Sam was an African American man enslaved by James Murfree of Nansemond County, Virginia. In May 1777 Sam found himself in Chowan County, North Carolina, where he stood trial, being accused of felony. The exact nature of how Sam came to be in Chowan County is not known. It's possible he came there under orders from his enslaver, or he may have been captured in Chowan County while attempting to self-emancipate himself. Either way, the Chowan court found him guilty of felony (the exact nature of the crime was not recorded) and ordered him to receive fifty lashes as punishment. Any further information regarding this individual has not been located.