Born around 1725, Martha Lampley was the daughter of NathanielLampley, Jr. and Abigail Paxson, Episcopalians from Philadelphia. Shewas already the widow of James Steel Thomson when she married SamsonLevy in 1752. Samson was the son of MosesRaphael Levy and his second wife, GraceMears Levy, and half-brother of BilhahAbigail Levy Franks. Samson was a merchant and signed thePhiladelphia Non-Importation Agreement in protest of the Stamp Act.

Marthaand Samson had five children who lived to adulthood, including SamsonLevy, Jr. and Judge Moses Levy.Although the couple had their first son, Nathan, circumcised in NewYork by Jacob Moses, the rest of their children were raisedEpiscopalian, attending Saint Peter’s Church in Philadelphia. Theywere members of the Dancing Assembly, Philadelphia society’spreeminent club. Despite it all, Samson Levy was still referred to asa Jew.