Sewall, Samuel

Person

Dates

Existence: 1652 - 1730

Biography

Samuel Sewall (1652-1730; Harvard AB 1671) was a merchant, legislator, and colonial magistrate in Boston, Massachusetts. He served as a justice on the Superior Court of Judicature of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and in 1692 was part of the commission overseeing the Salem witchcraft trials. Prior to embarking on a career in politics and the judiciary, he married Hannah Hull, the daughter of Massachusetts mintmaster, merchant, and colonial Treasurer John Hull (1624-1683), in 1676, and thereafter helped manage his father-in-law's commercial business, which included operation of a general store in Boston, financing fishing voyages, and engaging in trade in the West Indies. Samuel Sewall continued to oversee John Hull's business interests after his death in 1683. He also was elected to the Board of Overseers of Harvard College in 1684.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Solutions of Algebraic Problems. Samuel Sewall, Jun. Oct. 18, 1803. Digital

FOUND IN: Harvard University Archives / Collection: Mathematical theses, 1782-1839. / Classyear: Class of 1804

Item Identifier: HUC 8782.514, HUC 8782.514 (116)

Scope Note: At the time of their creation, the purpose of these documents was to demonstrate a student's mastery of one or more mathematical concepts by applying math to a problem in the real world. However, the enduring value of many of the theses lies in the fact that they are works of art.As a group, the theses demonstrate a change, in society at large, from the concerns of the late 18th century to those of the industrial revolution....

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