JAMES SAMPSON, a patriarchal son of the Keystone State, a retired agriculturist, and, in his younger days , a typical follower of Nimrod, is a native of Westmoreland county, born in 1806. William Sampson, his father, came, when a young man, in company with several brothers, from their native home in Ireland to the shores of Columbia, and made a permanent settlement in Westmoreland county. William married Mrs. Mary (Neal) Beazell, daughter of the pioneer of the Monongahela Valley, Matthew Neal, and widow of Matthew Beazell. To them were born four children: James (formerly president of the Peoples Bank), Harvey, Thomas and Dorcas. The latter married Elijah Teeple. To her marriage with Matthew Beazell five children were born: Catherine, Elizabeth, Margaret, William and John. In 1812 William Sampson moved to Horse Shoe Bottom, in Carroll township, Washington county, where he successfully followed farming and distilling, at the time of his death owning 200 acres of land, part of which he had bought at $12 per acre. In his day grain was cut with a sickle, and he was famed far and near for his dexterous handling of that primitive implement, and for the amount of wheat, barley, oats or grass he could cut in a day. He died at the age of forty-five years. James Sampson, of whom this sketch more especially treats, married in 1840, Miss Mary, daughter of Robert Grant, of Carroll township. This lady died March 25, 1888. To them were born nine children, of whom two died in infancy. Harriet first married Thomas Reeves, by which union there were two daughters: Mary (wife of Harvey Fry, by whom she has one son) and Lena (wife of Harry Nuttall, of Pittsburgh; they have one son). Mrs. Reeves was again married, this time to Joseph Truman, since deceased. Mrs. Truman, who is a lady of true refinement, now resides with her father on the home farm. William Sampson married Miss Lou Welch, daughter of John Welch, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and to them five children were born: Mary, Sarah, John, Lulu and Willie. Kate married Capt. Jenkins, and to her two children were born, Mary and Virginia. Jennie married T. J. Weddell, and has three children, James, Jessie and Mary. Harvey married Miss Jennie Yorty, to whom six children were born: Bertie, Grace, James, Ada, Frank and Ethel. John married Mary V. Williams, and to them five children were born: Gertrude, Howard, Grant, Helen and Alice M. Ada Ethel married C. R. Dallas, of Pittsburgh, they are the parents of four children: James S., Sarah, Charlie and an infant, deceased. Mr. Sampson has been a hardworking, honest and frugal man, and, though now past the eighty-sixth milestone on his journey through life, is keen and bright in intellect. In middle life he was fond of hunting, and took great pride in being the owner of the fleetest dogs in his section. Many a time, after doing a hard day’s work on the farm, he would spend almost an entire night in the pursuit of game, accompanied by his faithful dogs. In politics he has been a Whig, Know-nothing, and Republican, in the ranks of which latter party he has voted since its organization. Now, in peaceful retirement, the owner of 1,200 acres of land, Mr. Sampson finds himself surrounded with the comforts that come to the sunset of a well-spent, industrious life.

Text taken from page 656 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by Laura M. Thomas of Enfield, CT as part of the Beers Project. Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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