Joseph Sewall
Joseph Sewall (1688–1769) was a prominent minister and figure in early New England history, born into a notable Boston family. His father, Samuel Sewall, was an influential jurist, and his mother came from a distinguished lineage, which exposed him to key social, political, and religious figures from a young age. Sewall demonstrated exceptional intellect early on, receiving private education in Latin by the age of five and later attending Harvard College, where he earned both a bachelor's and master's degree.
After completing his education, he initially pursued a military career but ultimately became a minister, accepting a pastoral role at the Old South Church in Boston in 1713. Sewall aligned himself with the conservative faction of the church and gained recognition for his impactful sermons, including the Massachusetts election sermon in 1724. He was deeply connected to the legacy of prominent ministers like Cotton Mather, advocating for Calvinist teachings throughout his ministry.
Over his lifetime, Sewall was honored with various prestigious roles, including a long-term position on the corporation of Harvard College and receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow. He also supported the burgeoning patriotic movement in Boston during the 1750s and 1760s. Sewall's legacy is marked by his commitment to preserving Puritan values and his influential sermons that resonated with the community.
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Joseph Sewall
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- Born: August 15, 1688
- Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
- Died: June 27, 1769
- Place of death: Boston, Massachusetts
Biography
Joseph Sewall was born on August 15, 1688, into a prominent Boston family. His father was the famous jurist, Samuel Sewall, and his mother, Hannah, was the daughter of the mint master for the Massachusetts colony. Because of his family’s unique social and political position, he was regularly exposed to the important social, political, and religious thinkers in New England. Sewall was a precocious child, and his father sent him to a private school before the age of three. At the age of five, he was receiving private instruction in Latin. As an adolescent, he was more interested in a military career than he was in becoming a minister.
With his father’s urging, Sewall entered Harvard College in 1703, where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1707 and a master’s degree in 1710. He remained at Harvard for an additional two years and he began preaching in the Boston area. He declined his first offer as pastor for a church in Peabody, Massachusetts, but he accepted an offer to become pastor at the Old South Church in Boston. After a long and complicated courtship with Elizabeth Valley, he married in October, 1713, and he was officially ordained as a minister in September of that year. Conservative ministers Increase and Cotton Mather both delivered sermons at his ordination. Sewall quickly associated himself with the more conservative faction of the church.
Sewall rose to prominence in the church and was often called upon to deliver eulogies for Boston’s more elite residents. As well, he participated in Cotton Mather’s course of lectures about piety, and he preached the Massachusetts election sermon in 1724. That same year, he declined the offer to assume the presidency of Harvard College, preferring to stay at the Old South Church. After Cotton Mather’s death in 1728, Sewall and other like-minded church members assumed the conservative legacy handed down through three generations of Mathers. For more than forty years, Sewall remained a staunch supporter of the old Calvinist religious views.
During his lifetime Sewall accrued many honors. In 1728, he was elected to the corporation of Harvard College, where he served until 1765. He received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Glasgow, and he was named a corresponding member of the conservative Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge in 1731. He was invited to preach for the governor of Massachusetts and his council in 1740. Sewall was also among the earliest supporters of the patriotic movement that swept across Boston in the 1750’s and 1760’s. Sewall is best remembered for his fiery sermons which reflect his concern with preserving Puritanism.