David is said to have been born in 1768 in England and to have died in either 1830 or 1834, but the 1850 census refutes these contentions, especially the one regarding his death.

— born in PA, presumably [East] Finley Twp., Washington Co., PA:
5.  William SAMPSON, b. 1815/6 
6.  Abraham SAMPSON, b. 1816/7 

1.  Marriage Record:

2.  Census Index:  U.S. Selected Counties, 1790 (Broderbund CD-311):  there are no David SAMPSON/SAMSONs in MD or PA on this disk.

3.  Census Index:  U.S. Selected Counties, 1800 (Broderbund CD-312):  there are no David SAMPSON/SAMSONs in MD or PA on this disk.

4.  Census Index:  U.S. Selected Counties, 1810 (Broderbund CD-313):

1810	Sampson, David	MD	Baltimore Co.	Mine Run Hundred	p. 537
1810	Sampson, David	MD	Baltimore Co.		p. 617

These are the only David SAMPSON/SAMSONs on the CD in either MD or PA.  But then, in the 1820 and 1830 censuses, there are still two David SAMPSONs in Baltimore Co., MD, so neither of these would appear to be our subject.

5.  Census Index:  U.S. Selected Counties, 1820 (Broderbund CD-314):

1820

Samson, David

PA

Washington Co.

Finley Twp.

p. 250

The only other SAMSON/SAMPSONs in the county are Isaac SAMSON in Smith Twp. and "Mrs. Sampson" in Fallowfield Twp.

6.  Census Index:  U.S. Selected Counties, 1830 (Broderbund CD-315):

1830

Sampson, David

PA

Washington Co.

East Finly Twp

p. 328

There is only one David SAMPSON in the county, and he has to be David Sr. (David Jr. has not yet married, so wouldn't be expected to appear in the census).

7.  Census Index:  U.S. Selected Counties, 1840 (Broderbund CD-316):

1840

Sampson, David

PA

Washington Co.

E Findley Twp

p. 173

There is only one David SAMPSON in county.  David Jr. is now married with children, so we would expect him to appear in the census.  If David Sr. is still alive, he is presumably living with David Jr. or one of his other sons.  The numerical data should answer if and which.

8.  1850 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #10 of 31):  West Finley Twp., Washington Co., PA, p. 541B, 78/78, enumerated 25 Oct 1850 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

David Sampson	89	M	none		Md
David     "	42	M	Farmer	1400	"
[David's wife and  children]

Living next door to Henry EALY.

9.  Descendants of David Sampson by Scott A. Sampson.  Says David (Sr.) died ca. 1830.

10.  Broderbund.  World Family Trees.  Vol. 9, Pedigree No. 2824.  Says David (Sr.) died 1834, in East Finley Twp.

11.  Email from Bob Martin.