebel government. He fled to England in 1775 and died there in December 1816.