- Sumner Sewall
Sumner Sewall (
June 17 ,1897 ndashJanuary 25 ,1965 ) was a U.S. Republican politician and airline executive who served as theGovernor of Maine from 1941 to 1945.A native of
Bath, Maine , Sewall dropped out of Harvard College in 1917 to go to Europe to aid the Allies duringWorld War I . Sewall served first in theAmerican Ambulance Field Service , then in theU.S. Army Signal Corps , then finally as a fighter pilot. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, theFrench Legion of Honor , theCroix de Guerre and theOrder of the Crown of Belgium .After the war, he worked in a variety of jobs, including being an executive with
Colonial Air Transport and a director ofUnited Air Lines .His political career began when he became an
alderman in Bath in 1933. He was elected to the Maine state legislature as a representative in 1934, then as a senator in 1936 and 1938. After the latter election, he was named President of the State Senate. In 1940, he was elected governor, and served two terms. Sewall's administration was notable for cleaning up scandals in state government and passing a minimum wage law for state teachers.After stepping down as governor, Sewall became president of
American Overseas Airlines for a year, then served as the military governor ofWürttemberg-Baden from 1946 to 1947. In 1948, Sewall finished a distant third in the Republican primary for Maine's openUnited States Senate seat, which ended his political career.Family
Sewall married Helen Ellena Evans in 1929. They had a son, David.
Sewall's grandfather,
Arthur Sewall , was the Democratic candidate for vice-president in 1896.References
* Gunther, John. "Inside U.S.A." New York : Curtis, 1947. 487-489.
* Leviero, Anthony. "Low Salary Bars La Follette Job." "New York Times" 8 Oct. 1947: 17.
* "Mrs. Smith wins in Maine race for Senate; Gov. Hildreth concedes." "New York Times" 22 Jun. 1948: 1.
* [http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/history/past/prespast/1939ss.htm "Past President: Sumner Sewall, Republican, 1939-1940"]External links
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succession box
before=Lewis O. Barrows
years=1941–1945
after=Horace A. Hildreth
title=Governor of Maine
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