HENRY L. SAMPSON
Henry L. Sampson, son of Jonathan and Lois Sampson, was born in Cass county, Michigan, August 28, 1840. Jonathan Sampson died in that county in 1868. His widow is now living at the homestead of her son Lafayette Sampson. Henry L. left home at the age of eighteen years, in the fall of 1858, and came to Iowa. He spent one winter in Jasper county, and the following spring in company with his elder brother, Edson Sampson, went to Kansas, where they remained less than two months, and then went to California, crossing the plains with ox teams and three cows. They made a leisurely and pleasant trip, consuming six months of time. They spent five years in that State, engaged in mining and transportation business. The two were together the greater part of the time. They went from that State to Nevada, where they kept hotel and boarding house, nine miles from Austin. While in business they made and lost money. Henry L. Sampson was married in Nevada, January 2, 1865, to Maggie Perkins, a daughter of E.G. and Rachel Perkins, who were at that time residents of that State, but now live in this township. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. J. P. Culver, who was the only clergyman known of in that vicinity, and who proved to be an old acquaintance of Mr. Sampson's. Mrs. Sampson was born in Bureau county, Illinois, September 16, 1844. They left Nevada and returned to the east, via San Francisco, Panama and New York City. They spent two months at Mr. Sampson's old home in Michigan, then went to Bureau county, Illinois, and remained four years, engaged in farming. In 1869, they removed to Stearns county, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the agricultural implement trade at St. Cloud, also worked a rented farm. Two years later they came to Cass township, Cass county, Iowa, purchasing then (December, 1871,) their present farm, which contains forty acres, located in section 12. Mr. and Mrs. Sampson have eight children...Elijah, Rachel, Mary, William, Carrie, Viola, James and Isaac.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 508.
