Is a prominent business man of Denison, Iowa, a contractor, builder and architect by profession. He is a native of Norfolk, St. Lawrence county, New York, born in 1843, and was the son of Joseph of Sarah (Honsinger) Sewall, natives of Ireland and Germany, respectively, the families dating back several generations in this country. The grandfather, Joseph Sewall, was a colonel in the war of 1812, and Grandfather Honsinger participated in the war of the Revolution. The latter died at the advanced age of ninety-nine years, and his wife was quite aged when her death occurred. The parents of the subject of this sketch died while he was quite young. He was reared in the State of New York, and received his education, in part, at an academy. When the civil war broke out he was only a lad of seventeen, but patriotism burned in his breast, and he was among the first to offer his young life to the service of this country. He enlisted in Battery F, First Illinois Light Artillery, in October, 1861, and was mustered out of the army, January 4, 1865. The battles in which he was engaged were: Shiloh, Corinth, Ioka, the siege of Vicksburg, the siege of Jacksonville, Mission Ridge, Ringgold Station, Resaca, New Hope, Peach Tree Creek, the two battles of Atlanta, Lovejoy, Nashville, and a large number of skirmishes, where his life was just as much in danger as in the pitched battles. He was taken prisoner several times, but was always fortunate enough to escape. He was twice slightly wounded, once in the leg and once on the scalp. He was a valiant soldier, and did many daring deeds upon the field of battle. He is one of the number so feelingly referred to in the late letter from the Chief Magistrate, where he takes occasion to refer to the brave men who can not receive too much honor nor too many tributes of love from all true Americans. His boyhood days were full of experience. The year prior to entering the army he had worked his way to Oregon, Illinois, where his uncle, H. A. Mix, a well-known lawyer, resided. He entered that gentleman's office as a copyist, and would probably have succeeded his uncle in his business had he remained with that gentleman. When the war broke out the lad could not wait, but stole off and enlisted before his uncle could use any influence to procure him some position above private. He refused assistance, and was determined to row his own boat, and when he was offered the position of captain in a colored regiment he refused it. After his return from the army he went to Chicago and entered the office of Edbrook, architect, where he learned the art of architectural designing, at which he was engaged for three years. In 1868 he came to Denison, where he took a contract and erected a business building, after which he returned to Illinois. He spent the winter in that State, and then went into the employ of Borce & Dafflin, of Omaha, Nebraska, as foreman on the Union Pacific railroad, as architect in the building of hotels and depots along the route of that road. After three years thus occupied he went to California, where he spent one year and erected the Golden Eagle Hotel, at Sacramento, California. He returned to Iowa, and settled in Denison, where he has since made his home. He has been engaged in the erection of buildings ever since, as far West as the Black Hills. The marriage of Mr. Sewall occurred in Denison in August, 1872, to Miss Almina Weiting, a native of Otsego county, New York, and they have four children: John, a graduate of the class of 1892; Lewis, Ada and Allie are at home. In politics Mr. Sewall believes in the principles of the Democratic party, and is a man well and favorably known in this locality. He is the leading contractor and builder of Denison. He is also a land-owner, possessing 200 acres in Denison township, on section 7, which he has improved and operates as a general farm. He has also made many improvements, and has erected a fine residence in Denison. He has built and sold a number of other houses. He is a live, energetic man, and has done much toward the prosperity of his town. He can be called a self-made man, as he began at the bottom, and as arrived by his own efforts at his present comfortable position. Socially, his family ranks with the best in Denison.