Dr. V.N. Seawell, 86, Has Died, April 8, 1926

Dr. V.N. Seawell Dies at Faison. . . Venerable and Beloved Physician Was Father of Mr. Herbert F. Seawell of Carthage

Doctor Virgil Newton Seawell died at his home in Faison Thursday evening after an illness of only a few hours. Although Dr. Seawell was an old man—if he had lived until July 13th he would have completed his 87th year—he was active and in comparatively good health up until the day before his death and his passing came as a shock to his family and many friends. While working in his garden on Wednesday the doctor fell, receiving an injury in is stomach which caused an internal hemorrhage, resulting in death. He was born in Moore county July 13th, 1839, and was a man of superior intellect and ability.

He received his early training at the old male academy in Carthage under the instruction of Hon. Clement Dowd, who was a close kinsman and who later became the law partner of Governor Vance, he served as a soldier in the Civil War. On February 20th, 1868, he was graduated from the University of Maryland, receiving his M.D. degree.

When a young man Dr. Seawell left Moore county and settled I Bladen county, where he began the practice of medicine and in that profession he was actively engaged for over 60 years as a country doctor. He soon gained many friends and became indispensable to his community. It was his proud boast that in all the hundreds of cases he never lost a patient and it was ever the comment of the people who knew him that where good weas being advanced and progress noticed in his county Dr. Seawell was leading the movement. He was the first to discover the medical qualities of the Seven Springs, which was then called White Hall, and as the first mayor of Seven Springs promoted the village as a resort town.

Dr. Seawell was a Master Mason, a member of the medical society of North Carolina, a member of the American Medical Association and a member of the Baptist church.

Dr. Seawell was married three times. His first wife was Ella Croom and from this union are surviving his three children, Mrs. M.I. Quinn of Seven Springs; R.C. Seawell of Duplin county, and Herbert Seawell of Carthage. By his third wife, who was Josephine Dancey of Greenville, there is one child surviving him, Mrs. C.V. Daniels of Faison. Besides his widow Mrs. Josephine Dancey Seawell, Dr. Seawell is survived by one brother, J.C. Seawell of Moore county and several grandchildren.

The funeral services were held Saturday morning at 11 at Friendship church in Moore county, one of the oldest churches in the State, where at one time Dr. Seawell’s grandfather and great-grandfather were each Baptist ministers in charge. Burial was in the Friendship cemetery where many of Moore county’s first settlers sleep.

From the front page of The Moore County News, Carthage, N.C., Thursday, April 8, 1926

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