10 Facts About Sumner Sewall

Sumner Sewall was an American Republican politician and airline executive who served as the 58th governor of Maine from 1941 to 1945.

Sumner Sewall began his aviation career during World War I as a fighter ace.

Sumner Sewall enlisted in the USAAS in Paris, underwent training, and reported to the 95th Aero Squadron in February 1918.

Sumner Sewall was promoted to Flight Commander, and went on to score five victories over enemy planes between 3 June and 18 September 1918, sharing a couple of them with future general James Knowles and Edward Peck Curtis.

Sumner Sewall returned home with the Distinguished Service Cross with oak leaf cluster, the French Legion of Honor, the Croix de Guerre and the Order of the Crown of Belgium.

Sumner Sewall was elected to the Maine state legislature as a representative in 1934, then as a senator in 1936 and 1938.

Sumner Sewall's administration was notable for cleaning up scandals in state government and passing a minimum wage law for state teachers.

In 1948, Sumner Sewall finished a distant third in the Republican primary for Maine's open United States Senate seat, which ended his political career.

Sumner Sewall became president of the Bath National Bank in the 1960s.

William D Sewall and Mary Locke Sumner lived at the Sewall Family Home in Bath, ME known as York Hall.