SAMPSON COAT OF ARMS THE SAMPSO N FAMILY L ILLA BRIGGS SAMPSON MEMB ER MARYLAND HI STO RICAL S OCIETY K WILLIAMS WIL INS CO . M U . BALTI ORE, S A COPYRIGHT 1914 BY LILLA BRIGGS SAMPSON m composmn AN D rnm m n u u WAVERLY PRESS BY u m WILLIAMS WIL KINS Comm x r I RE U . S . BALT M O , A To M Y HU SB AND J OHN LEWIS SAM PSON THIS B OOK IS AFFECTIONAI’ ‘ELY DED ICATED LILLA BRI GGS SAM PSON INTROD UCTION It is not intended in t his simple history of your branch am son Ohio of the S p Family in Pennsylvania and , to i give a complete genealogy . The book s written solely to preserve an account of this distinctive branch of is f in the Sampsons , and purposely there no intention o cluding, beyond occasional reference , the New England branch . Owing to lack of the preservation of family history of ld of m or records , o Bibles , fa ily letters , even of tomb of stones to mark the graves many of these pioneers , this story cannot be absolutely complete in every detail . This book embraces fragments I have collected from who personal conversations with those are living , also an extended correspondence in England , Scotland , Ire m land and A erica , and individual research in the numer u i of o s historical and publ c Libraries Pittsburgh , Harris n burg , Philadelphia, New York, Ci cinnati, Chicago , and Washington , D . C . Added to the above field of study a great deal of time has been spent among the various Court records in the territory outlined above , thereby securing authentic i of data and mportant facts through the channels wills , deeds and property transfers that are not obtainable in any other direction . This collect ion has been compiled not only for the bene f fit o your posterity and future generations , but to keep f alive the revered memories o your ancestors . INTRODUCTION of f The following words Dr . Egle , o Harrisburg, Pa . ee whose works have b n of such great assistance to me , expresses the spirit which impelled me to make these searches for the early Sampsons : While the descendants of the Puritans and of the Dutch of New York ha ve ca refully preserved their fam ily f memorials , there has not been, until recently, any e fort nn nia of the made by Pe sylva ns , especially those Scotch In i . Irish , toward the compilation of fam ly genealogies our own locality few have been prepared . Yet we are gla d to learn our families are looking up the records of is their ancestry for permanent preservation . This a duty we all owe to the memory of a revered and pious s — d a ance try an even though the records may be me gre , there is no one who cann ot assist in the performan ce of . s this noble work, nor is it t oo late to begin Tho e to come after us will honor the labors thus bestowed even i if we do not receive, while liv ng, the reward for well doing . LILLA BRIGGS SAMPSON . CONTENTS SAMPSONS ENGLAND SAMPSONS SAMPSONS IN SAMPSONS PENNSYLV ANIA SAMPSONS m VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND SAM PSONS IN ENGLAND CHAPTER I not as The name Sampson is , most people infer, from F the Hebrew , but according to the author of amily Nam es o the United Kin dom s f g , is Samson , the son of Sam or “ ” “ ” Samuel , the P being inserted as in Thompson, for strength and euphony . The Reverend Henry Barker, M . D . , and states “ that the name Sampson comes from St . Sampson , a ” local name in Normandy, France , near Caen . In the Dictionar o En lish and Welsh Surnam es y f g , by C . W . of Beardsley , Oxford College, London , Mr . Beardsley i m San om cla ms that Sampson , Sa son , Sansom , s e, Sanson or Sansum , all refer to the same family, and gives several f ix . o s ff proofs One these proofs is di erent entries , in ' six f i of ix f di ferent h stories , s di ferent spellings of the “ ” name Sampson , all referring to the same individual . In my own researches I have found even a greater variety of of ways spelling the name , but will confine myself “ one on — to way this account SAMPSON . Famil Nam es o the United Kin dom In y f g , by M . A . “ is nf of Lower, given the I ormation John Sampson , ” Es . q who states that from the Monastery of St . Sampson of at Rouen the family Sampson derive their na me . The first who bore it in England was Ra lph de St . r Sampson , a brother to Thomas, fi st Norman Arch of who a s bishop York , , with R lph , had been educated a f - o . the charge Odo , half brother of Willia m , The Conqueror a a R lph was also Chapl in to William , and was created “ D onvré in 1 9 f Baron de and 0 6 Bishop o Worcester . 3 4 THE SAMPSON FAMILY ’ . on Ralph de St Sampson s s Thomas , (for the canons relating to the celibacy of the clergy were not at this r A period ve y closely Observed) , became rchbishop of son was York as Thomas II and another , Richard, Bishop f O Bayeux in Fran ce . ’ Ecclesiast ee s From these and their collateral relatives , descended a numerous progeny who varied the ort hog ra h of Sansom e Sanso ius ann p y of the name , n , S sun , . Sam s n o e . Sansone, de St p , etc , etc These settled in in many counties England and Scotland . The Dicti onar o Nationa l Bi o ra h y f g p y, by Sidney Lee . The Pri or o Hexham and y f by the Surtees Society, as well as other writers , tell us more about Ralph de St . Sampson his and brother Thomas . D on ré Ralph and Thomas were born at v near Caen, F rance , and were the sons of Osbert and Muriel , who i were of noble l neage . as . The father, Osbert, w also a Priest Ralph followed William, The Conqueror , to England , was ordained a priest by Archbishop Anselme at Lambeth Palace , and 8 1096 was of on June , , he consecrated Bishop Worcester, ’ at St . Paul s London , his brother, Thomas , Archbishop of York, Officiating . In 1 100 Bishop Sampson dedicated the Abbey Church at Gloucester , and he made several gifts to the Monks at S his for Worcester . Bishop Sampson howed fondness the secular clergy by establishing them at Westbury , f in the room o the Monks , who had held it from the days of Oswald . Malmesbury blamed Sampson for taking Westbury m so fro the Monks, which had been settled on them many i Bishop Sampson was noted for his learn ng, was a 6 THE SAMPSON FAM ILY ’ am Ralph de St . S pson s brother Thomas , who was of 1 Archbishop York as Thomas I , was born in 027 and distin guished from his earliest years for the elegance of his hi s i taste and ardour in the pursuit of l terary distinction . The schools in his own country were in sufficient to satisfy his cravings after knowledge and he sought for additional supplies in Germany and Spain . When he returned to Bayeaux his learning attracted the attention and gained him i i of of x for the nt macy Odo , Bishop Bayeau , half i l brother to W l iam , The Conqueror, and a person of comm a ndin g influence . Thomas was made Archbishop of York in 1070 and 1 8 1 100 died at York , November , , having been Arch bishop for about thirty years . He had been infirm some his time before death and must have been an old man . He was interred in the Minster at York near his Prede on hi s cessor, Aldred , with an epitaph in Latin tomb which was highly eulogistic ; but the See Of York owed f a deep debt o gratitude to Archbishop Thomas . l ur hi m I can see him even now, as Ma mesb y described a i in his l ter years, the graceful figure reta ning even then the spring and energy of youth ; the noble presence and the courteous bearing which captivated all ; the handsome his as wn florid countenan ce , and hair white as the do upon a swan . NO one could impugn the purity or correct i ness of h s life . As to his learning and ability, the Chroniclers are for w E once unanimous . He brought ith him into ngland the i literary stores of three continents . It was his del ght to him . have his clergy around , to read with them and to argue But music was his master passion . He knew it thoroughly and was a composer as well as a singer . He could pla y upon the organ and was acquainted with its construction . ENGLAND 7 or If he chanced to hear any light trivial air , he would transpose it with marvellous facility into a hymn . He n made chants and services , eschewi g especially all soft and effemina te music . The Bibliography of Normandy by Fuere , mentions Don ré Ralph de St . Sampson as Sampson, Baron of v , and adds that the Commune of D onvré gave birth to an D onvré of illustrious family, Baron Sampson de , Bishop D onvré Worcester , his brother , Thomas de , Archbishop D onvré II of of York ; Thomas de , Archbishop York as Donvré Thomas III ; and Richard de , Bishop of Bayeux .