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His father had established a shipbuilding firm in 1823, and after receiving a common school education, the son at an early age entered its employ, and in 1854 succeeded with his elder brother to the business, building and managing a fleet of constantly increasing numbers and proportions. Upon his brother's death the firm style became Arthur Sewall & Co. After launching the Roanoke, the last built and largest wooden ship in the world, Mr. Sewall turned his attention to steel, and in 1894 launched the Dirigo, the first steel sailing ship built in America. He was a firm believer in the future of the American merchant marine and of its importance to the nation, and constantly proved his faith by adding to his fleet. He did not confine his activities to the sea, but was largely interested in land transportation. He was director and for nine years president of the Maine Central railway, president of the Eastern railway before its merger in the Boston & Maine, director of the Boston & Maine, New York & New England, and Mexican Central railroads. He was president of the Bath National bank and identified with many industrial corporations. Mr. Sewall was always a Democrat, was a delegate to the national conventions, 1872, 1876, 1880 and 1884, member of the Democratic national committee, 1888-96, candidate of his party for U.S. senator; 1893, and in this year declared in favor of the free coinage of silver, and at the Chicago convention of 1896 accepted the Democratic nomination for Vice President of the United States.³

Dr. Sewall worked as a general practitioner before retiring from private practice in 1983. He served as the Bridgeton High School doctor for more than 20 years and also worked for several years as the doctor at the Cumberland County Jail.
He was a 1932 graduate of Bridgeton High School and later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the Thomas Jefferson University Medical School. He served in the Army Medical Corps, working as a doctor in the South Pacific during World War II. He later served in the Army Reserve, reaching the rank of major.⁵

A lawyer at York and proprietor of the Hastings-Lyman Hotel, York Beach. Educated at Portsmouth High School and graduated from Dartmouth College, from which he received his A.B. degree in 1904. Graduated from Harvard Law School, 1907, and went on to read law with Cleaver, Waterhouse & Emery in Biddeford. Admitted to the Bar in 1907. He was a Republican. Superintendent of York schools and one of the directors of the National Bank, York and he was a Freemason. A justice of the Maine Superior Court from 1942 until his retirement in 1953.¹

Arthur F. Sewall, age 63, of Salem passed away peacefully in his sleep Friday at his home. Born in Bridgeton, he was the son of the late Dr. and Mrs. Arthur F. Sewall.
Arthur was a retired attorney. He practiced with the law firm of Basil Beck in Bridgeton; later Arthur worked for the Cumberland County Prosecuter1s Office and then became the Salem County Public Defender. After his retirement he became a substitute teacher at Salem High School where he loved to spend time with his students. Arthur was an avid historian who was instrumental in Cumberland County1s Main Street program. He enjoyed reading and was secretary for the men's auxiliary of VFW Post 253, Cpl. Joseph C. Toulson.
Arthur is survived by his wife, Terri and her son, James Allen Craycraft; his sons, Arthur F. Sewall of Miami, Fla. and Owen Sewall of Bridgeton; and two sisters, Helen West of Anderson, S.C. and Bitsy Hine of Pennsville.³

He served as a lieutenant in the navy during the war.
Enrolled: NR Bath, Apr. 5/17. Sea 192 days; CBM 119 days. Served at: USS Topeka Apr. 6/17 to July 2/17; Naval Training Cp Bumkin Island Mass July 2/17 to Sept. 14/17; Base Hdqrs 1st Nav Dist Sept. 14/17 to Oct. 8/17; District Enrolling Office 1st Nav Dist Oct. 8/17 to Oct. 15/17; Cadet Sch 1st Nav Dist Oct. 15/17 to Feb. 11/18. Appointments: Ens Prov Feb. 11/18: Lt (JG) Prov July 1/19; Ens Conf Oct. 1/19. Record of Serv: Feb. 11/18 to Dist Enrolling Officer Boston Mass for duty: Feb. 12/18 Det Dist Enrolling Officer 1st Nav Dist to duty Commonwealth Pier South Boston Mass for duty; Mar. 18/18 Det Commonwealth Pier So Boston to duty on the "Aztec"; Mar. 15/18 Det "Aztec" to duty on "Androscoggin". Inactive duty "Buchanan": May 14, 1919.^6,7

In 1867 Arthur Sewall decided to move west and settled in Tama County, Iowa where he lived for the rest of his life. For some years Sewall taught in the rural schools of Tama County, after a few years of teaching, he changed his vocation and purchased a drugstore in Dysart. Later he sold the drugstore and purchased a lumberyard in the town. He served as Dysart's postmaster, as a member of the school board, and as mayor of Dysart for several years. Dyersville Commercial, 26 March 1953

Arthur Shaw Sewall, contracting carpenter and builder, has resided at Dysart since the spring of 1873, except a period of about three years when he was in the West. He came to Tama county in the fall of 1868. He spent some three years in Geneseo township, where he followed his trade and taught school. He was born at Farmington, Franklin county, Maine, June 3, 1810. His parents were Joseph and Catharine (Shaw) Sewall, who lived and died in Maine. Joseph Sewall was a farmer. He and his wife were Congregationalists. They were descendants of the famous Sewall family of Maine. A nephew of Arthur Sewall was Democratic candidate for vice president of the United States. His grand-parents resided at Bath, Maine. They are of English descent, coming from Coventry, England. The Shaw family were Scotch. Catharine Shaw Sewall's father was a Revolutionary soldier, and was with Arnold at Quebec. The father of Arthur Sewall was thrice married, Arthur being of the last family. He had a brother and sister. He is the only representative now living of that, family. He was reared on the farm in Maine, attended high school in his native village, began his trade there and finished in Wisconsin and Iowa. He has always been well satisfied with his location in the West, he has built many homes in Dysart, also two opera houses there. He has also built many homes in the country around Dysart and elsewhere. He has often employed a large number of men. He married Mary E. Carey at Dysart, in 1883. She came to Dysart with her mother from Cedar county. Mrs. Sewall was born in Troy, New York, coming with the family to Rock Island as a child, and a few years later to Cedar county, Iowa. Her father died at Rock Island, Illinois, and her mother married Joseph Burroughs, a farmer who lived retired at Dysart. Mr. Burroughs was a staunch Democrat. Both Mr. Burroughs and his wife died at Dysart. Arthur Sewall and wife have two children born here: Katherine, who married Eugene Glines, a pharmacist. They have one daughter, Mary Glines. Frank B. is at home and associated with his father in business. Mrs. Sewall is a Catholic, active engaged in the work of the church, and also prominent in the social affairs of the town. Politically, Arthur Sewall has always been a Democrat. He has always taken an active part in affairs and has filled all local offices. He has served as mayor, justice of the peace, was postmaster during the Cleveland administration, and has served as secretary of the school board for many years. He has always taken an active interest in local and county affairs. He was formerly a Mason and an Odd Fellow. Had his party been in power, there is no doubt but that he would have achieved great success politically. He is honest, capable, industrious, faithful to every trust reposed in him. He has the unstinted confidence of the entire community. His word is his bond. His mind is of a philosophical cast, he delights in reading: is a lover of books and solves abstruse problems with great pleasure. His mind is calm, rational and always sane, he is indifferent to the external, somewhat careless of his appearance, and of simple habits, he has been a useful man in his day and generation. The public schools have been his special care. It has been his delight to beautify the grounds. He is widely informed, a good public speaker, and a very strong debater. Caldwell, J.R. A History of Tama County, Iowa. Vol. II., pp. 1013-1014.⁴

Manufacturer and Banker Succumbs 7 Weeks After Wife
Arthur Wollaston Sewall. Philadelphia banker and manufacturer, died yesterday in his summer home at Jeffrey, N.H. Just seven weeks after the death of his wife. He was 78.
Ill health forced Mr. Sewall to resign as president of the General Asphalt Corp. now the Barber Asphalt Corp. on May 12, 1936 after serving the company 39 years. He was president of the concern for 24 years. The directors promptly elected him chairman of the board, but he resigned on Sept. 30, 1936, remaining a director, however, until his death.
He was a director of the Federal Reserve Bank. Third District; Baldwin Locomotive Works; Insurance Company of North America; Mutual Assurance Co; American Pulley Co; Midvale Steel Co; Bell Telephone Co. of Pennsylvania, and the Zoological! Society, and was a council member of the Pan-American Society, Inc. His clubs were the Philadelphia and Mid-Day.
Mr. Sewall was born in Mobile. Ala. Nov. 19, 1860, the son of Kiah Bayley and Lucretia Day Sewall. After a high school education, he engaged in mining in Colorado and Missouri before coming to Philadelphia in 1898.
In 1897 he married Cynthia Pope Yeatman, of St. Louis, who died June 12 at the summer home. Their Philadelphia residence was at 1311 Spruce st.
He is survived by a brother-in-law, Pope Yeatman, of Jaffrey, and a niece, Georgina Pope Yeatman, city architect.⁸