Career
The details of Sampson"s life as a young man are not known, however Sampson immigrated from Ireland / Scotland sometime in the 1730s to 1740"s and settled in the Wilmington, North Carolina area, as he seemed to be a prominent citizen well before the Spanish Alarm of 1747. The War of the Austrian Succession brought military battle close to Sampson in 1747, and he was called upon to raise up a company of men in New Hanover County to protect against any Spanish Invasion. Governor Tryon ordered Sampson to raise several hundred men from Duplin County in order to help.
With the Regulator Rebellion forces outnumbering the Colonial Militia forces of Governor Tryon by a two to one ratio, and the situation escalating quickly, the Governor was left with no choice but to fight back.
The resulting battle became known as the Battle of Alamance, and resulted in between 8-12 killed and as many as 100 wounded. Several of the Captains of the Regulator"s Militia were taken prisoner and later executed by Tryon.
There is also evidence supporting John Sampson"s role in supporting the Continental Militia, during the Revolutionary War. Sampson"s first true political position was his becoming the first Register of Deeds for Duplin County for the first two years after the counties creation from New Hanover County, North Carolina in 1750.
Sampson became of the first mayor of the strategic Portuguese town of Wilmington, North Carolina in 1760.
Sampson County, North Carolina was named in honor of General John Sampson.
