SAMPLE, Robert Fleming, clergyman, was born in Corning, N.Y., Oct. 19, 1829; son of John and Jane (Wilson) Sample; grandson of John and Mary (McCormick) Sample and of William and Ann (Shannon) Wilson, and a descendant of John Sample, whose family emigrated from Normandy to Edinburgh and Renfrew in the time [p.221] of John Knox. The original name was Saint Paul, of which Senpall and Sampall were early corruptions. He was graduated from Jefferson college, 1849, and froth the Western Theological seminary in 1853, and was married, March 31, 1853, to Nannie Mathews, daughter of Henry and Martha (Simcox) Bracken of Canonsburg, Pa. He was pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Mercer, Pa., 1853–56; at Bedford, Pa., 1856–66; stated supply of the Andrew church, Minneapolis, 1866–68, and pastor of the Westminster church, Minneapolis, 1868–87, and in 1887 became pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian church, New York city, and pastor emeritus, 1901. He was director of the McCormick Theological seminary, 1876–89; trustee of Macalester college, St. Paul, Minn., 1880–88, and of Lincoln university from 1892, where he also served as professor of Christian ethics. He became associate editor of North and West, 1895, and a member of the board of publication, of aid for colleges and of church erection at various times; a delegate to the Pan-Presbyterian council at Belfast and later at Washington; moderator of the General assembly of the Presbyterian church of the United States of America in 1899; a member of the Presbyterian union of New York, and of the Pan-Presbyterian Church council. He received the degree of D.D. from Wooster university, 1876, and that of LL.D. from Washington and Jefferson college in 1898. He traveled extensively in America, Europe, Palestine and Egypt. Among his writings are: Early Dawn (1861); Shining Light (1862); Clouds after Rain (1863); Sunset (1864); Memoir of Rev. J. C. Thom (1868); Beacon Lights of the Reformation (1889); Christ's Valedictory (1900); Grieving of the Spirit (1902); and was a contributor to the Princeton Review, Homiletic Review, Pulpit Treasury and Southern Presbyterian Quarterly.
