Believed to be born in Mississippi, Rev. Samuel Birt came to central Iowa in 1905. He was reported in the Des Moines (IA) Register & Leader of March 31 to be the pastor of Bethel AME Church in Boone, and on April 20, 1905 to have a circuit that covered Boone, and the Polk County locations of Saylor Township and Enterprise.

Rev. Birt then took posts in Clinton in 1908 and Albia in 1909. In the 1910 federal population census he was listed in Monroe County. The Iowa State Bystander of October 11, 1912 reported he had taken charge of the Allen Chapel in Galesburg for the AME Church.

In 1915 Rev. Birt moved to Des Moines and became the minister at St. Paul AME Church. He was in Des Moines until 1920, and then moved to Chicago, Illinois. He was the minister at Bethel AME Church where he served until his death in 1929. Rev. Birt’s place of burial is currently unlocated.