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Deborah Samson
Soldier of the American Revolution
...is portrayed by Anna Smith. Samson was one of the first American women known to have impersonated a man to enlist in the army and take part in combat. She was also the first to receive a pension. Samson was descended from Plymouth Colony Governor William Bradford, the famous Captain Myles Standish, and Captain Simeon Samson, who distinguished himself in the French and Indian Wars. Stories of these brave men influenced her scheme to disguise herself as a man to fight with General George Washington's Continental Army against England for American Independence.
Anna Smith joined the Kansas Army National Guard when she was a high school senior in Mankato, Kansas, the first woman in an all-male unit. Nine years later she moved from Salina to Topeka to work full time with the Guard, retiring in 2001. In addition to twenty-one years with the National Guard, Smith, who has a BS in history from Emporia State University was a high school paraprofessional in Topeka high schools for two years and is now a substitute teacher in Osage County school districts. Smith is an avid horse and bicycle rider, photographer, and woodworker. She belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the VFW Auxiliary, and is a lifetime DAV member.
Audience: 7th grade through adult
Length: 20-45 minutes
Fees: reasonable
Contact information
Anna Smith
785-836-9386
785-221-8816
historyseeker@netscape.com
Home | Programs | What to expect | About | Workshops | Contact KAPHP | Glossary | Links | History Alive! Scholar/Performers
This site was created in 2003 by the Kansas Alliance of Professional Historic Performers and Ride into History Cultural and Educational Project, Inc. with an Attraction Development Grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing Travel & Tourism Development Division
Original site concept and development by Danny C. Boyce Computer and Network Support and Consulting, Emporia Kansas
Significant revision by G R Dobbs 6/6/2007
retaining much of the original design concept
Revisions and Layout Updates in 2008 were made by Megan Matile
