Background
He was born on 8 June 1729 at Norbury Park, Surrey, England, United Kingdom, the son of Charles Tryon and Lady Mary Shirley.
He was born on 8 June 1729 at Norbury Park, Surrey, England, United Kingdom, the son of Charles Tryon and Lady Mary Shirley.
William Tryon entered the army in 1751 with a commission as lieutenant in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. In 1758 he became a regimental captain with an army rank of lieutenant colonel.
As his wife Margaret Wake was connected with Lord Hillsborough, it probably was the reason for Tryon's appointment as lieutenant governor of North Carolina in 1764. After the death of the governor in 1765, Tryon was appointed to the position. When he insisted on supporting the British government during the prerevolutionary Stamp Act controversy, local inhabitants so intimidated him that he suggested the use of British regulars. He successfully negotiated a boundary dispute with the Cherokee Indians, and he was finally able to locate a permanent capital for the colony at New Bern, where "Tryon's Palace" was constructed.
In 1768 he marched the militia to Hills-borough to put down Regulator demonstrations. In 1770 the Regulators arose again and broke up the superior court at Hillsborough, intimidating court officials and lawyers. After the ringleaders were convicted and outlawed, Tryon, in March 1771, led 1, 100 militia into Regulator country and on May 16 inflicted a crushing defeat on 2, 000 Regulators.
In July Tryon left for New York as he had succeeded Lord Dunmore as governor of that province. There he was faced with the land grant dispute with New Hampshire and difficulties arising out of land purchases from the Mohawk Indians, in which he was personally interested to the extent of 40, 000 acres. He was recalled to England for an explanation and sailed in April 1774.
Tryon returned to New York 14 months later, after the Revolution had begun. He was forced to remain aboard a ship in New York harbor from October 1775 until the arrival of William Howe's fleet in August 1776. In 1777 he was given permission to command a loyalist force and a year later was promoted to major general in North America and colonel of the 70th Foot. His primary military activity was a series of diversionary raids in Connecticut.
In 1780 chronic illness compelled his return to England, where he was promoted to lieutenant general in 1782 and colonel of the 29th Foot in 1783.
He died in London on January 27, 1788.
Tryon worked to expand the Church of England in North Carolina There were only five Anglican clergy members in North Carolina at that time. Tryon pushed for the completion of abandoned construction projects of Anglican churches in Brunswick Town, Wilmington, Edenton, and New Bern. Tryon appointed members of the clergy for these churches and encouraged the construction of new churches, especially in rural areas.
He was personally opposed to the Stamp Act and that he offered to pay the taxes on all stamped paper on which he was entitled to fees.
He was a tactful and competent administrator.
He had a daughter by Mary Stanton, whom he never married. In 1757 he had married Margaret Wake. Her father, William Wake, had been the Honourable East India Company's Governor in Bombay from 1742-50.
Lieutenant General