Samuel was born in Monroe County, Ohio. When he was a fifteen-year old boy, his family migrated ted to Brooke County (1860 Census) and then to New Martinsville, Wetzel, County, West Virginia a (1861).
Civil War vet6 enlisted at age 17 in Co H. WV Infantry. He was captured and imprisoned at Libby y Prison in Richmond VA. After his parole in 1864, he returned to Shenandoah Valley, rejoined d his regiment and fought in the Battle of Winchester. Samuel was mustered out on November 2 6, 1864. After the war, Samuel returned to his boyhood home in Monroe County Ohio and became e a farmer. About 1867 he moved westward to Quenemo, Kansas where he was tax assessor, an d finally to Sonoma County California where he held several political offices..