Samuel Stephens (North Carolina governor)

Samuel Stephens (died c. 1670) served as the second proprietary Governor of Albemarle County, part of the Province of Carolina, from 1667 to 1669. Little is definitively known about his early life, but he was likely a planter in the Albemarle region.

Stephens's appointment came after the resignation of William Drummond, the first governor. He was selected by the Albemarle County Council, reflecting the strong local autonomy the colonists exercised. His administration focused primarily on managing land disputes and establishing a stable government in the sparsely populated and geographically challenging area.

Notably, Stephens presided over the assembly that produced what are now known as the "Concessions and Agreements" of 1669. These documents provided a framework for governance, guaranteeing religious freedom and establishing a system of representative government in Albemarle.

Stephens died around 1670, and Peter Carteret succeeded him as governor. His brief tenure is significant for the early establishment of self-governance principles in what would later become North Carolina.