THOMAS RAY RAWLINGS

Thomas Ray Rawlings was the son of Thomas Rawlings and Rebecca Wilson.  He was born 2 April 1841 in Indiana, probably in Marion Co.  His father, Thomas, was listed in the census for this county in 1840 under the name of Thomas Rollings.  Page 282, Franklin, township.  In 1834 Thomas Rawlings moved from Scott Co., Ind and purchased 80 acres in Sec 22, twp 14, Range 4 in Marion Co., Indiana and was living in Marion Co along with Thomas Rawlings' two brothers, Elisha and Page Rawlings, who are also listed in the census in 1840 in Perry township. It is unknown when Thomas Ray left Marion county, however, in 1850  Thomas Ray was living, with his parents, in Brown Co, Indian.

In the 1850 census for Brown county, Jackson Twp, page 431 are  Nathan Rawlings and his wife  Drucilla who are  the parents of Thomas Rawlings, George W. Rawlings an older brother of Thomas Ray Rawlings, the Calvin Skinner family, Calvin Skinner has a daughter Margaret J. who is believed to be the first wife of Thomas Ray Rawlings who he married on 26 October 1860 and  the Thomas Rawlings family.
Thomas Rawling’s family includes Thomas age 43,  Rebecca age 43, Nancy 17, Nathan 15, James 13, Thomas R age 11 and Martha E age 2.  Spelling for this census is Rollins.  

As indicated, Thomas Ray Rawlings married Margaret Jane Skinner on 26 Oct 1860 (book 3 page 67, Brown Co marriage records)  Thomas is listed in the 1860 census under his parents in Jackson twp, Margaret is living with Ann Skinner and six other children.  Calvin  Skinner died between 1850 and 1860 leaving a will.  Census was taken in August of 1860.  Census of 1850 has Calvin Skinner’s wife listed as Sarah ,1860 census has Ann, same children.  

Thomas Ray Rawling’s grandfather, Nathan Rawlings, probably died in Lexington twp, Scott Co,Indiana in July 1859 at age 83.  This information from the 1860 Mortaility Census of Indiana researched by Leslie Randels Gilllund.   In the 1860 census for Scott Co, Indiana a Lusella Rawlings age 81 is living with Aaron Rawlings.  Believed to be a son of Nathan.  Lusella Rawlings is probably Nathan’s widow, Drucilla.  This name is also found as Prucilla.  These various spelling also apply to Rawlings (Rollins, Rollings,)

It is unknown how long Thomas Ray Rawlings remained in Brown co after his marriage, however , according to his obituary .he came to Iowa with his wife and two children in 1866 in a covered wagon, living for about a year near Kellogg, Iowa  A listing for Thomas Rawlings was found in Jasper Co, Iowa..  On Nov 6, 1865 George W. Rawlings sold to Thomas R. Rawlings 40 acres Sec 15, Twp 79, Rg 18 SWQT of the SW St for $108.  Book 30, page 125.  From George W, Rawlings and his wife Verleney.
Thomas sold this land Nov  20, 1868, Book 46, page 25.  Thomas R. Rawlings and Margaret his wife for $250 to Esuiah Slagle.  George W. Rawlings is believed to be Thomas’ brother.  One of Thomas’ daughter, Elma is listed in the 1880 census as being born in Iowa.

His obituary said he returned to Indiana after a year in Iowa,  He and his family are found in the 1870 census for Tipton co, Indiana.  A listing for Thomas Rolings was found for the 1870 census  Cicero Township, Tipton Co, PO box Tipton,  Indiana  page 485.

Thomas  age 28  married  farmer  born in Indiana
Margaret  age 27  keeping house  born in Ohio
Mary B.  age 8  born in Indiana
George  age 6  born in Indiana
Elma  age 4 born in Indiana
cant read  10 months  born in Indiana

Note this census has daughter Elma born in Indiana, however we also have a new spelling for Rawlings (Rolings).



Thomas Ray Rawling’s obituary indicates he left Indiana for good in 1873, moving back to Iowa.  This is not correct as his first wife Margaret died in 1879 in Indiana.  Thomas also married his second wife, Esther Ann Clendenin in Monroe Co, Indiana on 26 February 1880. Esther Ann was the daughter of Charles Clendenen and Nancy Denney. He is listed in the 1880 census for Monroe Co, Indiana Washington, Twp  with his wife and two daughters from his first marriage:  Ed 78. Page 1  Monroe co, Indiana, Washington Twp:

Thoms  Rawlings  age 39  farmer born in Indiana father Ky , mother Del
Esther A  34 wife  born in Indiana  parents born in Ky
Elma dau 13  born in Indiana ?  father born in Indiana mother Ohio
Corda A  dau 7  born in Indiana  father Indiana mother Ohio

His daughter  Mary Bell Rawlings was  married in Monroe Co, Indiana in 1879.

The date of 1873 may have been a typo as he probably moved to Iowa from Indiana in 1883 as his one daughter Emma, was born in 1881 in Indiana and his youngest daughter, Margaret was born in Iowa in 1886.

After his marriage to Esther Ann Thomas Ray left Indiana for good,  moving to Guthrie Co., Iowa.  
A land transaction was found for Thomas R. Rawlings, April 15, 1885 in Bayard, Guthrie Co, Iowa.
He purchased Lot 1 block 6 in Bayard Iowa from the Milwaukee Land Co (book I - page 252 Guthrie Co Land records)  This lot was sold by Thomas R Rawling and his wife Ester A. to Elias Strauser on April 26, 1886.  Then on May 23 1891 Thomas purchased Lots 1 to 4, block 4 and also lots 1-2 in block 5, Smiths Addition, Bayard, Iowa.  This land was sold Feb 11, 1893 and Feb 11 1894.  (book M page 478 and 583)  He is listed in the 1900 census for Seeley Twp, Guthrie Co Iowa as a farmer.

Some time after 1900 he most have moved to Redfield, Iowa, as the following article was found From the Redfield Iowa "Review"  Sept 7, 1905:

Nathan Rawlings visits:  Mr. Nathan Rawlings, wife and daughter of Newton, Iowa, who has been visiting
the Rawlings and Hill families of this community went to Bayard Tuesday to continue visiting with relatives.  Mr. Rawlings is a brother of Thomas Rawlings and a uncle of Mrs. Fred Hill.  The two brothers are old veterans of the civil war and are very patriotic wearers of-------- remaining section of the article was torn off the page.  As this newspaper article indicates, Thomas and his brother Nathan may have been in the Civil War, which would account for his whereabouts from after his marriage in 1860 until he purchased land in Jasper Co, Iowa in 1865.  However, no Civil War record for Thomas Ray Rawlings has been found.

On Nov 8 1907  Thomas Rawlings purchased for $200, from D. A. Freed and Belle Freed, husband and wife the NW corner of block 4 of the original town of Redfield, Iowa, Dallas Co, 148’ by 103’.  On 9 Dec 1907, Thomas and his wife Esther A Rawlings sold to Elizabeth M. Burris, for $1650 the East 25 acres of the SW qt of the SW qt of Sec 2, Twp 78 Rg 29, subject to a mortgage of $400 payable to M. N. Richardardson

Redfield Iowa Review,  March 5, 1908,  Thomas Rawlings sold one of his new cottage west of the railroad
track to George Chapman. This sale is found  on 31 Jan 1910.   Thomas Rawlings and his wife Esther Rawlings of the state of Dakota sold to George E. Chapman of Dallas Co, Iowa  half of their land in Redfield Iowa (NW corner of Block 4)  These cottages were built by his son Calvin C. Rawlings of Bayard, Iowa  (Feb 27, 1908  "Redfield Review"  Note:  The article is in error on Thomas’ son, it should have been George  Calvin Rawlings that built the cottages.  

About the same time his son in law Fred A. Hill moved to North Dakota, Thomas Ray Rawlings was again on the move as he is listed in the 1910 census for Harding Co, S.D.  He and his wife Esther Ann, are living next to their daughter, Margaret and her husband, William Hutchins on a homestead claim in Sec 25, Twp 23, Range 5.  (Cave Hills Precinct)  This claim was just South of the North Dakota line and is located about 2 miles West of U.S. 85 in Harding Co.  This claim was relatively close to the claim of his other son-in-law, Fred Hill, who was homesteading in Bowman Co., North Dakota.  

Census Cave Hill Precint Harding Co, SD  number 152

Thomas R. Rawlings  head age 69  married 49 yrs born in Indian father born in Ky  mother born in Del
Esther A Rawlings wife age 64  married 49 yrs  born in Indiana father born in Tenn, mother born in Ky

Living next door to daughter Maggie and son in law Perry Hutchins

A postcard still exist that was mailed by Esther Ann Rawlings from Ash, North Dakota (Ash is no longer in existence).  The claim of William Hutchins was sold in 1916 and Thomas Ray Rawlings returned to Guthrie Co, Iowa where he spent his remaining years. A land record dated 11 April 1913 shows that T. R. Rawlings purchased part of Lot 4, block 2 in Smiths’ Addition, Bayard Iowa.  His grandson Kenneth R. Hill indicated that  Thomas lived in Rawlings addition, which was built by Thomas’ son, George Calvin Rawlings.

Thomas Ray Rawlings died on 30 May 1927 in Guthrie co, Iowa.  His wife died on 22 January 1928 in Guthrie Co.  Both are buried in the Highland Township Cemetery, Bayard, Iowa.

Note:  Thomas Ray Rawlings’ son, George Calvin Rawlings was a carpenter and built many homes in Bayard, Iowa and as noted above, built two cottages for his father in Redfield, Iowa.

Note:  No clear indication of what was Thomas Ray Rawlings occupation..  Census record indicate that he was a farmer, however, no land transaction ,  other than the land in Jasper County, Iowa and his homestead in South Dakota, indicating a farm of any size have been found.



Children of Thomas Ray Rawlings Margaret J. Skinner

Mary Bell Rawlings   Born 5 April 1862, Indiana, Died 20 July 1935, Sioux City, Iowa.  Married Luke H. Gaskins in Monroe Co, Indiana

George Calvin Rawlings  Born 13 Jan 1864 in Indiana, Died 19 Feb 1930, Guthrie Co, Iowa, Married Mary Elwood

Elma Rawlings  Born 8 June 1866 in Iowa  Died 12 June 1951 Albert Lee, Minn, Married William F. Carrick  Buried Highland Cem, Bayard

Corda Rawlings  Born 8 April 1873, Indiana  Married John O. Love  Also homesteaded in Harding Co. S.D.  Sec 17 and 18 Twp 22 Range 9, located near Haley, North Dakota

Children by Esther Ann Clendenen

Emma LaVada Rawlings  Born 16 Feb 1881, Monroe Co., Indiana  Died 19 Feb 1944, Sioux City, Iowa, Married Frederick Abraham Hill on 20 Feb 1901, Guthrie Co., Iowa

Margaret Rawlings  Born 26 Feb 1886 Guthrie Co., Iowa  Died 1 Nov 1959, Waterloo, Iowa, Married William P Hutchins.  in 1910 William and Margaret were living on the homestead in Harding Co., S.D. with Thomas Ray Rawlings and his wife Esther Ann.


Obit found for Thomas Rawlings in the Bayard County 'Guthrian' June 9, 1927.  

Born in Marion county, Indiana April 2, 1841 and died in Bayard May 30, 1927 at the age of 86.  Last of 8 children, four brothers and three sisters.  When 5 he moved to Morgan Co, Indiana where he grew up.  In 1860 e married Margaret Jane Skinner, the she had seven children, three died in infancy.  She died in 1879.  On February 26  1880 he married Esther Ann Clendenin.

Two children by this marriage.   

Surviving children are Mrs. L. H. Gaskins of Sioux City, George Rawlings and Mrs William Carrick of Bayard, Mrs Corda Love of Aberdeen, SD, , Mrs Fred Hill of Sioux City and Mrs W. P. hutchins of Redfield.

In 1866 Thomas Rawlings came to Iowa with his wife and two children in a covered wagon locating for a year near Kellogg where one of the surviving daughters was born.  Returned to Indiana untill 1873 when they again came to Iowa.  

He spent 3 years in SD, four years at Lohrville in Calhoun Co, Iowa,  from 1893 to 1897 and four years near Redfield from 1904 to 1908.

Member of the M E Church for over 60 years.  Funeral services was Wednesday by Rec C. W. Holhanshelt at the Bayard M E Church.  Buried in the Highland  Cemetery.

Summary:

Born 1841 Marion Co, Indiana

1846 In Brown Co, Indiana

Jasper Co, Iowa 1866

Tipton Co, Indiana 1868

Monroe Co Indiana 1879

Iowa 1883 ?

Lohoville, Iowa 1893 -1897

Bayard, Iowa 1898 - 1904

Redfield, Iowa 1904 1908

South Dakota 1908 - 1911

Bayard, Iowa 1912 - 1927

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