US Congressman. He was born one of nine children in Norridgewock, Maine, to Richard Sawtelle III (1768-1828), and his wife Sarah Ware Sawtelle (1769-1851), on September 25, 1805. He was educated locally and received his teachings from private tutors. He later attended and graduated from the prestigious Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, in 1825. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1828. He then served as a Register of Probate from 1830 to 1838, and continued with his practice of law in his native Norridgewock, Maine, until 1841. He then decided to enter politics and served as a Member of the Maine State Legislature in 1840, and as a Member of the State Senate from 1842 to 1844. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Benjamin White (1790-1860), on March 4, 1845. A Member of the Democratic Party, he then served Maine's 5th District (Twenty-Ninth Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1847. During his time in the United States Congress during his first term in office, he also served as Chairman of the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business representing the Twenty-Ninth Congress. After his first term in office expired, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative Ephraim Knight Smart (1813-1872), on March 4, 1847. He then ran for another seat in the United States Congress and was again elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Ephraim Knight Smart (1813-1872), on March 4, 1849. A Member of the Democratic Party, he then served Maine's 5th District (Thirty-First Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1851. During his time in the United States Congress during his second term in office, he also served as Chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims representing the Thirty-First Congress. After his second term in office expired, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative Ephraim Knight Smart (1813-1872), on March 4, 1851. He lastly served as an Attorney and Credit Manager for several mercantile firms in New York City, New York, from 1852 to 1882. He passed away in Englewood, New Jersey, on November 10, 1887, at the age of 82. His funeral service was held at the St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Englewood, New Jersey, and he was buried in Brookside Cemetery in Englewood, New Jersey. He was married to Elizabeth Lyman Sawtelle (1809-), with whom he had three children, Henrietta Lovell Sawtelle (1832-1916), Charles Green Sawtelle (1834-1913), and Catherine Lyman Sawtelle (1842-1880). His son, Charles Green Sawtelle (1834-1913), served as a General in the United States Army. On an interesting note, he built the classic Greek Revival Temple style "Sophie May" house, which was the home of the author Rebecca Clarke (1833-1906), in Norridgewock, Maine. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places in Norridgewock, Maine.