Lilly Permelia Rawlins Brown

Lilly Permelia Rawlins was born February 14, 1877, in Draper, Utah. She was the youngest child of Joseph Sharp Rawlins and Hannah Stringfellow. Her mother, Hannah, came from England in 1864 along with her three small children, ages four, two, and ten weeks. Her husband died before she left England. Hannah crossed the plains in the Joseph Sharp Rawlins Company. She settled in Draper and later married Brother Rawlins.

Lilly attended school in Draper and spent her young life there. Her mother passed away in 1896 so she lived with her sister, Hannah Terry, until she married Elisha Brown on May 10, 1899. They resided in Draper for a few years. Virginia and Jerome were born in Draper. They moved to Lehi where Elisha worked for the Utah Idaho Sugar Company. They lived in Lehi for a few years where Lehi, Douglas and Athon were born. Elisha was transferred to Elsinore, still working with the sugar factory. Ruth was born in Elsinore. A few years later Elisha was made superintendent of the sugar factory and they moved to Payson where Elisha died on October 1, 1925.

Lilly and her children moved back to Draper on February 22, 1925 to be by her family. She bought the J. R. Rawlins home and raised chickens and took in boarders.

Lilly was involved in many LDS church activities. She served as a stake Relief Society counselor for many years while living in Payson and supported her husband while he was bishop. Lilly died February 4, 1949, the year of the historic tremendous snow winter. The day of her funeral all roads in or out of Draper were closed because of the snow-drifts. It was dark before the funeral and burial were completed. Everyone who lived in Draper remembers that horrible winter.

...Unknown

Draper Historical Society. The History of Draper, Utah, Volume One: People of Draper 1849-1924. (Salt Lake City, UT: Agreka History Publishing, 1999), pp. 142-143, Draper Library.

 

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