Leon Andrew Sewell House circa 1904

On the application of Swansboro to the National Register of Historic Places, Daniel Pezzoni noted the Sewell House: "206 Moore Street – Three-bay presumably originally two-room plan house with two-story rear wing, front gable, modern front porch and alterations."

LEON ANDREW SEWELL was born May 31, 1881 to Emma R. Webb (1864-1925) and ELIJAH ANDREW SEWELL (1856-1930). Leon was the grandson of Stump Sound farmer HENRY D. SEWELL and Nancy Ann Donnell. Elijah and Emma married in 1879. Emma was the daughter of Thomas B. Webb and Elizabeth Hart Moore.

HENRY SEWELL born in 1834: 1870 Census - Stump Sound, Onslow County, North Carolina – Henry Sewell 35 (Elijah’s father), Nancy 34, Elijah 13, Amelia 11, John 11.

ELIJAH SEWELL 1856-1930: 1880 Census - Swansboro – Elizabeth Webb 42, Willie Webb 20, Charlie Webb 7, Elijah Sewell 22, Emma Sewell 16.

Infants Bessie M. and Myrtle F. Sewell

1900 Census: Elijah A. Sewell 42 (captain of schooner), Emma R. 35, LEON ANDREW 20 (day laborer), George Floyd 15 (deck hand), Oscar Thomas 14 (deck hand), Minnie L. 11, Lizzie M. 8, Charles R. 6, John Henry 3 and William P. Sewell 8 months.

Two other children were born between censuses—Bessie M. Sewell 1904-1906 and Myrtle F. Sewell 1906-1907.

Leon Perry Sewell 1915-1989

Leon Andrew Sewell - Death Certificate

LEON ANDREW SEWELL: In 1903, Leon married Etta May Montfort, daughter of Edward W. and Rosa A. Montfort. Their children – Guion Linwood (1904-1967), Donald Lee (1908-1997) and Leon Perry Sewell (1915-1989).

WWI Registration Certificate

1910 Census - Leon A. 29 was working on freight boat. In the household were Etta M. 27, Guion L. 5, Donald L. 1, dressmaker and mother-in-law Rosa A. Monfort 45 and William E. Montfort 10 - noted as "cousin-in-law."

Leon’s handwritten World War I Registration Card, dated September 12, 1918, noted him as a saw filer at Hines Bros. Lumber Company in Kinston, North Carolina.

Etta Montfort Sewell, born in 1883, died between 1918 and 1920. The 1920 Kinston census noted widower Leon Sewell 38 and the following children: Guion 15, Donald 11, Edna E. 7 and four-year-old Leon.

At the time of his death, August 6, 1955, Leon Sewell was living at 16 Church Street in Swansboro. He was buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Kinston.

Painting by Mary Warshaw

Contemporary Photo Showing Location of the Sewell House at 206 Moore Street