James (Jim) Thomas Rawls

  General Notes:

The 1900 Federal Census, Florida, Hamilton Co., White Springs, District 41, page 286A records James T. (April 1868) and Mollie (May 1868) Rawls. James and Mollie have been married 4 years with no children. Also in the household are James' brother, John A. Rawls (Oct 1869), and nephews Alvah H. (Feb 1885) and John L. (Mar 1879) Jones.

The 1910 Federal Census, Florida, Citrus Co., Chrystal River, District 1, page 286A records James T. (42) and Mollie L. (45) Rawls married 13 years. Also in the household is James' brother, Joel C. Rawls (26). Joel is a Physician and surgeon.

The 1920 Federal Census, Florida, Marion Co., Dunellon, District 134, page 235B records the widower James T. Rawls (52 - VA) (indexed as Rawe at ancestry.com).

The 1930 Federal Census, Florida, Marion Co., Dunellon, District 34, page 263A records James T. (63) and Leo (40) Rawls at 304 West McKinney Avenue.


Dunnellon Historical Trail - Marion Co., Florida
Rawls House
This two-story home was built in about 1910 with elements of Victorian and Classical Revival styles. It was the home of lumberman J.T. Rawls, who used the best available building materials.
(Walk north on Orlando St. to the intersection with Powell Rd. (f/k/a First Ave.).)(3.3)
Southeast corner of Orlando St. and Powell Rd. (406/20890 Powell Rd.)


James T. Rawls Taken By Death
Sept. 12, 1950
Was Prominent Resident of Dunnellon (Florida)
James Thomas Rawls, 83, resident of Dunnllon since 1913, died at his home early Tuesday afternoon after a prolonged illness.
Born in Nansemond County; Va. in 1867, he was reared on a farm, and attended one-room schools. At the age of 20 he attended Kings Military Academy in Suffolk.
He operated a brick business with his brother, the late Robert Rawls, at Elwood, Va., and in the winter 1889 moved to Middle Ga., where he worked as a partner with a timber owner. The firm of Rawls and Hughes turpentined large sections of land near Dublin, Ga. In the early 1892 he left that firm to become associated with the Camp Phosphate Company with operations in Levy County at Albion.
Mr. Rawls was married to Miss Mary Jackson Lawrence also of Nansemond County, Va. in 1896. He was a charter member of the White Springs Baptist Church. In 1902 he was engaged in the lumber business at Crystal River where he was interested also in drugs and shipping of fish. He was a Charter member of the First Baptist Church to be organized at Crystal River.
In 1913 Mr. Rawls was associated with the C. and J. Camp Phosphate company of Ocala as general superintendent of operations in several counties necessitating his moving to Dunnellon. He was a member of the Baptist church of Dunnellon, serving as deacon and Sunday school superintendent and was quite active until 1937, when a heart condition forced his retirement.
During his residence in Dunnellon, Mr. Rawls was associated with the late J. F. Cocowitch in turpentine, saw milling and orange groves. As a member of four comprising a corporation in developing the subdivision known as Minnetrista on the Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers in Dunnellon, he endeavored to further the progress in that city. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Rawls married Miss Leo Bearden of Waleska Junior College near Canon, Ga., in 1920.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Leo B. Rawls, Dunnellon; four brothers, J. A. Rawls, Holland, Va., Dr. J. C. Rawls, R. P. Rawls, and S. W. Rawls of Franklin, Va.; Three sisters, Mrs. J. R. L. Johnson, Williamsburg, Va.; Mrs. W. T. Pace, Sr., Franklin, Va.; Miss Mabel Rawls, Norfolk, Va. and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are to be held at 3:30 Friday afternoon in the chapel of Roberts Funeral home, with Rev. Jack Dalton of the First Baptist Church, Dunnellon, officiating. Following this service, the body will be accompanied to Franklin, Va. to the W. J. M. Holland and son Funeral home, where family services will be held Saturday. Those serving as honorary pall bearers are: H. Maddos, Archer; Norton Davis, Mank Camp, Dr. C. S. Lytle, W. L. Akin, Ocala; H. E. Chalker, Dr. E. Molnar, Dr. B. S. Stutts, H. W. Rives, G. W. Shuman, C. H. Merriken, Dunnellon; W. B. Anderson; Tampa; W. Robert Smith, Ocala, and Ben Merredith, John Waters, I. J. Robinson, Chalmers Young and Lee King, Dunnellon.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Manager of a saw mill (1900) / see obituary in notes.

James married Mary Jackson (Mollie) Lawrence, daughter of Joseph John Lawrence and Mary E. Holland, in 1896. (Mary Jackson (Mollie) Lawrence was born in May 1864 in Nansemond Co, VA, died circa 1918 in Chrystal River, Citrus Co., Florida and was buried in Poplar Springs Cemetery - New Annex, Franklin, Southampton Co., VA.)

James next married Leo M. Bearden, daughter of William A. Bearden and Sarah Alice Timmons, on 1 Dec 1920 in Florida. (Leo M. Bearden was born on 5 Aug 1890 in Georgia, died on 17 Jun 1959 in Dunnellon, Florida and was buried in Dunnelon Memorial Gardens/Rockwell Cemetery, Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida.)