John Washington Sewell (July 20, 1867 – December 1, 1938) was an American politician and businessman who served as the third mayor of Miami from 1903 to 1907.
John W Sewell was born in 1867 in Elbert County, Georgia, and moved with his parents to Florida when he was 19 years old.
Sewell gave away some of the skulls as souvenirs, and ordered African-American laborers to move the remaining bones and bury them in a hole.
[1] Sewell remained in the employ of the Florida East Coast Railway until 1899, when he left to concentrate his efforts on the mercantile establishment jointly owned with this brother.
Built on the highest point in the city, the house was named Halissee Hall from the Seminole word meaning "New Moon."