Samuel Edward "Sam" McWhirter was born in 1856, the last child to be born to Isaac and Emaline (Tyree) McWhirter. Sam never knew his father who died shortly after his first birthday.

Their modest farm house was full of older children. There were three step-siblings: Margaret , James, and Mary Ann. His older brothers and sisters were Abraham, Malvina, Sarah Arabella, Zelora, and Willim Tyree.

Sam married three times. He took as his first wife, Narcissus Johnson, the daughter of James P. and Priscilla (Lumsdale) Johnson. Narcissus bore Sam eleven children. Their daughter, Virgie, was 15 years old when her mother gave birth to their youngest sister, Ollie. Her mother suffered from complications for days following the birth. She died in 1901. Five years passed before Sam married a second time.