THE HEARSAY CHAPTER
-THE FIRST GENERATION-
James Mason Rawlins
Places of residence by birth information of children are:
Rutherford County, North Carolina, 1750.
Rutherford County, North Carolina, 1766.
Martin County, North Carolina, 1774 - 1777.
Martin County, North Carolina, 19 September, 1774; James witnessed to Deed by William Wallace, Martin County, North Carolina. (William Wallace later testifies against James Rawlins and Lewelling in conspiracy trial), William Lewelling also a witness.
Martin County, North Carolina, James and Priscilla witness to Deed.
1777 James Rawlins referred to as Rev. and mention made of his preaching. He was a Tory and supporter of the Church of England. 28 March 1777, Rawlins entered into Conspiracy with John and William Lewelling while attending a muster at Plymouth, Martin County, North Carolina. Rawlins wrote their Constitution.
Between 28 March 1777 and 6 August 1777 Rawlins and John Lewelling set out from Martin County, North Carolina to see General Howe. Rawlins testified he "expected to see his father and friends" but they only got to Scotland Neck in Halifax County, North Carolina before turning back.
August 6, 1777, Rawlins and family captured trying to escape by sailboat in Pamlico Sound, Lake Mattamuskeet, Hyde County, North Carolina, on coast of North Carolina (open to sea at that time, it is now a self-contained lake).
September 11, 1777, Abstracts for North Carolina Gazette of New Bern, North Carolina 1751-59 and 1768-90 p. 41/42 (by Fouts) states:
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Between 11 September 1777 and 22 November 1777, Rawlins signed up to sail from New Bern with Captain William Pile but did not report. Pile testified 22 November 1777 that a Colonel White from Georgia had promised Rawlins a better situation and the last Pile had heard Rawlins was "on the way to South Carolina in the company of Colonel White's wagons."
Guilford County, North Carolina, 1776
Rutherford County, North Carolina, 1778
With Ferguson at Battle of Kings Mountain 7 October, 1780.
1782, Priscilla Rawlins and her daughter Nancy are shown on the membership roll for Sandy Run Baptist Church in Rutherford County, North Carolina. James Rawlins never appears on church records.
Born about 1738/1748, born and raised in London England.
Married about 1762 Bunker Hill Mass. (THIS DATE CAN'T BE CORRECT) - but we need to check out Bunker Hill, North Carolina.
Died unknown.
Burial unknown.
Wife: Priscilla Blount.
Born unknown.
Died about 1785.
Sandy Run Baptist Church, Cleveland, North Carolina.
Issue:
- James Rawlins, Sr. born about 1766 Rutherford, North Carolina.
- Rev. Roderic(k) Rawlins, born 11 March 1776, Guilford County, North Carolina.
- Charles Rawlins, born about October 1750, Rutherford County, North Carolina.
- George Rawlins, born about 1770, Mass.
- Mary Rawlins, born about 1778, Rutherford, North Carolina.
- Thomas Rawlins, born 19 April 1792, Rutherford, North Carolina.
- William Rawlins
- Nancy Rawlins
- Elizabeth Rawlins
See: The Loyalist Experience in North Carolina by Carole Watterson Troxler, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, 1976.
See: The North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 2, No. 3, pages 399 - 404.
See: Martin County, North Carolina, James Rawlins witness to will for William Wallace others David Taylor, William Lewelling, William Bonners. Will dated 19 September 1774, filed 13 February 1775.
See: Box 4, DeGolyer Collection, Fondren Library, campus of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.
NOTE: Said to have had two brothers, to-wit: Roderick Rawlins born about 1746 and Charles Rawlins born about 1750.
NOTE: John Lewelling went in 1788 to Greenfield South Carolina. See page 46 of Bulletin of the Genealogical Society of old Tyron County, Volume IV 1, February 1976.