William Joyce Sewell

William Joyce Sewell (December 6, 1835 – December 27, 1901) was an American Republican Party politician, merchant, and military officer who served as a U.S. senator from New Jersey for two non-consecutive terms from 1881 to 1887 and 1895 until his death in 1901.

Sewell was born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States in 1851, where he worked in the merchant industry in Chicago, Illinois, before moving to Camden, New Jersey in 1860. He served as an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chancellorsville. He was also a Reconstruction Era state senator and U.S. Senator. The community of Sewell, New Jersey, is named for him.

Personal details He was married with four children, two daughters and two sons. He immigrated from Ireland when he was a young boy.

Civil War Sewell began his Civil War service as a captain with the 5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry on August 28, 1861. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on July 7, 1862, and colonel on January 6, 1863. Sewell commanded a brigade at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, where he was wounded. On his return, he was given command of the 38th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, but his wounds eventually caused him to end his Civil War field service. He was reassigned as commander of Fort Powhatan in the Department of Virginia from January to April 1865. Sewell was mustered out of the volunteers on June 30, 1865. On July 18, 1868, President Andrew Johnson nominated Sewell for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers for "gallant and meritorious services during the war," to rank from March 13, 1865 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 23, 1868.

Politics After the war, Sewell started in the railroad industry as a yardmaster for the Camden and Amboy Railroad and Transportation Company and eventually became the president of the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad. Sewell was then elected to the State senate, serving from 1872 until 1881, and as the senate's president in 1876 from 1879 to 1880. Subsequently, he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican and served from March 4, 1881, to March 3, 1887. During this period he chaired the Committee on Enrolled Bills (Forty-seventh Congress and Forty-eighth Congress), the Committee on Military Affairs (Forty-ninth Congress), and the Committee on the Library (Forty-ninth Congress).

He held the post as chairman of the New Jersey delegation at the Republican National Convention five times. He was also President of the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad Company, a post he held until his death.

Sewell served as one of the national commissioners for New Jersey to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, commanded the Second Brigade of the National Guard of New Jersey, and was appointed a member of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1887, 1889 and 1893, but was again elected to the United States Senate in 1895, serving from 1895 until 1901. During this term, he chaired the Committee on Enrolled Bills (Fifty-fourth Congress through Fifty-seventh Congress).

Death Sewell died of complications from heart disease and diabetes at 9:40am on December 27, 1901, at age 66, in his home at Camden, New Jersey.