William Sayle | |
|---|---|
| 1st Governor of South Carolina | |
| In office 15 March 1670 – 4 March 1671 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Preceded by | Office Established |
| Succeeded by | Joseph West |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1590 England |
| Died | 1671 (aged c. 81) Bahamas, England |
| Residence | Bahamas |
| Occupation | Explorer, colonial administrator |
Captain William Sayle[needs IPA] (c. 1590 – 1671) was a prominent English landholder who was Governor of Bermuda in 1643 and again in 1658. As an Independent in religion and politics, and an adherent of Oliver Cromwell, he was dissatisfied with life in Bermuda, and so founded the company of the Eleutheran Adventurers who became the first European settlers of the Bahamas between 1646 and 1648. He later became the first governor of colonial South Carolina from 1670 to 1671.[1]