LIFE OF HARVEY McGALYARD RAWLINS, JR.

Harvey McGalyard Rawlins Jr. was born Dec. 13, 1851 at Big Cottonwood, Utah. The son of Harvey McGalyard Rawlins Sr. and Margaret Elzira Frost. When he was a year old his parents moved to the north side of Draper. In 1857 they moved to South Draper where his father set out a peach orchard. In 1865 his father was called to go to Spring City to go after the Indians who were stealing the settlers' cattle. He took his family with him. In November of that year they moved to Richmond, Utah. Here he helped his father on the farm and was a member of the Military Band. It is believed that he played the Cornet, which was called the trumpet at that time. It is remembered that Harvey Jr. was playing in the band, marching through the streets, at the time of his mother's death.

In the year of 1871 he and his father homesteaded land in what is now Lewiston, They built their shanties where they lived during the spring and summer. During the winter he went freighting in Wyoming and Montana. He related experiences which we enjoyed hearing. He and Al Cunningham had taken freight wagons to Butte, Montana and on their way back they saw a band of Indians coming at a distance. They quickly hid their wagons and teams in the brush. They go on their horses so they could out run the Indians if they were attacked. As they came nearer they could see squaws among them and they knew they were not warriors. So they stayed under cover until the Indians were out of sight. Early the next morning they left with their wagons to a safer territory.

The other incident was when he and a companion were camped under a large tree in Kansas for the night. They were awakened by the flapping of the wagon cover. A voice said: "Get up and move your wagon." This occurred three times so they got up and moved about a mile farther on. Next morning they saw that the tree where they had been camped had been uprooted by a hurricane.

When the Indians were camped on Battle Creek it was feared they would attack Cache Valley. Some men were called to act as scouts to watch them. He and Robert Egbert were called to go. They camped on the east sand banks of Bear River, north west of Preston for many days and nights.

Dec. 28, 1877 he married Rebecca A. Lewis and they made their home on the land he homesteaded. Their children were:

  • William Harvey
  • Linna Dean
  • Clement Lewis
  • Verda Fern
  • Lorenzo Kimball
  • Elmina

On June 5, 1884 he married Louisa Waddoups. Their children were:

  • Burness
  • Ilarene
  • Alvira

During the early years of his marriage he, with his brothers, Sam and Frank, bought a cattle ranch in Auburn, Wyoming. Sam lived on and managed the ranch with he and Frank helping when needed. During the winter a few years after they bought the ranch, Sam's two small boys burned all their hay. This made it very hard to feed their cattle and in the spring a big blizzard came, causing them to lose most of the cattle they had saved during the winter. They were forced to sell their ranch that spring.

He gave to the town of Lewiston, Utah the corner property on which was built the bank, old opera house and little white school house. He served on the school board as a trustee in 1881. Also when both the red brick school house and the white brick school house were built. During 1879 to 1883 he was constable of Lewiston precinct. He was second counselor to the first Y.M.M.I.A. From 1877 to 1880. He was then put in as president of this same organization from 1880 to 1884. In 1891 he went on a two year mission to the Indian Territory. He served as a home missionary for many years. On Sunday Feb. 5, 1899 Joseph McMurran and J. Golden Kimball organized the 117 Quorum of Seventies of which he was made president. In 1895 he was Superintendent of Religion Class of Lewiston Ward and served until 1902 when he was chosen Benson Stake Superintendent of Religion Class until 1908. He was a High Priest and member of the High Council of Benson Stake for many years until the time of his death on Jan. 17, 1916. His two families lived together as one. He was a faithful, honest, kind, loving man to his family and all who know him. Ever willing to help anyone in need. He was a hard worker and a good provider.

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