Peg Leg Sam (December 18, 1911 – October 27, 1977)[1] was an American country blues harmonicist, singer and comedian.[2] He recorded "Fox Chase" and "John Henry", and worked in medicine shows.[1] He gained his nickname following an accident whilst hoboing in 1930.[3]
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Born Arthur Jackson in Jonesville, South Carolina, United States, to David Jackson, a farmer and native of Virginia, and Emma Jackson, Arthur was the fourth of six children. His fraternal great-grandmother, Racheal Williams, was born 1810 in Colonial Virginia, and was commonly referred to as a mulatto. She may have had a Caucasian mother or father, most likeley, a cacausian father, as this would have been typical for the time period. The genealogy of Arthur, is being conducted by genealogist Dennis Richmond. Arthur went on to marry Theo S. Jackson, who was 18 years older than him, and the mother of Herbert Miller and Katherine Miller, both natives of Tennessee. In South Carolina, Peg Leg Sam made his living busking on the street and performing in patent-medicine shows. Peg Leg Sam gave his last medicine-show performance in 1972 in North Carolina, but continued to appear at music festivals in his final years.[3]
He died in Jonesville in October 1977, at the age of 65.[1]
A biography of Peg Leg Sam, Born for Hard Luck was released by Tom Davenport in 1976. An excerpt of the documentary appears in the French film, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain.