Deborah Sampson (Samson) Gannett


Deborah SampsonDeborah Sampson, also known as Deborah Samson, is a famous and beloved local hero. Born in Plympton, MA in 1760, she is renowned for having disguised herself as a man in order to fight in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Sampson served for 17 months under the name Robert Shurtlieff before being honorably discharged in 1783. After the war, she married Benjamin Gannett and the two settled in Sharon, MA, where the Gannett family farm was located.

Learn more in our Deborah Sampson Local Guide or view the digitized items below.  If you are visiting Sharon, consider taking the Local Tour Map .