Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/325

 SEWALL

SEWALL

She was also officially connected with many literary, historical, artistic, and reform organi- zations at home and abroad; organized the An- nual Peace Demonstration by Women of the United States in 1899, and originated the New Internationalism. Slie is the author of several books, pamphlets and monograplis, and became widely known as a lecturer and contributor to current periodicals.

SEWALL, Samuel, jurist, was born at Hor- ton. near Basingstoke, England, March 28,1652; son of Henrj' and Jane (Drummer) Sewall, and grandson of Stephen and Alice (Archer) Drum- mer. His father returned to Newbury, Mass., in 1659, and in 1661 the rest of the family followed. Samuel

Se\vall was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1671, A.M., 1674, was a tutor there, 1673-74, keeper of the col- lege library in 1674, and studied theology there, 1674-77. He was married, Feb. 28, 1677. to Hannah, daughter of John (q.v.) and Judith (Quincy) Hull, Gov- ernor Bradstreet per- forming the ceremony, and it is of this marriage that the story is told of the father presenting the groom with a chest of pine-tree shillings equalling the bride in weight. Mr. Sewall aban- doned the study of theology and was printer of currency for the colony. 1677-80, was deputy to the general court for Westfield in 1683, was a mem- ber of the board of assistants, 1684-86, and ex officio judge of the superior court. He visited England, 1688-89, served again on the board of assistants, 1689-91, and was a member of the ex- ecutive council, 1691-1725. His wife died in 1717, and on Oct. 29, 1719. he was married to Abigail, daughter of Jacob Melyen and widow of William Tilley, as she had previously been of James Wood- mansey. The ceremony was performed by Judge Sewall's son Samuel. Abigail died. May 26, 1720, and on March 29, 1822, Judge Sewall was mar- ried to Mary (Shrimpton) Gibbs, daughter of Heni-y Shrimpton and widow of Robert Gibbs. Sewall became judge of the superior court in 1692. chief justice in 1718, and resigned in 1728, because of his age. He was also judge of the probate court of the county of Suffolk, 1715-1728. It is noteworthy that of all the judges who parti- cipated in the witchcraft trials. Judge Sewall was the only one who publicly acknowledged his error, and the memory of those trials seemed to

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shadow the remainder of his life. In 1695 Judge Sewall gave 500 acres of land at Petaquamscutt, Narragansett county, to form an elementary school, and 500 acres in the same locality to Har- vard college. He was a fellow of Harvard col- lege. 1673-74; and is the author of: T7/e Selling of Joseph (1700); Accomplishment of Prophecies (1713); A Memorial Relating to the Kennebeck IndiaJis (1721); A Description of the New Haven (1727). He died in Boston. Mass., Jan. 1, 1730.

SEWALL, Samuel, jurist, was born in Boston, Mass.. Dec. 11, 1757; son of Samuel and Eliza- beth (Quincy) Sewall; and grandson of Joseph (q.v.) and Elizabeth (Walley) Sewall, and of Ed- mund Quinc\". He was graduated from Harvard college, A.B., 1776, A.M., 1779, and practised law in Marblehead, Mass. He was a representative in the state legislatui*e for several terms and a rep- resentative from Massachusetts in the 5th and 6tli congresses. 1797-1801; a judge of the su- preme court of Massachusetts, 1801-13; and (hief justice. 1813-14. He was a member of the elect- oral college of 1801 from the 2d Massachusetts district. The lionorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Harvard in 1808. He was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He died in Wiscasset, Me., June 8, 1814.

SEWALL, Samuel Edmund, abolitionist, was born in Boston. Mass., Nov. 9, 1799; son of Joseph and Mary (Robie) Sewall; grandson of Samuel and Elizabeth (Quincy) Sewall, and of Thomas and Mary Robie, and great-grandson of Joseph Sewall (q.v.). He was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1817, A.M. and LL.B., 1820, and was admitted to the bar in 1820. Through the influence of William Lloyd Garrison, he became an abolitionist and his early practice included many cases of run-away slaves under arrest. He also helped Garrison financially in the organization of the Liberator. He was one of the counselors at the trial of John Brown by the commonwealth of Virginia, Oct. 27-31, 1859. He was the can- didate of the Liberal party for governor of Massa- chusetts. He recognized the legal and social advance of women, and in memory of his efforts to further this advancement, a marble bust of Mr. Sewall was given to Memorial Hall. Lex- ington, Mass., with an inscription by his friend, John G. Whittier. He died in Boston, Mass., Dec. 20. 1888.

SEWALL, Stephen, educator and author, was born in York. Maine, April 4, 1734; son of Nicholas and Mehetable (Storer) Sewall, and grandson of John and Hannah (Fessenden) Se- wall. He was graduated from Harvard college, A. B., 1761, A.M., 1764; taught school in Cam- bridge. Mass.; was librarian at Harvard. 1762- 63: instructor in Hebrew, 1761-64. and Hancock professor of Hebrew, 1764-84. He was a Whig re-