Colonial governor, son of Edward Winslow; born in Plymouth, MA. He was chosen a deputy to the general court in 1643; an assistant-governor in 1657; holding the office for sixteen years; a commissioner of the United Colonies for fourteen years, beginning in 1658; and governor for seven years, beginning in 1673. He was a signer of the Articles of Confederation of the New England colonies and of the declaration of war against King Philip, and in 1675 was elected general-in-chief of the colonial military forces, being the first New England–born general as well as governor. He died at Marshfield, MA, on the 18th of December 1680.—His grandson, John, a soldier; born in Plymouth, MA, in 1703; was appointed in 1740 captain of the Boston Company in the expedition against Cuba; in 1755, by order of Governor Shirley, he removed the Acadians from Nova Scotia; in the following year served against the French with eight thousand men, and was major-general in the expedition of 1758–59 against the French. He became chief justice of the court of common pleas for Plymouth County in 1762, and died in Hingham, MA, on the 17th of April 1774.
