Stephen (Sewell) Sewall (1657 - 1725)

Born 15 Aug 1657 in Baddesley, Hampshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Mitchell) Sewall — married 13 Jun 1682 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 17 Oct 1725 at age 68 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Stephen Sewall was a Salem witch trial figure, militia commander, county and court official, merchant, pirate hunter. He was born in Baddesley, Hampshire, England, on August 15, 1657, the son of the Rev. Henry Sewall and Jane Dummer. He was christened in September of 1657. He came over in 1661 with his parents to Newbury, Massachusetts, where they had previously resided.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

He married Margaret Mitchell, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, daughter of the Rev. Jonathan Mitchell, in Cambridge on June 13, 1682. They settled in Salem, Massachusetts, and had seventeen children there.^[1][7][8]

Stephen (Sewell) Sewall was involved in witch trials

He earned military distinction in the Bay Colony's indian wars, and held numerous county offices including register of probate, register of deeds and clerk of courts. In the latter capacity he also served as clerk of the Court of Oyer and Terminer especially convened to dismiss charges or indict persons accused of witchcraft during the hysteria of 1692, and was responsible for attesting to the accuracy of all documents and transcripts produced by the court, and so was an official eye-witness at every trial convened.

At the outbreak of the hysteria, he and his wife, Margaret Mitchell, also harbored one of the so-called bewitched girls, Abigail Parris, who ceased to experience reported fits under their care. His transcripts were used by Cotton Mather for his "Wonders of the Unseen World," which he wrote as a defense of the court's methods for investigating the accusations of witchcraft. Years after the hysteria had subsided and the court's proceedings discredited, he participated on the committee to recommend compensation for the victims' families and was appointed to distribute compensation, which he did without pay.

He participated in the capture of convicted pirate John Quelch, who had been authorized by the provincial government as a privateer to attack and capture Spanish and Portuguese ships, but who also preyed on New England merchant vessels. Sewall and Captain John Turner apprehended Quelch and several of his crew, who were later hanged in Boston. They were rewarded with a portion of the pirate's loot.^[9]

He attended Harvard College but did not graduate.^[3]

Major Stephen Sewall died in Salem on October 17, 1725, at the age of 68. He was buried with military honors.^[3] His death and funeral were marked by the tolling of bells and the firing of cannon in Salem. According to his FindAGrave Memorial, he is buried at Broad Street Cemetery in Salem with two of his infant children memorialized with a marker and inscription composed by their father, but there is no individual marker to his memory.

Children

Children of Stephen and Margaret (Mitchell) Sewall, all born in Salem:

1. Stephen, born August 7, 1684; died December 22, 1684.^[10][11]
2. Stephen, 2nd, born December 21, 1685; died January 29, 1685-6.^[12][13]
3. Margaret, born May 7, 1687; married, November 11, 1714, John Higginson, Jr.^[1][14][15]
4. Jane, born December 20, 1688; died December 23, 1688.^[16][17]
5. Samuel, born November 24, 1689.^[1][18]
6. Susanna, born October 24, 1691; married, October 22, 1713, Aaron Porter, of Medford, Massachusetts.^[1][19][20]
7. Jonathan, born February 7, 1692-3; married, December 17, 1718, Elizabeth Alford.^[1][21][22]
8. Jane, 2nd, born April 10, 1694; married, March 25, 1723, William Cooke, of Cambridge.^[1][23][24]
9. Mehitable, born May 21, 1695; married, January 17, 1722-3, Thomas Robie, of Cambridge.^[1][25][26]
10. Elizabeth, born November 18, 1696; died October 16, 1697.^[27][28]
11. Hannah, born October 14, 1697; died November 6, 1697.^[29][30]
12. Mary, born September 1698, baptized September 17, 1698; died July 5, 1699.^[31][32]
13. Mitchell, born October 29, 1699; married 1st, June 4, 1729, Mary Cabot, 2nd, January 20, 1742-3, Mrs. Elizabeth Price.^{[1][33][34][35]}
14. Hannah, 2nd, born October 28, 1700; died November 1, 1700.^[36][37]
15. Henry, born October 25, 1701.^[1][38]
16. Stephen, 3rd, born December 14, 1702.^[1][39]
17. Benjamin, born April 6, 1708.^[1][40]

Research Notes

• Birthplace: Stephen's Newbury birth record cites his birth at "Baddesly, Hampshire",^[4] but other sources have cited "Baddesley, Warwickshire". These two English villages are over a hundred miles apart.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Massachusetts Historical Society: Vol. 5. - Fifth Series. 1878. Diary of Samuel Sewall 1674-1729. Vol. 1. 1674-1700. Pages xix-xx. Citing: "8. Stephen Sewall."
2. ↑ Massachusetts Historical Society: Vol. 5. - Fifth Series. 1878. Diary of Samuel Sewall 1674-1729. Vol. 1. 1674-1700. Page xviii. Citing: "4. Henry Sewall ... married ... Jane ... Dummer ... iv. Stephen, [b. in England], 10 Aug 1657."
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Annals of Salem: Page 381. Citing: "[1725,] Oct. 17, Major Stephen, son of Henry and Jane Sewall dies..."
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Newbury Records: Volume I. Births. Page 471. Citing: "Sewall, Stephen, s. Henry and Jane, at Baddesly, Hampshire, Aug. [15. S. dup.], 1657."
5. ↑ Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915.
6. ↑ Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915.
7. ↑ Cambridge Records: Volume II. Marriages. Page 272. Citing: "Mitchell, Marg[are]t and Stephen Sewell, June 13, 1682."
8. ↑ Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910.
9. ↑ Annals of Salem: Page 339. Citing: "Jun. 9th. Major Stephen Sewall..."
10. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Stephen, s. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Aug. 7, 1684."
11. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Stephen, s. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Dec. 22, 1684."
12. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Stephen, s. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Dec. 21, 1685."
13. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Stephen, s. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Jan. 29, 1685-6."
14. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Margarett, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), May 7, 1687."
15. ↑ Salem Records: Volume IV. Marriages. Page 296. Citing: "Sewall, Margaret, jr., Mrs., and John Higginson, jr., Nov. 11, 1714."
16. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Jane, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Dec. 20, 1688."
17. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Jane, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Dec. 23, 1688."
18. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Sam[ue]ll, s. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Nov. 24, 1689."
19. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Susannah, d. [Capt. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Oct. 24, 1691."
20. ↑ Salem Records: Volume IV. Marriages. Page 296. Citing: "Sewall, Sarah [Mrs. Susannah. int.], and Aaron Porter [of Medford. int.], Oct. 22, 1713."
21. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Jonathan, s. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Feb. 7, 1692-3."
22. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHQ7-8BH : 24 January 2020), Jonathan Sewall, 17 Dec 1718.
23. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Jane, d. [Capt. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Apr. 10, 1694."
24. ↑ Salem Records: Volume IV. Marriages. Page 296. Citing: "Sewall, Jane, Mrs., and Will[ia]m Cooke of Cambridge, Mar. 25, 1723."
25. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Mehittable, d. [Capt. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), May 21, 1695."
26. ↑ Salem Records: Volume IV. Marriages. Page 296. Citing: "Sewall, Mehitable, Mrs., and Tho[ma]s Robie of Cambridge, Jan. 17, 1722-3."
27. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Elizabeth, d. [Capt. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Nov. 18, 1696."
28. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Elizabeth, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Oct. 16, 1697."
29. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Hannah, d. [Capt. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Oct. 14, 1697."
30. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Hannah, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Nov. 6, 1697."
31. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Mary, d. [Capt. C.R.1] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Sept. __, 1698. [bp. Sept. 17. C.R.1.]"
32. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Jane, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), July 5, 1699."
33. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Mitchell, s. [Capt. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Oct. 29, 1699."
34. ↑ Salem Records: Volume IV. Marriages. Page 296. Citing: "Sewall, Mitchell, and Mrs. Mary Cabot, June 4, 1729."
35. ↑ Salem Records:Volume IV. Marriages. Page 296. Citing: "Sewall, Mitchell, Esq., and Mrs. Eliza[beth] Price [jr. int.], Jan. 20, 1742-3."
36. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Hanah, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Oct. 28, 1700."
37. ↑ Salem Records: Volume VI. Deaths. Page 215. Citing: "Sewall, Hanah, d. Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Nov. 1, 1700."
38. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Henry, s. [Maj. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Oct. 25, 1701."
39. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 276. Citing: "Sewall, Stephen, s. [Maj. C.R.1.] Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Dec. 14, 1702."
40. ↑ Salem Records: Volume II. Births. Page 275. Citing: "Sewall, Benjamin, s. [Maj. C.R.1], Stephen and Margarett (Mitchell), Apr. 6, 1708."

See also:

• Baldwin, Thomas. Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Wright & Potter Print. Co., Boston, Mass., 1914).
• Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society. (The Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, Mass., 1791).
• Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1911).
• Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (The Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1916-1925).
• Felt, Joseph. The Annals of Salem, From Its First Settlement. (W.&S.B. Ives, 1827).
• Perley, Sidney. The History of Salem, Massachusetts. (S. Perley, Salem, Mass., 1924-28). Vol. 3 Pages 163, 370.
• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 20 July 2020), memorial page for Maj Stephen Sewall (10 Aug 1657–17 Oct 1725), Find A Grave: Memorial #38432302, citing Broad Street Cemetery, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Bob on Gallows Hill (contributor 46630279).
  Note: No Gravestone Photo.
• Bowen's Boston News-Letter and City Record (Abel Bowen, Boston, May 13, 1826) Vol. 1, Page 248