Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/236

 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,

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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