author
Rufus King Sewall
1814–1903
A Maine historian and travel writer with an unusually varied life, he wrote vivid books on early New England history and on St. Augustine, Florida. His work blends local knowledge, curiosity, and a strong feel for place.
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About the author
Born in Edgecomb, Maine, in January 1814, he was educated at Bowdoin and later studied at Bangor Theological Seminary. Records from Bowdoin and later biographical notices describe a career that moved through several callings, including ministry, teaching, and law, before his historical writing became the work he is best remembered for.
His books show a lasting interest in regional history, especially the early story of Maine. The Library of Congress lists works including Ancient Dominions of Maine (1859), Ancient Voyages to the Western Continent (1895), Pemaquid (1896), and Memorials of the Bar of Lincoln County, Maine (1900). He also wrote Sketches of St. Augustine (1848), a lively account of one of America’s oldest cities.
He died in Wiscasset, Maine, in April 1903. No suitable verified portrait image was found from the sources checked, so a profile image is not included here.