John Sampson (died 1784) was an Ireland-born planter, colonial administrator, militia officer, and nephew of George Vaughan. He held numerous offices during the course of his career: justice of the peace in New Hanover County (1740), town commissioner of Wilmington (1747), sheriff of New Hanover County (1749), inspector of commodities for the Cape Fear River (1751), lieutenant colonel of the Duplin militia (1754), member of the colonial Assembly (1747-1754), and member of the North Carolina Council (appointed 1761), among others. During the Regulator Movement, he served as a lieutenant general at Hillsborough.