Item

Andrew Sampson

Who Denied He was Dead

The Andrew Sampson property was located on Cemetery Road. After Mr. Sampson's death, the property was acquired by the Algonquin Hotel Company which, eager to capitalize on the trendy interest in mineral springs, built a gazebo around the well and promoted the water extracted therefrom as somehow or other having curative properties. This was part of its pitch to the invalid and fitted in well with its salt-water baths, also thought to be healthy, and the town's apparent immunity to hay fever, much hyped by the hotel.The water was served at table, and guests took it home in bottles, where no doubt it continued to extend life, as it had for Andrew Samson himself, once the town's oldest inhabitant. •

Beacon

Nov. 7, 1895

Denies He Was Dead

One Hundred Years of Age and Still Able to Hustle About

A rumor somehow got into circulation on Monday that Andrew Sampson, St. Andrews' "oldest inhabitant," was dead. But Dame Rumor for once was wrong for when the Beacon's representative paid a visit to Mr. Sampson's domicile he found the old gentleman, shovel in hand, busy "banking" his house so as to protect it from the wintry blasts. He was told of the report of his death and in very vigorous language denied it. There was nothing for the reporter to do but believe it. The old man supposed the report had arisen because he had not been out of his home for two days.

                  "But," said he, "there was no reason why I should get up. The snow was on the ground, I had plenty to eat in the house, and so I laid in bed."

                  Asked how old he was, Mr. Sampson promptly replied: "About a hundred."

                  "And how do you know that?" queried the interviewer.

                  "How do I know that! Well, I was born in Ireland about the time of the Rebellion, and that was in 1798. You can figure it out for yourself."

                  "It is not true then that you remember incidents of the Rebellion?"

                  "What queer questions people ask! How in - - - would I know anything about the Rebellion when I was only born that year!"

                  (Mr. Sampson stated some years ago, that he was able to walk around holding his mother's hand when the Irish Rebellion broke out, and that he remembered seeing a fight between the two factions. If that statement was true, then he must have passed the hundred mark two or three years ago.)

                  Continuing his queries, the Beacon reporter learned that in 1816 Mr. Sampson immigrated to this country from Minnemore, in the North of Ireland, "where you can place your foot on three Counties." He spent a short period in St. John, also at Vanceboro and in upper Canada, and then drifted to St. Andrews. Almost everybody is dead who was alive when he came here. He said that there were good docks in St. Andrews at that time, but there were very few roads out into the country. Where the "commons lands" now are was a dense forest and he well remembers a law suit which arose between two men respecting ship timber cut on the "commons."

                  Mr. Sampson does not go behind the bush to tell people what his politics are. He is one of the grittiest of Grits. He opposed Confederation tooth and nail and still thinks it was a great mistake. The old man has been living alone since the death of his partner a few years go. She was well on to 100 years before the summons came.

Beacon

Jan. 16, 1896

One night last week, Andrew Sampson, centenarian, having occasion to go out of doors, stumbled over an obstruction in his doorway and injured his arm so badly as to render him absolutely helpless. He had hitherto been able to look after his own wants, but this accident has deprived him of the ability to even dress himself, and he has been compelled to leave his home, where he hoped to spend the evening of his life.

Beacon

March 16, 1899

A year or two ago, Mr. Gardiner with Mr. D. B. Claffin, of Boston, acquired the Sampson property near the Algonquin Hotel. On this land there is a natural spring, the waters of which are said to possess valuable medicinal properties. It was the intention of Mr. Gardiner to make this spring one of the attractions of the place. The first steps toward that end were taken last year when the wall was stoned up with granite. It was intended that this season further improvements should be made.

St. Croix Courier

March 30, 1933

Do You Recall these Names in St. Andrews?

Memories of Persons and Events Familiar to Shiretown Residents 75 Years Ago Revived

Our next was "Andy Sampson," an old man in those years, who did a little farming on a portion of land located on the left of the road to the present cemetery, and who placed great confidence in his "priceless" mare, she who balked whenever it suited her. On each occasion he would threaten her destruction by aid of a pitchfork.