Samuel Fessenden (July 16, 1784 – March 13, 1869) was an American attorney, abolitionist, and politician.

William Fessenden, who graduated from Harvard College in 1768 and became the first minister of Fryeburg and was active politically, being elected more than once to the Massachusetts state legislature.

Fessenden was an ardent Federalist and one of the early members of the anti-slavery party in Maine.

In 1847 and 1848, he was a Liberty Party candidate for United States Congress and governor of Maine.

His son, William Pitt Fessenden, was born on October 16, 1806, to Ruth Greene, who was not married to Samuel (who was a student at the time).

[1] The family tree displayed below only shows the offspring of William Pitt Fessenden, however.

A third grandson, Samuel Fessenden (January 6, 1841 Portland, Maine - September 1, 1862 Centreville, Virginia), was mortally wounded at the Second Battle of Bull Run.

He also began to study law, but soon entered the military service as second lieutenant in the Second Maine Battery, November 30, 1861.