The Rawls family most
likely came to America from Wales, England, and the name Rawls is
derived from a medieval male first name (patronymic) of Ralph.
The patronymic Ralph traces back to an early Anglo-Saxon name
Rolf, derived from the Norse-Viking pre-7th century name
Hralfr, which means Fame Wolf.
Over twenty variations of the name exist, but the
first time any variation is recorded as a last name is in England's
Domesday Book in 1086 as “Rawles”.
In ancient times people used only a first name, but when kings,
in this case William the Conqueror of England, began the “poll” or
“head” tax, people adopted last names.
Previous researchers have tried to make a case that our Rawls
descend from the line of Francis Rawle of Philadelphia who came to
America in 1686, but I have found no evidence of this.
The Rawls first sailed to America in the early
1600's, arriving in the Virginia Colony. Of interest is an early ship
list: “On May, 1635 on the
ship Plain Joan to Virginia, Richard Buckam, master, the parties having
brought attestation of their conformities to the orders and discipline
of the Church of England...”
Reddish, Jo (John), age 23
Rolles, Jo (John), age 22
Wynd, James, age 23
Variations of these family names such as Reddick,
Rawls, and Wynn would be intertwined through marriage and land
transactions for nearly 215 years.
Though it has not yet been proven that this “Rolles” is the
progenitor of this Rawls line, it is highly suggestive of the
interrelationships between these families which follow below.
In 1653 King Charles of England granted the Colony
of Carolina to eight of his political cronies known as the Lords
Proprietors. Settlers from
the Albemarle region of Virginia moved into Carolina on foot and by
ship. Bath County was formed
in 1696, and from Bath in 1705 came the Pampticough Precinct on the
Pamlico River, where Beaufort County was founded.
Martin County, NC, was formed from part of Beaufort, and our
Rawls branch came from this area.
The Beaufort area lays in
the tidal plain of eastern North Carolina on the Pamlico Sound. Moving
from the shores, you pass through swamps until reaching the “high
ground” at only forty feet above sea level.
The high ground was covered by beautiful open forests – open
because of the Indian practice of burning off the undergrowth every
year, and beautiful because the open forests filled with wildflowers
every spring. Deer and other
game were plentiful, and with the timber and fishing industry, helped to
feed and house the settlers.
One the other hand, mosquitoes and biting flies tormented them; yellow
fever and small pox epidemics carried off parents and children; Indian
raids obliterated whole settlements; and floods and hurricanes could
wipe out a life's work overnight.
Pamlico Sound had no natural harbor; the nearest
port was Charleston to the south.
Trade and goods were very limited, so people had to be
self-sufficient. The women spun flax and cotton for their clothing and
dressed deer hides to make clothes for the men. People even willed
special items of clothing to their children.
Combs and spoons were made from animal horn. Many men did their
own