Lawyers and Lawmakers of Kentucky, by H. Levin, editor, 1897. Published
by Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago.  Reprinted by Southern Historical
Press.  p. 95.  Barren County.

WILLIAM SAMPSON, chief justice of the court of appeals, was born January
21, 1818, at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.  His father, George Sampson, who
was a cabinet-maker of that then very small town, died very soon after
the birth of his son William, and left a widow with two daughters and
four sons, of whom William was the youngest.  His father and mother were
both natives of Scotland, and were old-school, psalm-singing Scotch
Presbyterians, which faith the subject of this sketch embraced early in
life, and to which he was faithful to the end.  At Canonsburg was located
the old Jefferson College, and his mother, being very poor, took students
of the college to board, and thus made a living and reared her children.
>From his earliest youth he earned his own tuition at college by sweeping
out the college building and performance of duties of that sort for that
ancient institution.
     Where is now located Anchorage, many years ago was the farm and
homestead of Edmond Hobbs, a wealthy young farmer, who owned a large
landed estate there and many slaves; a man of high character and generous
nature; of superior intellect and attainments, and of great public
spirit, many evidences of which still remain at Louisville, Kentucky, and
Anchorage.  In 1836 Mr. Hobbs, having recently married, and having many
tenants and neighbors with children, concluded to start a school on his
farm.  He built a log schoolhouse, which since has been known as the
starting point of several men who have made themselves useful in their
day and generation.  He then wrote to Jefferson College to send a young
man to take charge of his school.  William Sampson being then eighteen
years of age and well advanced, they sent him, and he arrived at Mr. Hobbs'
without one cent and scarcely a change of clothing and there began his
career.  He remained and taught in the log cabin (whose site is now
covered by the grounds of Lakeland lunatic asylum) for five years. During
that time he became acquainted with Miss Virginia Gilpin, a young lady,
daughter of an old Virginia family, proud of their family name and
pedigree, and of their wealth and social standing.  She was the daughter
of a widow, the owner of a large farm on the Ohio river in Oldham county,
Kentucky, about twelve or fifteen miles from the Hobbs homestead.  On the
10th day of May, 1848, after many years of courtship and waiting, he and
this young lady married.  Prior to his marriage, after five years' teaching
at the Hobbs' place--during which time he applied himself to the study of
law--William Sampson entered the office of the circuit clerk at LaGrange,
and "wrote" for a while in that office and then secured a position in the
office of the clerk of the court of appeals at Frankfort, and for some time
he "wrote" in that office.  While thus employed he procured his license to
practice law and went to Mississippi, where he remained about a year.
Returning to Kentucky he met with Thomas E. Bramlette, then a young man,
later governor of Kentucky.  Mr. Bramlette advised him to locate at
Burksville, Cumberland county, Kentucky, which he did in the year 1847.
Shortly after his marriage, he went to Louisville, Kentucky--in the year
1849--and became a member of the firm of Gazley, Gorin & Sampson, composed
of A. M. Gazley, Frank Gorin and William Sampson, all now deceased. Some
time in 1850 this firm was dissolved, and William Sampson moved to Glasgow,
Kentucky, where he remained until his death.
     In those days the most important branch of the law was that
pertaining to real estate, and land titles and controversies.  The lawyer
was judged largely by his ability to most successfully manage such cases,
and well might he be, as that branch of the law, though much advanced
over that day, is still such as to require much careful study and thought
to properly understand or apply it to any given case.
     From his first location in Glasgow, Kentucky, he took a leading part
in the practice, and soon ranked with his compeers of that day, among
whom were many whose names are honorably connected with the growth and
prosperity of Kentucky and the development of its splendid system of
jurisprudence.  In that day all the lawyers went around the circuit from
one county to another.  They then attended not only the circuit courts
but the county quarterly courts of neighboring counties.  In these courts
(especially the county courts) much important litigation had its
beginning.  Men of ability and learning, and of power at the bar and in
the politics of Kentucky, in that day constituted the bar of what was
known as the Green river section, principally Adair, Green, Hart, Barren,
Allen, Monroe and Warren counties.
     In that day the bar was composed of such noted men as John L. Helm,
Thomas E. Bramlette, P. H. Leslie, Zachariah Wheat, Asher Graham, Joseph
H. Lewis, George Alfred Caldwell, Isaac Caldwell, Junius Caldwell, William
F. Barrett, Timoleon Cravens, Elijah Hise, and many others, who, like
these, have in the past exerted an important influence in the affairs of
the great state of Kentucky.  THe lawyer most expert in the prosecution
and defense of an ejectment case usually found a rich field in that
section for his talent.  A knowledge of surveying was very important, and
was carefully cultivated by the bar.
     The next most important and lucrative branch of the practice was
the criminal branch, especially the defense of felony charges.  These
were not uncommon offenses amongst men of means and influence, consisting
mostly of homicides.  It was particularly to these two branches that
William Sampson devoted his especial attention, and in them he was very
successful, especially as to real-estate litigation.  The peculiar stolid
Scotch characteristics which he possessed to a very marked degree fitted
him for the combat in the court room.  A strong fund of wit and sarcasm,
of either of which he could make ready and effective use, coupled with
a naturally analytical mind well trained by a careful study of logic and
human nature, made him a very successful advocate before court or jury
and upon the stump.
     In politics, prior to the war, he was a Whig.  In 1860 he was a Bell
and Everett elector in the Green river district, and canvassed that
district.  When the question of secession was agitated he was opposed
to it, was in favor of maintaining the Union and believed it could and
should be done without disturbing the institution of slavery.  He held
that the institutions of the south could not constitutionally be abolished
or disturbed without the consent of the states thereto.  He, however,
believed that the Union should be maintained, if necessary, by the
abolition of slavery.  His old friend and the associate of his early days,
Hon. Thomas E. Bramlette, was elected governor of Kentucky in 1861, and
he was elected to the senate in 1863 from the district compose of Barren
and other counties.
     In consequence of the social and political disturbances in Kentucky,
during the trying days from 1861 to 1865, many citizens of Kentucky who
did not wish to go into the Confederate army fled to Canada, so as to be
on foreign soil free from arrest on charges of political offenses. Judge
Joshua F. Bullitt, who was then judge of the court of appeals in
Kentucky, from the Louisville district, was one who so left for Canada,
because he feared being arrested.  The senate then in session made many
efforts to induce him to return and assume his duties, and on his failure
to so so "addressed him out of office."  There being thus a vacancy in the
office, Governor Thomas E. Bramlette, in January, 1865, appointed William
Sampson to fill the vacancy until the next August election.  He qualified
and assumed the duties of chief justice in January, 1865.  Prior to the
August election of 1865, the political parties in Kentucky were divided
into Republican, Democrat, and third party, which last named party was
composed largely of Union men who opposed Mr. Lincoln in favor of
McClellan.  Judge William Sampson was identified with this party, and at
the August election, 1865, was a candidate for election to the position
he held by appointment. In the election he was opposed by Judge Kavanaugh,
of Marion county.  The district was the most populous in Kentucky,
composed of Jefferson, Warren, Marion and many others of the most populous
counties in the state.  THe race was very close, and the official court
was required to determine the election.  Upon the count it was definitely
determined that Judge Sampson was elected, by a very small majority.
     Upon his return to Frankfort, at the beginning of the September term,
1865, of the court, he resumed his duties, but shortly after that his
health began to break down and before the year was passed he was compelled
to return home, from which illness he died at his home in Glasgow,
Kentucky, Feb 5, 1866.  The decisions rendered by Judge Sampson are
reported in 2d Duvall.
     William Sampson, in the year 1862, formed a partnership with Judge
I. W. Edwards, now of Louisville, which continued until dissolved by the
appointment of Judge Sampson to the bench.  Judge Edwards, who was then
a widower, married Miss Julia Gilpin, sister of Mrs. Sampson.  On the
10th day of April, 1864, Mrs. Sampson, after a few days' illness, died,
leaving Judge Sampson a family of four young children.  Judge Sampson
being away from home a great deal, Judge Edwards and wife continued to
live in his family, she taking as far as possible the place of the mother.
     Judge Sampson left at his death three daughters and one son.  Ida
L. Sampson died at Abilene, Kansas, January 5, 1880.  Margaret Sampson,
who married M. W. Neal, now of Crescent Hill, died at Memphis, Tennessee,
February 13, 1879.  She left a son and a daughter.  The son died a few
years later.  The daughter is Miss Lillian Neal, of Cresent Hill,
Kentucky.  Another daughter, Mrs. Virginia Wheat, wife of J. Z. Wheat,
of Fort Worth, Texas; and Jr. R. Sampson, the son, of Middlesboro,
Kentucky, are the only children living.
     Judge Sampson was a man of commanding, dignified appearance, while
American by birth and in feeling he possessed and constantly exhibited
the sterling characteristics of the sturdy Scotch race from whom he
descended,--a man of spotless character, whose whole life was a
demonstration of the truth of his profession as a follower of Christ.
In the last few years of his life he was an elder in the Presbyterian
church, and as such attended and took part in its presbyteries and
assemblies, and in general assembly strongly opposed the declaration
and testimony act of the assembly at St. Louis.  His influences in life
were all for good.  Though he died at an early age, by his industry and
close attention to the duties of life he attained to the highest
position possible in the Kentucky judiciary.

Sampson Hobbs Gilpin Bramlette Gazley Gorin Helm Leslie Wheat Graham
Lewis Caldwell Barrett Craven Hise Bullitt Kavanaugh Edwards Neal
=
Jefferson-KY Oldham-KY Burksville-Cumberland-KY Marion-KY Bell-KY MS
VA PA TN TX Canada

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