Samuel Hanford was the son of William Sessions and Mary Ann Hanford. He attended Scotsburn School at Peel forest for three years before the family moved to Petonewhere he was enrolled at Petone Central School. He married Lillian Kinsley on 29 April 1911 at Petone. Edna May hanford, born on 14 June 1904 at Wellington, was adopted. A son James, born in 1915, died at 2 days old. Samuel was employed at the Wellington Woollen Mills when he was called up in 1918. Biography provided by the Timaru Museum SCRoll project. AWMM