Historical Profile: Deborah Sampson

Sharon, MA. - Deborah Sampson (1760 – 1827) is most well known for her participation in the American Revolution as a Continental Army soldier.  What makes Sampson’s story unique is that she was a woman who disguised herself as man in order to be eligible to serve in the Continental Army.  

Deborah Sampson sculpture by Lu Stubbs, Sharon, MA.
Sampson was one of a small contingent of women who had military experience during the American Revolution.  Sampson served 17 months in the Continental Army under the name “Robert Shirtliffe.”  After the war, Sampson worked as a teacher and a weaver.  She died in Sharon, Massachusetts.  In 1989, sculptor Lu Stubbs created a statue in Sampson’s honor.  The statue is located in front of the Sharon, Massachusetts public library.

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