Lewis Sewall Court Document

Lewis Sewall was a government official and writer in the early nineteenth-century Mississippi Territory, which later became Alabama. He is recognized as Alabama’s first published poet, known for his satirical work The Last Campaign of Sir John Falstaff the II; or, The Hero of the Burnt-Corn Battle (1815), the first known literary text published in the Mississippi Territory.

Born on February 2, 1760, in Charles County, Maryland, Sewall moved to the Mississippi Territory around 1801. He held positions in the territorial Land Office as Register and later Receiver of Funds, overseeing land sales and financial transactions. His tenure included scrutiny over his professional associations, including ties to the Caller brothers, who were involved in land dealings. Following an accusation of financial misconduct by James Caller, Sewall responded through satire, portraying Caller in The Last Campaign in a humorous and exaggerated manner.

Sewall continued writing, and in 1833, he published Miscellaneous Poems, an expanded collection that included The Last Campaign and other works. He passed away later that year in Washington County, Alabama. His writings provide insight into early Alabama history and literary culture.