Born 2983 in the Shire to Hamfast Gamgee and Bell Goodchild. He was the fifth of their six children. They lived at Number 3 Bagshot Row, Hobbiton.

Sam took over as Gardener at Bag End when his father Hamfast Gamgee (The Gaffer) retired. Bilbo Baggins taught Sam to read and write, and his stories of Elves captured Sam's imagination. He longed to meet them, but had never been out of the Shire until the quest.

After Bilbo's departure Sam stayed on as gardener to Frodo Baggins and was chosen by Gandalf to accompany Frodo on his flight to Rivendell. He subsequently alerted Merry and Pippin to Frodo's plight.

In Rivendell, Sam kept vigil by Frodo's bedside as he recovered from a wound, and by sneaking into the Council of Elrond earned himself a place on the quest to Mount Doom. Throughtout the quest he remained at Frodo's side enduring the most terrible dangers and choices along the way.

Sam became Ringbearer briefly when, thinking Frodo dead, he bravely resolved to finish the quest alone. Finally, in Mordor he carried Frodo part of the way up Mount Doom ensuring that Frodo reached the Samath Naur.

After the War of the Ring, Sam took part in the Scouring of the Shire, and oversaw the environmental regeneration that followed. He married Rosie Cotton and fathered 13 children. He and Rosie had 13 children; Elanor, Frodo Gardner, Rose Gardner, Merry Gardner, Pippin Gardner, Goldilocks Gardner, Hamfast Gardner, Daisy Gardner, Primrose Gardner, Bilbo Gardner, Ruby Gardner, Robin Gardner, and Tolman Gardner (Tom).
He was elected Mayor of the Shire seven consecutive times , and was a very well-respected Hobbit .

In 3036, King Elessar came to the Brandywine Bridge and awarded Sam the Star of the Dúnedain.

When Rosie died in 3082, Sam left Bag End and after visiting his daughter Elanor in the Tower Hills and giving her the Red Book he rode away and was never seen again. It was a tradition among his descendants that as the last remaining Ringbearer he was allowed to take ship into the West and join his beloved master.

*Note* There are some inconsistencies about the year of Sam's birth. In Appendix B, his birth year is stated as being TA 2983. In Appendix C, in his family tree, he is said to have been born in TA 2980. Later in the Tale of Years, he is mentioned as being 96 years old in TA 3076, again making his birth year TA 2980.

There was also the belief that Sam was born on April 6th. In afteryears it was a Hobbit tradition to dance around the mallorn tree in the party field on that date, and some said they were celebrating Sam's birthday, but we have no confirmation that he was born on that date.
Encyclopedia entry originally written by Hathaldir