Born in December of 1760 in Massachusetts, Deborah Sampson had six siblings. The family line came directly from the Pilgrims; they had a direct relation to Myles Standish and William Bradford. Deborah’s father vanished at sea, leaving his wife and his family behind and with a huge financial struggle. It is rumored that her father actually abandoned the family and moved to Maine.
Due to these unsightly circumstances, her mother had to separate the family, placing the children in other homes. Deborah was only five years old at the time. Her first residence without her family was with a reverend. However, he and his wife were elderly and they died not too long after she went to live with them. Her mother also died around that time.
Deborah Sampson, The Early Years
At age ten, she became a servant for a prominent farmer and his family in Middleborough, Massachusetts. During that time, she was a teacher during the summer and a weaver in the winter; she was self-taught in her education and skills. Her employer refused to send her to school because he felt women should not be educated. Deborah paid close attention to his sons and what they were learning in school. As a result, she learned much from them. In…
