Career
Sortwell was born to Daniel Robinson Sortwell and Sophia Augusta (Foye) Sortwell in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 21, 1854. On December 31, 1879 Sortwell married Gertrude Winship Dailey, they had six children, Clara, Frances Augusta, Daniel Richard, Marion, Edward Carter and Alvin Foye Sortwell. Edward Carter Sortwell joined the American Ambulance Field Service, Edward died in France in November 1916.