Happy New Year and Happy Spring! Sorry it's taken me so long to catch up on this Rawles Family Blog . . . however, I'm looking forward to sharing some great stories with you.
Last August, we met at the former Darrel Rawles Ranch just north of Ukiah, CA, now owned by his grandson, Tom Rawles and wife, Kathy Rawles. Tom and Kathy were wonderful hosts and a good time was had by all.
We had what I would call "a record number" of Rawles attendees, some attending for the first time in decades. If I counted correctly, we had 44 who came that day!! (A big thank you to Ryan Snider, who brought his camera and tripod to capture a fabulous group photo.)
Everyone gathered under a grove of trees, where the shade was much appreciated during the hot afternoon. Below: Thomas "Abraham" Rawles (Tom & Kathy's son), Amber Whitworth (my daughter, and granddaughter of John Snider), and Caleb Schwendiman (grandson of John Snider).
A long lane leads past Tom & Kathy's house, with a grove of trees on the left, and a barn with some additional outbuildings are all located a little further down the lane . . .
Ken Rawles is on the far left (navy blue) and his wife, Carol is on the far right (striped shirt) . . .
*Sadly, Cara passed away on Feb 1st. She is already dearly missed. XOXO
Barbara McCulloch and Cara Anstead . . .
Everyone brought their own lunches and chairs and ate their food at varying intervals, with plenty of visiting in between. That's the beauty of a picnic! Everyone was rounded up at one point for the group photo, and then we all walked back to the tree grove and arranged our chairs in a giant circle afterwards. Everyone then introduced their family, and some shared a story or two while the rest of us sat back and listened. It was delightful to hear the sweet story of how Bill and Cara Anstead met as teenagers so long ago. They were married for many decades, and will forever be the best of friends.
Circle photo #1: (L to R) Emily Snider holding Gwen Whitworth on her lap, Kathy Rawles (standing) and her son Thomas Abraham Rawles, Loreena Hester (sitting) and her daughter Cherie, Tom Rawles (dark red shirt), Jake Hanson (standing in front of the tree), Bill and Cara Anstead, Keli Hanson (her husband Tim was just barely out of view), the Hanson's grandson Griffin (?) Bean, and Barbara McCulloch. You might also notice the elbow of my granddaughter, Abby Whitworth, seated next to me.
Depending on your answers, she would decide if you were a suspect, which might warrant a future interrogation, or she might decide that you were free to go. She would smack her DIY gavel down as she declared her final decision.
In this short video, you'll hear Jeff Vargen sharing a snippet of a fun story about some bootleggers from Boonville. But if you watch closely, you'll also see the mysterious Blake Snider walk by, in his Captain America t-shirt . . . so now we have proof that he is alive and well.
It was wonderful to meet some new cousins and rekindle old friendships during the 2024 Rawles Family Picnic. Some of our stalwarts are getting up there in years, while a few others are having some severe health issues. We send our love and good thoughts and prayers to all of our relatives in the Rawles Family.
Mary Rawles and her older brother, Gene, are in the center of this group of children . . .
Mary and her brother, Gene Rawles, in their "Golden Years" . . .
I'll admit that I didn't know Mary all that well when I was growing up because . . . well, let's be honest, being a teenager is kind of a self-centered time of our life and we don't really take the time to look around us and appreciate all the wonderful influences we are blessed with. BUT, in recent years as I have helped to contribute to the Rawles Family in a variety of ways, I have developed an IMMENSE appreciation for Aunt Mary and for all the ways she brought us together. She and I share a love for family history - both past and present. We share a love for each person in our wonderful Rawles Family, with their gifts and talents that spill over into various branches of the tree, lifting and encouraging those who need it. I hope she is proud of how we're still trying to keep the family together, as we continue to have picnics and share stories of the past, both in person and through this blog.
Our tree is strong because of our roots . . .
Let's learn a little bit more about our ancestor, Joseph William Rawles.
Joseph was born on 14 April 1808 in Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio.
He married Synthia Ann Bilderback on 23 June 1831 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.
He died on 15 April 1881 in Boonville, Mendocino County, California.
Circleville, Ohio is an interesting small town. (I had the wonderful opportunity to visit in 2014) There are ancient burial mounds in the area that still exist today, from the Native American Hopewell people who called this place home from roughly 100 BC - 500 AD. They were extensive traders with expansive trade routes. They acquired materials like copper, mica, obsidian and shells from other regions and then fashioned them into pottery, jewelry, and pipes.
Circleville is located about 30 minutes south of Columbus, Ohio and it's also about 1 hour, 15 minutes north of the Ohio River. The town was surveyed and platted in 1810, so our Rawles ancestors were living there before it was even officially a town!
Circleville was named Circleville, because, well, it was originally designed in the form of a CIRCLE. As the "then" modern-day layout was formed, it was done so on top of the ancient mounds.
Here is a link to a short 3-minute video on YouTube about how Circleville got it's name:
In 1810, a committee was formed to organize land lots in the town and then sell them. The history of Pickaway County, published in 1880, shares that once the very first purchase of land was made, a large celebration ensued. A barbecue took place, along with a giant, several-hundred-pound wheel of cheese that was transported over on a sled for the festivities. There was also a competition to determine who would have the honor of building the first house.
While we don't know exactly what year the John Rawles family (Joseph's parents) arrived in Circleville, Ohio, we know that they arrived sometime around the year 1800 or shortly thereafter. I have seen contradictory information on the names, birth dates and birth places of their first few children. John Rawles married Sarah Elizabeth Brewer Headley in Harrison County, KY in 1796, where they had their first child, David Rawles. Details are fuzzy after that and for about the next 10 years. After living in Pickaway County, Ohio until approximately 1830, they later moved to Tippecanoe County, Indiana.
For the longest time, we were pretty sure that Joseph William Rawles' father was John Rawles, but we didn't have any certifiable proof of this. Until . . . I connected with a volunteer from the Pickaway County Historical Society prior to my trip in 2014. As they looked for any documents with the Rawles surname, they found a very special piece of information for me: a newspaper article that summarized an older document where it describes young Joseph Rawles (just 17 years old) and his arrangement to be an apprentice to a cooper (a barrel maker). In the document it states that Joseph, SON OF JOHN RAWLES, bound himself to John Young for the term of 3 years and 9 months. What an epic discovery that helped to solidify another generation back on the Rawles Family Tree!!
(*Click to enlarge)
In the article, it mentions that young Joseph was 17 years old + 3 months. The term of the apprenticeship was for 3 years + 9 months. This tells us that by the time his apprenticeship was completed, he would have been 21 years old. (1829)
We don't know exactly why the Rawles family to moved to Tippecanoe County, Indiana around the year 1830 +/-. But the Bilderbacks were getting settled there as early as 1828.
On 23 June 1831, Joseph William Rawles married Synthia Ann Bilderback in Tippecanoe County. Together they had 10 children:
- Mary Magdalena Rawles: (1832-1887) Born in Indiana. Records indicate that she never married. She was listed as living with her parents in 1850, 1860, and 1870. I have yet to find her on the 1880 Census before she passed away in 1887. She was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville.
- Thurza Jane Rawles: (1834-1918) Born in Indiana. Married to George Washington Burger in Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa in 1855. They had 5 children, plus they adopted a son. By 1880 they were listed in the US Census for Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, CA. She was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville.
- Sarah Elizabeth Rawles: (1836-1860) Born in Indiana and soon after, crossed the plains with her family as a teenager. She married Vernon Downs in Anderson Valley in November 1859. I could not find any newspaper clippings to explain why she died so young. There was nothing mentioning if her death was related to childbirth or pregnancy complications. She passed away roughly 10 months after they got married.
- Gabriel Rawles: (1838-1838) He was probably named for his grandfather, Gabriel Bilderback, Synthia's father. Sadly, he only lived about 7 months, from 6 April to 4 November of 1838. Records are skimpy, but they show he was born in Indiana, and then died in Buchanan County, Missouri. *This gives us a more specific timeframe for when the family headed west. Gabriel would have been subjected to the hardships of travel, being so young at the time.
- John C. Rawles: (1840-1840) We assume he died either as a newborn or was stillborn, but we do not have any definitive records for him. He was born and also died in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. Newspapers were not abundant in 1840 to offer any further insights.
- Joseph William Rawles II: (1842-1871) Born in St. Joseph, Missouri. Traveled across the plains as a young boy. Married Rachel Elba Gibbons in 1869, probably in Mendocino County, CA. He was shot in December 1871, with varying accounts as to why. The perpetrator was his own brother-in-law. It is believed that he was in the process of recovering from his gunshot wounds and was resting in bed, when a burst of wind caused the curtains to inadvertently catch on fire as they fluttered into a candle or an oil lamp nearby. To prevent a catastrophe, he leapt out of bed to distinguish the flames, which must have caused some internal hemorrhaging. He died soon after, leaving behind a young wife and two small children. *There are many more fascinating details from this young man's life, which we will need to address in a future blog post. I believe he was buried on the old Rawles Ranch in Boonville, CA.
- Robert Henry Rawles: (1844-1911) Born in St. Joseph, Missouri. Headed west with the family in his early teens. Married first to Margaret Blanche Brown in Anderson Valley, CA in June 1874, but she unfortunately passed away one year later, along with an infant child (as per her headstone). A full decade later, he married Delcena McAbee and went on to have 6 children. He died in Ukiah, CA in 1911. We will do a more comprehensive look into his life someday in the near future, as well.
- Thomas Edward Rawles: (1848-1913) We have already shared a detailed timeline for his life in a recent blog post, but I'll provide a brief overview for him here. Born in Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa in 1848. Arrived in Anderson Valley, CA when he was roughly 10 years old. He married Louisa Jane Tarwater in 1869 in Anderson Valley. He was a chatty local politician, always weighing in on matters pertaining to the community. He died in 1913, and was father to 3 children.
- Margaret Susan Rawles: (1851-1927) Born in Fremont County, Iowa. Arrived in Anderson Valley at around 7 years old. Married William Frances Ornbaum in Ukiah, CA in 1873 and had 6 children. Died at 75 years old, and was buried in Boonville, CA.
After approximately a decade in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, the Rawles family migrated to NW Missouri, specifically the St. Joseph area. They had a son in Platte, Missouri named John C. Rawles (1840), whom we believe was stillborn, although I have not found proof of this yet. As listed above, two additional sons were born in St. Joseph: Joseph William Rawles, Jr. (1842) and Robert Henry Rawles (1844).
In 1848, Thomas Edward Rawles was born in Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa. So, somewhere in between 1844 and 1848, the family moved 115 miles north. Glenwood, Iowa is in the southwest corner of the state, right across the border from Omaha, Nebraska.
Per the History of Mills County, Iowa, 1876 by D.H. Solomon, we learn a little more about Joseph Rawles settling in this area.
The first settler within the present limits of Rawles township came also in the year 1847. His name was Joseph RAWLES, and from him the township was called. He came from St. Joseph, Missouri, and laying out his claim on section six, made the first farm in that township.
In the spring of 1848, Billy Wolfe came up and settled on the farm where he now lives. Old man Cummings, Thos. Cummings' father, and Greenbury T. Jones, were then there and were living on the old Indian chief's place, Wah-ha-bon-sah's; they were living in his houses. Joseph Rawles came up the same spring; he bought the old Wiles place of Bickmore and sold to old Thomas Wiles. Wolfe, Burger, and Rawles were the pioneer Gentile settlers, the others being Mormons or Latter Day Saints.
In 1851 many more good people settled in Mills county, times were good, the community prosperous, and generally happy. Wild game, deer, turkeys, geese and other large and small game generally continued to be plenty. The country had begun to produce everything needed for substantial living. This year Billy Wolfe brought some fruit trees from Missouri, and set some out for himself, and let Joe Rawles, J.D. Rogers and Wm. E. Dean have some.
The 4th of July of that year (1853) was celebrated on the square. Mrs. Tinkle got up the dinner in the log house whose precise location cannot be found. The brush had just been cut off of lot 7, block 1, on the north side of the public square, by Tinkle, preparatory to building the tavern, which he did afterwards build, and there they spread the tables under a shade prepared. At night they had a dance in Townsend's store house. Jacob Woodrow and Ebenezer Woodrow fiddling for them - and they were good at it too - Jake called off.
Joe Rawles then owned and was running the Coolidge Mill. He was the great feature and leading spirit among those who delighted to call themselves the law and order party. The Mormons generally sided with him. And Lewis Johnson was the great feature and leading spirit of the opposite side.
Many were the strifes and conflicts between these two parties and these two men. Rawles was a cool brave man and so was Johnson. They were each too smart to allow themselves to come into an actual personal attack, each was very cautious in regard to the other. I have witnessed several personal encounters when both were fully armed and prepared for the worst, and each determined not to give an inch, but words were the only weapons used. The community was shaken to its center, affecting every member in it, at the time reached here by these causes and their quarrels. And a man could not remain here without becoming identified with one or the other of them. Neither side trusted Sharp, though I believe he had more favorites among the Johnson folks than the others.
Out of money and the prospect for legal business being dull, I sought a district school. Dr. Achilles Rogers was then school commissioner and it was necessary to obtain a certificate from him. He gave me a searching and critical examination, by routing me through Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, in fact over the entire field of the science of quantity, the Greek and Latin languages, Chemistry, Geology and other sciences pure and mixed, all to ascertain if I was qualified to teach a common district school in Coonville. I did not tell him, nor was it known here that I had graduated at Yale in the class of 1851. He finally but with some hesitation gave me a certificate, and I felt a keen sense of gratitude towards my Alma Mater for having qualified me to pass such an ordeal. The first week, my school was but poorly attended, averaging but about 6 scholars per day. My introduction through Col. Sharp had set them against me. The second week however I had over 30. Rawles gave way and all found that I was going to be independent.
At first the scholars arranged themselves in groups according to the class in which their parents belonged, and I found some trouble to get them to mix and intermingle. The spirit of insubordination was quelled after the first week, and I found no trouble in controlling. I furnished all books except the common spelling book, and we had a fine time generally.
In the spring of 1853, some Indians fired into a camp of some emigrants on Mosquito creek, just above St. Mary's, and crippled a woman. The camp was at the bridge on the Council Bluffs road. There was quite a camp, some 30 or 40 wagons. It was a Sunday, in daylight and about 10 o'clock in the morning. The emigrants gathered and took after the Indians, and shot 3 of them dead - the third was shot in the back of the neck as he went over the bank of the river. They were California emigrants. They ran one three miles before they got him. Some of our citizens who were passing on their way to Council Bluffs at the time the fracas began, saw a dead Indian laying in the sand by the roadside, the flies blowing him, as they returned from the Bluffs in the evening.
Courtroom Story:
It had been the habit to break up all courts, even the district court, and the practice of law had rather a grave and serious outlook to me. Lawyers had not been allowed to do or say anything distasteful to any of those wild and boisterous spirits.
James Evans had built a claim house on a claim; the party headed by the Johnsons wanted it, and ordered him off. He did not go. One night about midnight a party of men came and built a brush and log heap against it while the family were in it asleep; then set fire to the brush heap, and burnt the house. Evans employed me to bring suit against the Johnsons - we had selected George Hepner as the man who had the most nerve to try it before, as a justice of the peace. Hepner came to Glenwood to try the case - Plaintiff introduced its proofs and rested - Defense introduced witnesses and among the rest Miss Hester Ann Johnson, daughter of Lewis, a fine looking and apparently amiable, and I have no doubt a perfectly truthful young lady. She made her statement of the truth, of which I had no doubt they were attempting to establish an alibi, and show by her that they had been in bed and asleep at home the precise time the act was done. I felt that I could break the charm on cross examination. Lewis Johnson sat near and looked daggers at me - she was perfectly fair and candid in her answers (I was a single man). Johnson felt the sand slipping from under his feet - he was really very smart. The trial was in the room now used by Andy Fair as a wagon shop, and it was used for that purpose then. The room was crowded full of men. Johnson sprang to his feet with an oath, and his hand upon his knife which he always carried in his belt, with the words, "Don't you insult my daughter sir." As he rose I saw plainly it was his intention to knife me, but in an instant I saw his eye resting on some object behind me. There I stood between the two factions. Johnson and his crew in front, and Rawles and his party behind me, both prepared for blood, many of them armed with wagon spokes and felloes. Hepner spoke in a calm, firm tone, saying sternly, "Johnson sit down!" He did it, and the trial progressed. After that we never had any more trouble in courts, from threats or intimidation or force.
We get a sense of Joseph Rawles' personality from this detailed study:
We can discern that he was bold and unafraid. He was adventurous in moving to new places where the township or county jurisdiction had not even been organized yet. He was known for being a peacekeeper of sorts, even in an era of guns and knives being drawn during a simple quarrel. He was a voice of wisdom and garnered the respect of his community wherever he lived. He was industrious and hard working as he tilled the land and provided for his large family. We can be pleased and proud to descend from such sturdy stock.
Mr. D. H. Solomon wrote, "The History of Mills County" which was published in issues of the Mills County Journal from July 15, 1876 to August 19, 1876. In the August 5, 1876 issue, he wrote, "Mills County was defined by an act of the Iowa legislature and approved January 15, 1851. The township lines were run out that year, the section lines in 1852, and the land office opened in the spring of 1853. This was only the 7th year after the Indian treaty and the 6th year after the Indians were removed. During 1853 there were lands entered in the county to the amount of 46,240 acres and at $1.25 per acre, $57,800. The number of actual settlers who entered land that year was 265, averaging 175 acres to the man. Below I give the names of all those settlers (listed by township and range numbers which may be used to determine location of purchase)." (Source: Hawkeye Heritage /Fall-Winter Vol 18 (4):174-177, 1983.)
Fact check: The Indians had been "removed" (it pains me to even say that) in roughly 1846/47, as per the Treaty with the Potawatomi Nation, which was signed in June 1846, near Council Bluffs, Iowa. This treaty was one of several that resulted in the removal of Native Americans from Iowa. Iowa
also became a state in 1846.
Joseph Rawles and his family must have realized the opportunities that lay waiting for them in a new
territory. They would have started getting their ducks in a row down in St. Joseph, selling things off,
harvesting what they could, and then they headed north to Iowa in 1847.
Occasionally, some states would conduct an off-year census instead of just taking it at the top of every decade (1850, 1860, etc.). Lucky for us, this was the case in SW Iowa where our Rawles ancestors were living at the time. It gives us a chance to add a few more details to their story.
This is the 1856 Census for Mills County, Iowa, specifically the West Liberty Township, where Joseph Rawles was living with his growing family.
The column headers are a little hard to read, so I will tell you what each one says, along with the information pertaining to Joseph Rawles and his household:
1. Number of the dwelling house. 51
2. Number of the family. 52 (Meaning, the next family that was visited and what number they were)
3. Names of persons. (Joseph, Cyntha, Elizabeth, Magdalene, Joseph, Robert, Thomas, Susan, Alexander, plus a few laborers that were part of the household)
4. Age: 45, 43, 23, 18, 13, 11, 8, 6, 3 (*Technically, Joseph was 48 in 1856)
5. Sex
6. Color
7. Married: Joseph and "Cyntha" were married.
8. Widowed
9. Years resident in the state: **(Joseph indicated that he had lived here for 8 years in 1856. This tells us that he moved there in 1848+/-, the year that Thomas Edward Rawles was born in Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa.)
10. In what state, or foreign country, born: Joseph, Cyntha, Eliz. and Magdalene are listed as being born in Ohio. Joseph/Robert/Thomas are listed as being born in Missouri, but we know that Thomas was born in Iowa. Susan and Alexander are listed as being born in Iowa.
11. Profession, trade, or occupation: Farmer
12. Native voters - Joseph is marked as yes
13. Naturalized voters: n/a
14. Aliens: n/a
15. Militia - Joseph is marked as yes
16. Deaf and dumb: n/a
17. Blind: n/a
18. Insane: n/a
19. Idiotic: n/a
20. Owner of land: most assuredly, but we can't see
21. Pauper: doubtful, but we can't see
*Unfortunately we cannot see #20-23.
The second page of headers reads as follows: (This tells us a lot about Joseph's livestock count)
Agricultural Statistics
22. Acres of improved land
23. Acres of unimproved land
24. Acres in meadow: 0
25. Tons of hay: 6
26. Bushels of grass seed: 0
Wheat -
27. Acres in spring wheat: n/a
28. Bushels harvested: 130
29. Acres of winter wheat: 10
30. Bushels harvested: 120
Oats -
31. Acres in oats: 10
32. Bushels harvested: 500
Corn -
33. Acres in corn: 60
34. Bushels harvested: 3000
Potatoes -
35. Acres in potatoes: 1
36. Bushels harvested: 200
Hogs and Cattle
Hogs -
37. Number of hogs sold: 14
38. Value of hogs sold: 78
Cattle -
39. Number of cattle sold: 3
40. Value of cattle sold: 90
Domestic and General Manufactures
41. Pounds of butter manufactured: 2200
42. Pounds of cheese: 0
43. Pounds of wool: 65
44. Value of domestic manufactures: 50
45. Value of general manufactures: 0
46. Remarks
I took a look at several pages of the census, both before and after the Rawles family, just to get some context on their personal "worth" - like, were they doing alright for the most part? What I saw was that most of the families in the area had only been there 1-5 years, compared to 8 years for the Rawles bunch. Perhaps because they were more established, it seems like they were doing VERY WELL.
Also, can you imagine manufacturing 2200 LBS of butter???
Even with all of the relative success, the family decided to trudge all the way out to California just a short time later. It's possible that Indian trouble and skirmishes might have been a concern for the family. Or perhaps news had trickled up to Iowa, detailing the lush and verdant acreage in California and it was too enticing to pass up. Whatever the case, Joseph, now 49 years old, packed up everything they could reasonably travel with, and off they went.
Per the History of Mendocino County, California, published in 1880, page 514:
In 1856, he (Joseph Rawles) went to Nebraska, and remained a year, and then returned to Iowa and made the necessary preparations for a trip across the plains to California, starting hence, June 1, 1857, with ox-teams, and bringing with him a drove of cattle. His family, consisting of his wife and seven children, accompanied him. He spent his first winter in California in Butte county, and in the spring of 1858, went to Sonoma county. In July of that year, he moved into Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, and purchased a farm from Walter Anderson, the first settler in the township, and has since resided on his homestead. He owns now, one thousand six hundred acres of farming and grazing land, which is stocked with three thousand one hundred and sixty head of sheep.
That's a lot of sheep! But more importantly, I love that this account tells us exactly when they left Iowa and that they arrived in Anderson Valley in July of 1858. This summer (2025) it will be 167 years since our Rawles Family first settled in Boonville. Wow! Those are some deep roots.
In the 1870 Census, we learn that Joseph and his wife, listed as Synthyann, were doing quite well for themselves. (click to enlarge)
Joseph, now 61 years old, was still farming in 1870. He had $4000 in real estate value, and $11,940 in personal assets. For comparison, I looked at his neighbors' info on the pages before and after in the census record. The only household that rivaled Joseph in acquisitions and wealth was John W. McAbee (father of Delcena McAbee and future father-in-law to Robert H. Rawles). He had $4200 in real estate value and $20,000 in personal assets. Everyone else, including several household names in Anderson Valley like McGimpsey, Anderson, Gschwend, etc. had much less to speak of. Not that money is everything! I'm just making an observation, based on very limited information. Love in the home is, of course, the most valuable asset. XOXO
I have shared this newspaper clipping in a previous post, but it also deserves a place in Joseph's timeline here as well. In the spring of 1874, when Joseph was 66 years old, he was part of a petition for guardianship of his grandchildren, Joseph W. Rawles III and Lawrance Rawles (female). His son, Thomas Edward Rawles was also part of the petition, and Joseph Sr. was living with Thomas at this time.
Joseph's son, Joseph W. Rawles Jr., had been shot by his own brother-in-law (1871) and had passed away shortly thereafter due to complications from the incident, leaving behind his two young children, Lawrance (2), and Joseph III (2 months old). The widowed mother, Rachel Gibbons Rawles, was in need of assistance in caring for her young family, so the Rawles family circled the wagons and offered to help.
In the fall of 1874, Joseph Sr. served as a Judge in a local Board of Supervisors Election.
In June of 1880, a NON-Census Schedule was taken, and this time the information only pertained to livestock, crops, etc. Let's take a closer look at Joseph Rawles and what he was maintaining at the tail end of his life. He was 72 years old at this point, and he died just one year later.
At the top of the page below, we can see several Rawles family members on the list: Thomas E., Joseph, Robert H., and Alex. If you follow line #6 on each of the following 3 photos, you can track Joseph Sr. and everything his land had to offer. (click photo to enlarge)
Part One (above): Joseph owned his own land.
Under the category of Acres: Improved Land -
~ 60 acres tilled, including fallow and grass in rotation
~ 360 acres permanent meadows/pastures/orchards/vineyards
Under the category of Acres: Unimproved Land -
~ 80 acres of woodland and forest
Farm Values:
~ $10,000 in farm (including land, fences and buildings)
~ $300 of farming implements and machinery
~ $1500 of livestock
Cost of building and repairing fences in 1879:
~ $120
Cost of fertilizers purchased in 1879:
~ $15
Amount paid for wages for farm labor in 1879:
~ $200
Weeks of hired labor in 1879 on farm and dairy, excluding house work:
~ 16 weeks
Estimated value of all farm productions (sold, consumed, or on hand):
~ $1750
Grass Lands -
~ Mown acres: 30
~ Not mown acres: 360
Products harvested in 1879:
~ Hay: 40 acres
~ Clover and Grass Seed: 0 (zero bushels)
Horses of all ages on hand 1 June 1880:
~ 16
Part Two (above): (continuing with line #6 for Joseph Rawles)
On hand 1 June 1880 -
~ Working cows: 0
~ Milk cows: 5
~ Calves dropped: 8
Calves of all ages:
~ Purchased: 0 (zero)
~ Sold living: 10
~ Slaughtered: 2
~ Died, strayed, stolen, and not recovered: 0 (zero)
~ He did not have any milk, butter, or cheese to report for the past year
~ He did not have any lambs or sheep to report
~ He did report 40 swine as of 1 June 1880
~ He did not have any poultry to report
Part Three (above): (continuing with line #6 for Joseph Rawles)
~ No hops, potatoes, or tobacco to report
~ He did report 9 acres of apple trees, with 150 trees and 500 bushels of apples in 1879
~ He reported 1 acre of "Nurseries" (maybe seedlings?)
~ And lastly, he reported 40 cords of cut wood from 1879
In this last census record for Joseph (1880), I saw a couple of VERY interesting clues . . .
Clue #1: This is the household for Thomas E. Rawles and his wife, Louisa J. Tarwater Rawles. They had two children when the 1880 census was taken: Mattie Mabel and Eugene Carlton. Only in this case, their son is listed as
Robert C. Rawles. That caught my attention! We know that later in life, Eugene Carlton went by "Bob" and nobody has been able to tell us why. Well, it's an easy transition to go from Robert to Bob, but why is he listed as Robert C. in the first place, instead of Eugene C.? I wonder if because Louisa's father was named Robert Tarwater, maybe they named their first son after her father. But why is he listed as Eugene Carlton on all of his official records, then? This is a question I will be asking when I meet them all in heaven someday. Maybe someone made a mistake filling out the birth certificate . . . it wouldn't be the first time that's happened, ha ha.
Clue #2: Joseph W. Rawles lists the birthplace of his father as Virginia. I think this is the first time I've ever noticed this! In the past, our cousin Jim Rawles and I have collaborated in trying to track down where Joseph's father, John Rawles (1755-1839) was born. We had narrowed the possibilities down to either South Carolina or Baltimore, MD, but we never found any definitive proof of either location. So, Virginia is an entirely new place to explore. Granted, not everything you see on a census record can be counted as gold . . . but this is a clue that needs some digging into, to see where it might lead.
(*Cousin Jim - I'd love to partner up with you on this if you have time.)
Also, on this same 1880 Census record, Joseph is listed as being widowed and 72 years old. His wife, Synthia Ann Bilderback Rawles had already passed away in 1877 in Boonville.
Joseph William Rawles passed away in Boonville just one day after his 73rd birthday. The date was 15 April 1881. Probate proceedings began within roughly two weeks after his passing, and his son, Thomas, was designated as the executor of the estate.
In the document above, Thomas E. Rawles estimated the value of his late father's assets, which included:- 10 horses, worth about $40 per head = $400
- 20 cattle, worth about $10 per head = $200
- About 40 hogs, worth about $60
- Two wagons = $40
- Lot of farming implements = $30
- One set harness & one saddle = $20
- Debts due deceased = about $250
- Total = $1,000
The court records for Joseph Rawles' estate acknowledged all of the living children, including two grandchildren (Lawrance Rawles and Joseph W. Rawles III) who were also entitled to share in the distribution of the estate:
I love that the two grandchildren, whose father was Joseph W. Rawles II (and who was killed in 1871), were included and treated so generously. "...Lawrance Rawles and Joseph W. Rawles, grandchildren of said deceased, and children of his son Joseph W. Rawles now deceased, and which grandchildren are entitled to the share of their said deceased father."
After the process of proving the estate and demonstrating that all debts had been paid and that everything was in good order, the judge approved the distribution of $1329 as follows:
To each of the children - T. E. Rawles, R. H. Rawles, A. N. Rawles, Mary M. Rawles, Jane Burger, and Margaret S. Ornbaun = $190 each.
To the two grandchildren (Lawrance and Joseph W. Rawles III) = $95 each
Here is a list of the items that were appraised after Joseph's death . . . (click to enlarge)
A few more items were carried over onto the next page . . .
Thomas E. Rawles petitioned the judge to be able to sell off all the items listed above. He cited the need to sell some of the items before they "expired", which I imagine would have included the surplus of hay. He was approved, and soon afterwards he gave public notice of the upcoming estate sale, which took place on 3 June 1881 in Anderson Valley.
Details of the estate sale: (click each photo to enlarge)
One year after Joseph's death, his estate was finally settled and each of his heirs received their portion of the inheritance. Thomas E. Rawles received the portions for Lawrance and Joseph III, as their legal guardian at that time.
Joseph William Rawles was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville, California. Many Rawles descendants have trudged over to pay their respects to our immigrant ancestor through the decades since. We are so honored and grateful to be a part of his growing posterity, and we will be thrilled to meet him one day and to tell him "thank you" for everything he did that allowed us to be where we are now.
*Photo credit: Phil Carnahan, a volunteer researcher at the Held-Poage Historical Library in Ukiah, CA.
Here are 2 recipes from the kitchen of Mary Sappingfield, ones that I'm sure you will enjoy!
Mary's recipes can be found in the Rawles Family Cookbook that she, herself, put together decades ago (1980). I have a copy of it, and if you'd like a copy too, then please let me know and I'll have one made for you!
Lazy Chile Rellenos
9x15 buttered baking dish
1 can green chiles, split and seeded
Lay split chiles on bottom of baking dish. Cover liberally with grated cheddar, jack or mozzarella cheese, or any combination of cheeses.
Separate 4 eggs. Beat white until stiff.
Mix together: 4 slightly beaten egg yolks, 2 Tbsp. flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and salt.
Fold egg yolk mixture into egg whites. Cover chiles and cheese with egg mixture.
Bake at 375* for 45 minutes.
*Note from Mary: I sometimes add pimiento for color and taste contrast with the green chiles.
Chicken Chilequillas
1 whole chicken, cooked, boned, and cut into small pieces
2 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. corn tortillas, about 6
1 can whole green chiles (4 or 8 oz., depending on how hot you want it)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. shredded cheese - jack or cheddar, or a mixture
Saute onion in butter until tender and transparent. Add the soups and the chicken stock; simmer. If mixture seems very thick, add up to 1 soup can of water. Add green chiles (chopped) and simmer.
Butter a casserole (dish). Layer torn pieces of tortillas on the bottom. Cover with layer of chicken pieces and a layer of cheese. Pour soup mix over to cover. Layer tortillas, chicken, cheese, and end with the sauce. Top with a little more cheese. Bake at 350* for about 30 minutes, till bubbly and cheese is melted.
*Note from Mary: This freezes well. I usually make 2 small casseroles, one to use now and one to freeze. And it gets hotter with age!
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment