Johnson) and a son, Paul who died in infancy. Lars died 14 May 1964 and Dora died 10 Feb 1949. Both are buried in God’s Acre Cemetery in Clermont, IA.

Millard married Elsie Schweinefus on 25 Feb 1926 at the home of her parents in Winneshiek Co, IA. Elsie was born 19 Jul 1906 in Fayette Co, la to Charles and Anna (Althouse) Schweinefus. (See Charles Schweinefus story) Millard and Elsie Sampson farmed in Winneshiek Co. before buying a farm in Fayette Co near Castalia where they lived until they retired in 1964 and moved to Castalia.

Their oldest son, Wavne. was born  in West Union, IA and died 1 Jun 1960 in Iowa City, IA. Another son, Daryl, was born in Winneshiek Co. He married Gladys Becker on 26 May 1964 at Postville, IA. They are the parents of a son, Dean, living in Castalia. Gladys (Becker) Sampson was born in Clayton Co. Her parents were Fred and Amanda (Doerring) Becker.

Millard Sampson died 10 Jul 1985 in Postville. Elsie Sampson died 21 Jun 1993 in Oelwein, IA. Millard, Elsie and Wayne are all buried in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Castalia.

Sampson, Peter and Sigrid (Nordheim)

(Reg Sampson)

Mr. and Mrs. William Sampson March 16, 1904

Peder Samsonson Een was born on the farm Een, Voss in Norway. He was the son of Samson Pederson Een and his wife Herborg Olsdtr Saude. Peder was married at Voss to Sigrid Gjetlesdtr Nordheim. They came to Chicago in 1849 to visit his sister, Ragnild who lived there.

Peder and Sigrid stayed in Chicago for about one year, thereafter moving to Beloit, Wl. There they also stayed for about one year. From there they moved with their family to Iowa and settled in Decorah in 1851. Peder then changed his last name to Sampson.

He was a learned and skilled shoemaker by trade, and he started his own shop in a large house he built out of brick and blue limestone. The house was still standing in 1930. It was located near the intersection of Washington and Main Streets and has since been torn down.

Peder was the first Vossing who settled in Decorah. It is due in part to him that Decorah became the county seat in that he passed the petition around and had people sign in favor of it. During a fire in one of the buildings in Decorah, he burned his hand very badly and had to give up his business as a shoemaker. At that time he and his family moved to a farm he had purchased in Pleasant Twp. He lived on that farm until his death on 15 Jul 1898. He is buried in the Big Canoe Cemetery.

There were ten children in this family: Nils, Julia, John William, Frank, Josephine Barbara, Frank Oscar, Edwin, Franklin, Emma Caroline and Albert Oscar. NHs married Barbara Nordheim and settled in Chicago. They had two children, Paul and Nora. Julia (b. 20 Sep 1851) married John Anderson and lived in Chicago. John was the founder of the Norwegian language newspaper Scandinavien. They had two children, Art and Louis. John William (b. 25 Oct 1853) was the first Sampson child born in Decorah. He married Florence Emma Musser and had six sons: James Edward, William Roy, Perry Harold, Frank Maurice, Dewey Lawrence, and Loyd Allen. John William and his family remained in Decorah until his death. Josephine Barbara (b. 6 Jun 1857) married and had one child, Alice Christofferson. Some time later she was widowed and married Sam Boudouine. Frank Oscar (b. 20 Apr 1859) married Nellie Olson of Pleasant Twp. Edwin (b. 1 Jan 1861) reminded single. He lived on the Sampson family farm. Franklin (b. 11 Jul 1863) married and had one child. He settled in Sioux Falls, SD. Emma Caroline (b. 17 Aug 1865), like Edwin, remained single and lived on the family farm all of her life. Albert Oscar (b. 25 May 1868) married Inga Saervold. They lived in Decorah from 1890 to 1913 and operated the Decorah Scale Works. They then moved to Chicago where he worked for the John Anderson Publishing Co. (his sister Julia’s husband). They had three children: Otto, Margaret and Alvin.

Only a few of Peter Sampson's children remained in the Decorah area. John William and his six boys had a strong impact on the Sampson line in Winneshiek Co. James Edward (b. 11 Oct 1886) married Tilda. They had one son, Willet. William Rov (b. 19 Feb 1888) was a successful photographer and had a studio in Decorah. He married Selma Rognas and had three children: Roger Leland, Gordon William and Lyle Durwin. Perry Harold (b. 15 Mar 1892) was a sign painter and artist in the Decorah area. His wife was Winifred. They had no children. Perry served in the Army in World War II. Frank Maurice (b. 9 Jun 1895) was a farmer, carpenter and worked at the Ice Cave in Decorah. He married Anna Anderson and had four sons: Weston, Gavin, Lester and Durwin. Dewev Lawrence (b. 27 Apr 1898) owned and operated The Men’s Clothing Store in Decorah. His nephew, Willet, worked there with him. Dewey married Cora Otteson. They had no children. Cora still lives on Winneshiek Ave. in Decorah. She is 95 years young and has a real zest for life. Cora has contributed a lot of information to this Sampson family history. Lovd Allen (b. 27 Mar 1904) married Ora Schultz. They had no children. He ran a clothes cleaning establishment in Ossian, IA.

These are some of the first two generations of