Pepperrell, William, Sir

Person

Dates

Existence: 1696 - 1759

Biography

Sir William Pepperrell (1696-1759) was a merchant and British Army officer in Kittery, Maine (then Massachusetts). He owned ships and traded lumber, fish, and dry goods in the West Indies and Europe. Pepperrell commanded British land forces that captured the French garrison at Fortress Louisbourg in 1745 during King George's War (1744-1748), after which he was made a baronet. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), Pepperrell was promoted to major general, and he helped raise and train Massachusetts troops, including his own regiment, the 51st Regiment of Foot, and the 50th regiment, commanded by Governor William Shirley (1694-1771). Pepperrell also served as a justice of the peace and representative of Kittery in the Massachusetts General Court and on the Governor's Council, and in 1757, he was briefly acting governor of Massachusetts.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

William Pepperrell papers

FOUND IN: Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School

Collection Identifier: Mss:766 1696-1757 P421

Overview:

Sir William Pepperrell (1696-1759) was a merchant and British Army officer in Kittery, Maine (then Massachusetts). The William Pepperrell papers consist of records related to the business interests and military service of Pepperrell, and his father, also William Pepperrell (-1734), a merchant and shipbuilder, dated 1696-1757. There is also a 1795 printed circular related to navigation.