Person:William Sample (15)

"Blaine, ... Margaret Jane; m William Sample, son of David Sample of the Westmoreland county bar; learned printing in Mr. Snowden's office at Greensburg; and at the age of nineteen went to Washington, where he established, in 1808, the Washington Reporter; in 1819 he was elected prothonotary of the county, and later removed to the west; a daughter, Mrs. Eliza Ewing Sample Malcolm, resides in Lee county, Iowa."

"William Sample, until 1833 editor of The Reporter, came to Washington
Borough in 1808 on his way to the West. Along with thousands
of such migrants he was passing through Washington County, located
on one of the main traveled roads to the Ohio country, but was persuaded
to stay in Washington Borough for the purpose of starting a
newspaper. Unpacking his equipment, Sample began publication of
The Reporter in a building owned by John Rettig, who operated a hotel
there called "The Sign of the Swan.""

“William Sample in 1812 was captain of the Washington Light Infantry, and commanded a company in the war. He married Margaret, daughter of Hugh Workman, by whom he had four sons, - David, Workman, William, and Samuel. David emigrated south and died there. Workman married here and lived for a time, emigrated West, and later settled in Keokuk, Iowa, where he became mayor of the city, and died there. William [the son] emigrated to Natchez, Miss., where he lived and died. His [William, the father’s] wife Margaret, died in Washington, after which he married Jane, daughter of James Blaine and sister of Ephraim L. Blaine, by whom he had two daughters. After the sale of the Reporter in 1833 he removed to Fort Madison, Iowa, taking with him his youngest son, Samuel, and his daughters, Sarah J. and Margaret.”

"CAPT. WILLIAM SAMPLE", who was an honored pioneer of Ft. Madison, was a native of Westmoreland, County, Pa., born near Greensburg, Sept. 23, 1786. His father, David Sample, was devoted to the practice of law in Westmoreland, Pa., where he was an early settler, and in the course of a long and busy life attained to a position of high standing in his profession. He died at Greensburg in that county while attending a session of court.
William Sample was a bright and ambitious boy, studious and more than ordinarily intelligent, and excessively fond of his books. At an early age he had attained a good education, and when only twelve years old commenced to learn the trade of a printer in Greensburg, at which he served for seven years continuously. He then went to Pitts burgh, and became employed in a printing-office there, and subsequently established the Washington ‘’Reporter’’ in Little Washington in the year 1808. His daughter, Mrs. Malcom, of Ft. Madison, has in her possession the files of the paper which he published the first and second years. They are carefully bound, and preserved with the greatest care as relics of nearly a century gone. Young Sample remained connected with this paper until 1833. He had become greatly interested in political affairs, and during the War of 1812 left his business in charge of his foreman, and recruited a company of which he became Captain, and was engaged with it in active service for three months. He sold out his paper in 1833. He had been prominently connected with the affairs of the county and served as Clerk of the District Court for the space of twelve years. He became intimately acquainted with Henry Clay, and for many years was in perfect accord with the political views of the illustrious statesman, and ranked among the first Abolitionists in that section.

Capt. Sample visited the Territory of Iowa in 1839, making the entire journey here and the return trip to Pennsylvania on horseback. He was greatly pleased with the prospects west of the Mississippi and the following year returned to the Territory, accompanied by his family. They settled at Benton's Fort, in Van Buren County, whence they removed in 1842 to Ft. Madison, and purchased a farm in Washington Township. Upon his they remained for the following eight years engaged in agricultural pursuits, and thence removed to the city of Ft. Madison, Capt. Sample having received the appointment of Postmaster from President Filmore. His health at this time was in a precarious condition, and he soon retired from the duties of office and folded his hands for his final rest on the 15th day of January, 1862.
For his first wife Capt. William Sample married Miss Margaret, daughter of Hugh Workman, of Washingtan, Pa., and of this union there were born nine children, of whom only one is now living, Margaret, who became the wife of J.D. Sanford, of Van Buren County, and is now living with her son, S. S. Sanford. in Salt Lake City. Capt. Sample for his second wife was united with Miss Jane Blaine. She was a native of Carlisle, Pa., and daughter of James and Margaret (Lions) Blaine, the grandparents of Hon. J. G. Blaine, and was born in the first year of the present century. Of this union there were born five children, of whom two are living, viz., Eliza Ewing, widow of Frank Malcolm, and now living in Ft. Madison, and Mary, who became the wife of James B. Mason, of Davenport."