SAMPSON
SAMPSON
SAMPSON, William Harkness, clergyman.
was born in Brattleboro, Vt. , Sept. 13, 1808; son of
Thomas anil Eliza (Darlinp:) Sampson; grandson
of Nathaniel and Nancy (Harkness) Sampson and
of Benjamin and Nancy Darling, and of Englisli
ancestry. lie attended Ovid academy and Gene-
see We.sleyan seminary, N.Y.; taught school in
New York state. 1830-3.1: was licensed to preach
in 1834; was principal of School Craft academy,
^lich., 1838. and principal of Carlisle academy,
Ind., 1841-42. He was received in the Imliana
conference in 1840; was elected in the Michigan
conference, 1842, and transferred to the Rock
River conference, serving as pastor at Milwau-
kee. Wis.. 1842-44, and as presiding elder of Green
Bay district. Wis.. 1844-48. He was first presi-
dent of the Lawrence Institute of Wisconsin
(now Lawrence university). Appleton, Wis., 1849-
53; professor of mathematics at the institute,
18.")3-o8, and held various pastorates in Wiscon-
sin, 1861-83, when he removed to Tacoma, Wash.
He W.1S three times married: first, Oct. 4, 1838,
to Rhoda, daughter of Parlia Beebe of Cazenovia,
New York; secondly, Jan. 2, 1855, to Susan
Minerva, daughter of Rev. Julius and Minerva
(Kellogg) Field of New York state; thirdly to
Mrs. Sarah Kate Luther of Whitewater, Wis., on
Sept. 10. 1862. He received the honorary degree
of A.M. from McKendree college. Lebanon, III.,
in 1856. He was actively interested in the Puget
Sound university, Tacoma. to which he donated
his private' library and a sum of money for addi-
tions. He died in Tacoma. Wash., Feb. 5, 1892.
SAMPSON, William Thomas, naval officer, WHS born in Palmyra, N.Y.. Feb. 9, 1840; son of James and Hannah (Walker) Sampson, who emi- grated from the north of Ireland, and settled in Palmyra, where his father was a laborer. William attended the public schools and studied at home, and in 1857, tlirough the influence of E. B. Morgan, he was appointed a midshipman in the U.S. Naval academy, where he was gradu- ated in 1801. He ^-^ served on the frigate Potomac; and was promoted master in 1801, and 2d lieuten- ant, July 16, 1862. He served on the U.S. practice ship John Adams, 1SC>2-()3; was an instructor at the U.S. Naval academy in 1864; .served on the Pdfapsco, of the South Atlantic blockading squadron off Charleston, as executive officer, and on Jan. 16,
1i^^^^aa^<^jU^>*t^
1805, 5ie was ordered to enter Charleston harbor,
and remove and destroy all submarine mines and
torpedoes protecting the city. Under a heavy
fire the Pataj)SCO succeeded in entering the
harbor, but was blown up by a sunken mine.
Sampson was rescued about one hundred feet
from the wreck, but seventj' of his crew were
drowned. He was promoted lieutenant-comman-
der. July 25, 18G6; served on the steam frigate Col-
orado, flagsliip of the European stpiadron, 1865-
67; was stationed at the L^.S. Naval academy as in-
structor, 1868-71; commanded the Congress on the
Eurojiean station, 1872-73; was promoted com-
mander, Aug. 9, 1874; assigned to the Alert, and
was again instructor at the Naval academy. 1876-
78. He commanded the Swatara in Chinese waters,
1879-82. He was proficient in science, being
especially interested in physics, chemistry, metal-
lurgy and astronomy; was sent in 1878 to Creston,
Iowa, to report a total eclipse of the sun; was as-
signed to duty as assistant superintendent of the
U.S. Naval observatory, 1882-85; was on dutj' at
the torpedo station. Newport, R.I.; a member of
the international prime meridian council in 1884;
a member of the board of fortifications and other
defences, 1885-86, and a delegate to the interna-
tional maritime conference in 1889. He was
promoted captain in March. 1889. and commanded
the cruiser San Francisco during a tour of duty
on the Pacific coast, 1890-93. He was cliief of
tiie bureau of ordnance, 1893-97, and on June 16,
1897. was given command of the battleship loiva,
at that time the most formidable vessel in the
U.S. navy. He was pi-esiding officer of the board
of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the destruc-
tion of the battleship Maine in Havana liarbor,
in February. 1898, and on the outbreak of the
war with Spain, he commanded the North
Atlantic squadron, with the rank of acting rear-
admiral. He was commander-in-cliief of the
U.S. naval forces operating in the North Atlantic
off the coast of Cuba, and planned the blockade
of the harbor of Santiago that effectually pre-
vented the escape of the Spanish fleet under
Cervera. The blockading fleet was arranged in
a semi-circle six miles from the entrance of tiie
harbor by day, and four by night. The fleet co-
operated with the land forces under General
Shafter, who had his headquarters at Sebony,
and on the morning of Juh' 3. Sampson, in his
flagship Xew York, left the squadron in order to
confer with Shafter at that jdace. During his
absence the Spanish fleet was discovered coining
out of the harbor, and by concerted action of the
captains in command of the respective blockading
vessels they immediately closed in and engaged
theeiiemy. .\ running fight was kept up for about
four hours, when theSiianish fleet was entirely de-
stroved. The Xeiv York returned in time to witness
