Sewall, Jotham

Sewall, Jotham, a Congregational minister, was born at York, Me., Jan. 1, 1760. Shortly after he attained his majority he migrated to the Kennebec and worked at his trade (mason). In 1783 his mind first took a permanent religious direction, and he found peace. He was licensed to preach May 8, 1798, and ordained as an evangelist June 18, 1800. For a short time he had charge of the Church in Chesterville, where he resided; but the greater part of his subsequent life was spent in missionary labor, chiefly in Maine. He labored till near the close of his life, preaching only three weeks before his death, which took place Oct. 3, 1850. He was a man of fervid, massive strength. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 2, 430.