He graduated from Harvard college, A.B., 1707, A.M., 1710; was ordained to the Congregational ministry, Sep. 16, 1713, and was pastor of the South Church, Boston, Mass., 1713-69, being only the fourth minister of the church.
He declined the presidency of Harvard college tendered him in 1724; (another report has him appointed President, May 11, 1724 in preference to Cotton Mather). He was a fellow of the college, 1728-65; and presented many volumes to the college, when the library burned in 1764.
He was a member of the commission appointed for the propagation of the Gospel in New England, and corresponding member of the Scottish Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The honourary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by the University of Glasgow in 1731. Many of his sermons were published.
He married Elizabeth Walley, daughter of Major General John Walley and Sarah Blossom, Oct. 29, 1713 in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton officiated. He is known to have a son, Samuel Sewall (1715-1771), live to an adult age.
Rev. Sewall readily supported the patriot cause and permitted his meeting house to become a shrine of the American cause. In Charles Chauncy's words, Sewall "was a strenuous asserter of our civil and ecclesiastical charter-rights and priviledges. . . . He knew they were the purchase of our forefathers at the expence of much labor, blood, and treasire [sic]. He could not bear the thought of their being wrested out of our hands. He esteemed it our duty, in all wise, reasonable, and legal ways, to endeavour the preservation of them. . ." (Chauncy, Discourse Occasioned by the Death of . . . Joseph Sewall [Boston, 1769], p. 26).
Rev. Dr. Joseph Sewall died on July 4, 1769 in Boston at the age of 80.
He was buried, July 1769, in the Hull-Sewall tomb, in the Granary Burying Ground.
Source: Sewall Genealogy
He graduated from Harvard college, A.B., 1707, A.M., 1710; was ordained to the Congregational ministry, Sep. 16, 1713, and was pastor of the South Church, Boston, Mass., 1713-69, being only the fourth minister of the church.
He declined the presidency of Harvard college tendered him in 1724; (another report has him appointed President, May 11, 1724 in preference to Cotton Mather). He was a fellow of the college, 1728-65; and presented many volumes to the college, when the library burned in 1764.
He was a member of the commission appointed for the propagation of the Gospel in New England, and corresponding member of the Scottish Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The honourary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by the University of Glasgow in 1731. Many of his sermons were published.
He married Elizabeth Walley, daughter of Major General John Walley and Sarah Blossom, Oct. 29, 1713 in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton officiated. He is known to have a son, Samuel Sewall (1715-1771), live to an adult age.
Rev. Sewall readily supported the patriot cause and permitted his meeting house to become a shrine of the American cause. In Charles Chauncy's words, Sewall "was a strenuous asserter of our civil and ecclesiastical charter-rights and priviledges. . . . He knew they were the purchase of our forefathers at the expence of much labor, blood, and treasire [sic]. He could not bear the thought of their being wrested out of our hands. He esteemed it our duty, in all wise, reasonable, and legal ways, to endeavour the preservation of them. . ." (Chauncy, Discourse Occasioned by the Death of . . . Joseph Sewall [Boston, 1769], p. 26).
Rev. Dr. Joseph Sewall died on July 4, 1769 in Boston at the age of 80.
He was buried, July 1769, in the Hull-Sewall tomb, in the Granary Burying Ground.
Source: Sewall Genealogy
Inscription
JUDGE SEWALL'S Tomb.
Now the property of his heirs
PHILIP R. RIDGWAY
1810.
RALPH HUNTINGTON.
1812
N» 185
Ralph Huntington.
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