My Genealogy Hound

HON. DOUGLAS W. RAWLINGS. The present Representative of Clark County to the Lower House of the State Legislature, he was elected thereto in the fall of 1889 for a term of two years and is serving his constituents to the best of his ability and evidently to their satisfaction. He is a member of the Committee on County Affairs, also the Girls’ Industrial Home, and the people at large feel that their interests are entirely safe in his hands. He is the owner of a well-regulated farm in Moorefield Township and has spent the most of his life engaged in agricultural pursuits.

A native of Champaign County, this State, the subject of this notice was born April 22, 1843, to James and Susannah (McRoberts) Rawlings, who were natives respectively of Kentucky and Ohio. His paternal ancestors are supposed to have been of English origin while on the mother’s side of the house he is probably descended from the Scotch-Irish. The Rawlings family is said to have been first represented in this country by three brothers who crossed the Atlantic prior to the Revolutionary War, and from them descended Douglas W. and all the family of this name.

James Rawlings emigrated from Kentucky to this State as early as 1823, when a young man about twenty years of age and was thus one of the earliest pioneers of this region. Taking up a tract of land in Urbana Township he opened a good farm and occupied himself as a tiller of the soil until his death, which took place in October 1886. The mother passed away in 1849. The family consisted of six children, the eldest of whom, a son, William J. W., is a resident of Champaign County, this State; Mary E. is the wife of Thomas M. Todd; Thomas is a farmer by occupation; Jennie E. is the wife of J. P. Knight; James H., as well as the others, is a resident of the above-mentioned county. Douglas W. was the youngest born.

Mr. Rawlings lived at the home farm with his parents, assisting in the labors thereof until a youth of seventeen years, and thereafter for three winters occupied himself as a teacher in the district schools. His early advantages were far inferior to those enjoyed by the youth of the present day, but he made the most of his opportunities and learned largely from the reading of instructive books and keeping his eyes open to what was going on around him in the world. When a young man of twenty-four he was ready to establish a home of his own and was accordingly married, August 8, 1867, to Miss Mary A., daughter of the Rev. Gilbert C. Townley. Mr. Townley was an itinerant minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and after laboring faithfully in the Master’s vineyard died November 2, 1854. Mrs. Townley is still living, making her home with her son-in-law, our subject.

To Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings there have been born four children, the eldest of whom, a son, Charles, died in October, 1882, at the age of fifteen years. Minnie A., Jennie E. and Douglas W., Jr., remain at home with their parents. Mr. Rawlings immediately after his marriage repaired to Bloomington, Ill., where he engaged as a teacher one year, then returning to Ohio located on his present farm in Moorefield Township, Clark County. He has since been continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits and besides developing a very fine farm, has an elegant residence which with its surroundings forms one of the most attractive homes in the county. He started in life practically without means, and as the architect of his own fortunes presents an example well worthy of imitation as illustrating the results of energy and perseverance. He has been a Republican since becoming a voting citizen and for years has been prominent in the local affairs of Clark County, serving two terms as County Commissioner and occupying other positions of trust and responsibility. Both he and his estimable wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, attending services at Moorefield Chapel. To this he has given a liberal support and has served in the various church offices, being at present Recording Steward of the circuit.

After the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Rawlings in May, 1862, enlisted in Company H, Eighty-sixth Ohio Infantry, which was assigned mostly to guard duty in West Virginia under Gen. Terry. On account of ill health he returned home after receiving his honorable discharge, but in May, 1864, re-enlisted with the one hundred days’ men in Company G, One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Ohio Infantry and served about four months under Gen. Butler, along the James and Appomattox Rivers. With the exception of one skirmish with the rebels at Ft. Walthill, he saw no active service and received his honorable discharge August 31, 1864.

Personally Mr. Rawlings is a gentleman of fine address, courteous and hospitable and entertains broad and liberal views upon the leading questions of the day. He is considered a man of more than ordinary intelligence and unusual business abilities and his integrity is unquestioned. As a legislator, he is an industrious worker and a deep thinker, and it is evident that he is aiming to justify to the fullest extent the choice of his constituents to represent the interests of the people. He is looked upon as one of the most public-spirited men of Clark County, with whose interests he has been closely identified since early manhood and he may justly feel that he has been no unimportant factor in promoting its best interests. He is in the prime of life and in the midst of his usefulness and greater things are expected of him in the future.

In connection with the personal sketch of the Hon. Mr. Rawlings, are presented lithographic portraits* of himself and his wife.

*Portraits were included in the original printed volume.