American Patriot Samuel Leighton was born on March 16, 1740 in Kittery, Maine, to John and Mary Hill Leighton. In October, 1767, he married Abigail Frost and together they had nine children. He was a farmer.

Leighton enlisted in the army on May 3, 1775 during the American Revolution and, at the request of Joseph Warren, an American doctor and Patriot, raised a company to fight. Leighton served as captain of this company, part of Colonel James Scamman’s Thirtieth Regiment of Foot, and fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. In 1776, as the captain of the York County company in Colonel Ebenezer Francis’ militia regiment, he served at the garrison at Dorchester Heights. Leighton became second major to the Seventh Company, in the Second York County militia regiment under Colonel Ichabod Goodwin on June 10, 1778.

He died on February 27, 1802.

Sources:

Goold, Nathan. History of Col. James Scamman's Thirtieth Regiment of Foot : Eight Months' Service Men of 1775 from York County ; with a Full Account of Their Movements during the Battle of Bunker Hill and Complete Muster Rolls of the Companies. Portland, ME: Thurston Print, 1899.

Jordan, Tristram Frost. TextsLeighton Genealogy : An Account of the Descendants of Capt. William Leighton, of Kittery, Maine : With Collateral Notes Relating to the Frost, Hill, Bane, Wentworth, Langdon, Bragdon, Parsons, Pepperrell, Fernald, Nason and Other Families of York County and Its Vicinity. Albany, NY: J. Munsell's Sons, 1885.