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Posseman

Samuel Waite Seawell

United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue — Washington, DC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch February 26, 1879

Age 46

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 26

Incident

Location: North Carolina Weapon: Handgun; Revolver Offender: Sentenced to 5 years

Posseman Samuel Seawell was shot and killed in Cumnock, Lee County, North Carolina, after he and other officers raided an illegal still site in Moore County and confiscated the still and equipment.

The owner of the still had learned of the seizure and set out after the officers and located them at the Euphronia Church, near Cumnock. The man dismounted his horse, immediately shot Posseman Seawell, and then held the other officers at gunpoint as he ordered them to handover the equipment.

The man fled but was later captured in Bennettsville, South Carolina. He was returned to North Carolina where he was convicted of murdering Posseman Seawell and was sentenced to five years in prison. Following his release from prison he was arrested again for moonshining. He was sentenced to one year in federal prison in New York where he later died while serving the sentence.

Posseman Seawell served as a major in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two children, and his parents and is buried at Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery in Carthage, North Carolina.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-4AA3FE89
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Posseman Seawell served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdtoirfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1879

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Sentenced to 5 years

Military Service

Samuel Waite Seawell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Posseman Samuel Waite Seawell is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, 25 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 92.6% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue

of 27 officers

92.6% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious