Samuel D. Best was excluded from the published Tennessee Wildcat because he settled about one mile north of the city of Independence, which was too far away from the Ingalls family to be considered a neighbor. He was, however, a Tennessean but not a bachelor.
Samuel was born in January 1829 in Blount County, Tennessee. His birthplace is listed as North Carolina in some censuses, which is probably explained by the fact that Blount County borders North Carolina. His mother, Elizabeth was also a Tennessee native, though his father, Henry, was a North Carolinian.
In 1851, Samuel married his first cousin, Sarah Ann Best, with whom he had five children, all of whom were also born in Tennessee. After about 11 years of marriage, Samuel became a Commissioned Officer in the Union army, Company D, Tennessee 2nd Cavalry, holding the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He was mustered out in March 1863 because he was no longer physically able to serve.
After leaving the Union army, Samuel stayed in Tennessee, and it was during this period that his 5th child was born. However, around 1865, the family moved to Missouri, where three more children were born. In 1869-70, the family moved again, this time to Independence Township, Montgomery County, Kansas but returned to Missouri by 1872. Samuel spent the rest of his life in Missouri, passing away in Bethpage, McDonald County, MO in January 1907.