John Rawls Jr.

  Research Notes:

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 11:52:09 -0500
From: Nita Watterson <bnh2oson@cox.net>
Subject: Re: Hello
To: "L. Bolling Hagen" <lhagen@vt.edu>
Hi Bo,
I will try to answer your questions. Mary Francis is the daughter of John Norfleet, Jr. and Margaret Ann Rebecca Lee.
I have the book with those Bible records in it. I will try to explain this family to you. John Rawls c. 1738-c1801, brother of our David was married to Mary. They had the following children:
1. David Rawls
2. Willis Rawls m. Ann Kelly 1787
a. Mary Ann Rawls m. James Rogers
b. Joanne Rawls
c. Stella M. Rawls m. John Rawls
d. Sarah Louise Rawls m. Robert Copeland
e. Albert Kelly Rawls m Elizabeth Ann Holland
3. Christine Rawls m. Joseph Freeman
4. Polly Rawls c. 1788-1837 m. John Norfleet c. 1783-1837
a. Mary Ann Norfleet (b. 24 Jan 1810 - d. c. 1883) m Robert Rawls (b. 1806 - d. 30 Mar 1886) Married: 22 Apr. 1830 at Holy Neck, VA. He was the son of David Rawls, a Christian minister. Robert later became a minister of [the] Christian Church of Holy Neck for about ten years and then moved his family to Ivor, Southampton County [,VA].
5. John Rawls III (This is Rawls with will) 1835 and Mary Ann (we do not know her last name)
6. Elizabeth Rawls 1782 m. Benjamin Porter father of Abigail Porter Rawls (Andrew's wife)
7. Absalla Rawls m. Willis Parker (brother of our Kedar Parker and their father was William Parker, NC)

Justin R. Norfleet was the son of Polly Rawls and John Norfleet. From the information above you can see that all of the people were connected to John Rawls and Mary.
John Rawls III and Mary Ann did not have any children so he left his nieces and nephews his property. I hope this helps you understand the Rawls family in Nansemond. There were many different branches.
Somerton Swamp is quite long in the county. Somerton Hall is on the East side of the swamp and this property is on the west side a short distance from each other. When you come down I will show you what I am talking about.
Let me know if you have any more questions and I will try to answer them the best I can.
Nita

Abstracts of Copies of Nansemond County Wills That Were Recorded and Then Destroyed by Fire.
John Rawls, Sr. (Feb. 21, 1835; date of probate not given), of Nansemond Co. Wife: Mary Ann (Norfleet). use of the plantation on east side of Somerton Swamp, including the plantation "Providence. " Abram Porter, William Porter, Richard Porter, Elizabeth Porter and Lydia Porter. Nephews: John Norfleet, Justin Norfleet. sons of John Norfleet (home plantation after death of wife and mill and land purchased from Isaac Porter's Estate.) Nephew: Joseph Porter ("the Quarter on the east side of Wainoke Road"). Nephews: Willis Parker. John Parker. Two nieces: Polly Russell and Margaret Langston (the James Rawls tract). Nephew and nieces: John Freeman, Patsey and Harriet Freeman (land I purchased from my brother, David Rawls, and Marmaduke Jones). Nephew: Albert K. Rawls and nieces Mary Ann Rogers, Joanna Rawls and Stella M. Rawls, children of my brother Willis Rawls (the "Pocoson Land"). Executors: John Norfleet, John Hare, Sr. Witnesses: Wm. M. Jones, Andrew Rawls, Richard Porter, John G. King, Jr. (From the manuscript collection of Mrs. Marion Kelly Kendrick.)

John married Living