November 16, 2017 - The annual Sample/Metcalf reunion was a special event this year. The William Carroll Crawford Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and Sample/Metcalf ancestors gathered together to place “Citizens of the Republic” medallions on the graves of John Sample and his son, James Bedford Sample. John Sample came to Texas with his family in 1838 and settled in the eastern part of the county on land granted by the Republic of Texas. Juanita Chandler, Talmadge Sample and Darrell Sample, grandchildren of James Bedford who was born 1825 in Kentucky, placed a floral tribute on his grave and the grave of John Sample. The event was attended by a large crowd of descendants of these early Texas pioneers.
A history of the John Sample and James Bedford Sample follows:
Sometimes between 1835 and early 1836, John Sample began his journey to East Texas from Kentucky with his family. There being no railroads, or other means of transportation, he came by the mode of conveyance for that time period which was wagon and mule. He and his family traveled to New Madrid, Missouri where their youngest daughter, Mary Tabitha, was born in 1836. While in Missouri, John was appointed as Justice of Peace to lay off roads districts in the area.
He sold land in 1837 he had purchased while living there and once again hit the lonely trail toward Texas. I am sure the lure for cheap land motived his move and he like many others, wrote GTT (Gone to Texas) at the old homeplace.
The family continued on their journey toward the promised land of Texas and probably traveled days without meeting a human being, only coming in contact with herds of wild buffalo and numerous tribes of Indians. Many of the early pioneers traveled in groups but at this time I don't know if John and his family traveled with others or alone. This journey continued for several months, and John's family finally settled in the eastern part of Shelby County on the Bayou Siepe. The county was heavily wooded land and the pioneers who blazed the way into this new area were extremely few and far between. Many of the early settlers moved from place to place seeking better range, more ample water and greater safety from marauding Indians.
John Sample arrived in the Republic of Texas by April 1838. He was granted a 3rd Class Headright certificate #87 from the Shelby County General Land Commission of which he proved 97 3/4 acres of land situated in Shelby County. This land was 4 miles east of Shelbyville on the waters of Bayou Siepe and adjacent to land of James Forsythe, Wm William, Mercer Fain and B.H. Simpson. By October 1839, he asked the land office for an additional 530 acres to be located later for a total of 640 acres which a family received.
Some of the land he selected was in what is now Harrison County which was part of Shelby County when John Sample, his wife and children arrived in Texas. John was granted the land upon which the Sample Cemetery is located in 1841 by the Republic of Texas. The land where we are standing today has been in the Sample name now for 179 years.
Now a history of the John Sample family.
John and Sarah Ann Butler were married in Posey County, Indiana on 30 March 1820 and had the following children:
1. Margaret Ann Sample who was born in Dec 1820 in Posey County and married John H. Hughes in San Augustine County, Texas in 1841.
2. William Sample was born about 1822 in Hickman County, Kentucky and little else is known about him. Many other researchers have him dying by 1830 in Kentucky. There was a William Sample, who came to Texas and received a Class 4 headright certificate in 1841 for 320 acres, and for many years I thought was the son of John and Sarah but I now believe he was John's younger brother. I do know that William died by 1843 as John was appointed the administrator of his headright certificate.
3. James Bedford Sample was born 16 February 1825 in probably Hickman County, Kentucky and died Sept 1910 in Shelby County and is buried in this cemetery. We are also marking his grave today as a citizen of the Republic of Texas to honor his life. He married Martha Ann Branch.
4. Sarah Jane Sample was born about 1831 in Kentucky and traveled with her parents to Texas. She married David H. Shoemaker in 1845 in San Augustine, Texas. David Shoemaker served in the Mexican War; he entered service on June 17, 1847 and was killed by Indians at Los Tablas, Mexico on August 5, 1847. Sarah Jane filed for widow's pension in Shelbyville in 1849, naming child Margaret Jane Catherine Shumaker age about 3 as dependent. By the 1850 Census of Pike County, Arkansas Brewer Township, Sarah Jane is in the household of John H. Hughes, living with her sister Margaret and her family.
5. John Henry Sample was born 16 Feb 1833 in Kentucky and his death date is unknown. John Henry is listed on an 1864 indigent list with 1 dependent and living with J.B. Sample. He lived in Panola County, Texas with his youngest sister, Mary Tabitha Sample Ritter.
6. Mary Tabita Sample, born 1836 in New Madrid, Missouri, first married William Ritter by 1855 in Panola County, Texas. William was killed April 1864 at the Battle of Mansfield in DeSoto Parish, LA. Mary Tabitha then married Henry Bates in 1868.
After reading the history, Vickie Martin finished by saying - The other pioneer being honored is James Bedford Sample who came with his father to Texas at the tender age of 13. James was born in Kentucky in 1825 and died in Shelby County in 1910. He and his wife, Martha Ann Branch were the parents of 7 sons: John Bedford, William Robert, Thomas Aaron, Nathaniel Walker, Samuel Joseph, Stephen Austin, and Meeme "Cub" and 2 daughters: Martha Jane Catherine and Annis Caroline. All of the children of James and Martha are buried at the Sample Cemetery with many of their descendants.
He, like many of the early pioneers, was a farmer who probably grew cotton and corn. Livestock would have included cattle and hogs. There were grist mills, sawmills and cotton gins throughout the county.
James Bedford also enlisted in the Civil War at Shelbyville, Texas on 15 Jan 1863 and was in Captain H.A. Harris Company, Company C, 4th TX Brigade. Ms. Martin said, "I can proudly say I am the great-great-granddaughter, a granddaughter, a daughter, a mother and now a grandmother of the brave men of this family who chose to serve this nation in the military."
"This family, like so many others has had quite a history. For many years, I only knew dates and not much personal history on my ancestors but in the last few years I am now finding out the stories, what made my ancestors who they were. I have found honorable men, who served their country some not so much...there have been violent deaths especially with the sons of James Bedford. James Aaron death in 1883 was called a fatal difficult, another son, John Bedford was called a desperado, son, Stephen Austin was shot and killed in Pineland. My great grandfather, Nathaniel was shot in 1932 but even with all the tragedies that has fallen upon this family, I can also say two of James Aaron's sons, Jessie and Willie, have proudly served as sheriff; Jessie and his son, Tommy Sample, were Sheriff of Shelby County with Tommy also being a Texas Ranger and Willie was Sheriff in Sweetwater, Texas."
