Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-30
NO. 2O5.
THE RAWSON FAMILY,
FOURTH ANNUAL REUNION OF THE DESCEND.
ANTS OF EDWARD RAwsoN,

The descendants of Edward Rawson, Secretary
of the Colony of Massachusetts, Bay from 1856,
held their fourth annual reunion 1T Horticultural
Hall, in Worcester, Mass, Wednesday. Aug. 25th.
The former reunions, which have been quite
veloped spirited feeling of kinship throughout
the family, and people who although Of the same
family name have been strangers to each other
have been brought into close and pleasant &C
quaintance, and embrace the opportunity furnished
by this annual gathering to renew friendship and
extend their chain offamily ties around oil who bear
the name of Rawson. One result of the former re-
unions, pleasant and interesting in itself, and val
liable for present and future reference, is the pub
lication Of Rawson Family Memorial, which was
being distributed to the family at the meeting
THE RAwsoN FAMILY MEMORIAL.
This memorial volume, handsomely printed
book of 1874 pages, is from the press OF Mr. Charles
Hamilton, of this city. The first volume of the
memorial was published in lS49 by Mr.. Reuben
Rawson Dodge, of Sutton, through the assistance
of Joseph Ii. Dorr, ESQ.,. of Boston, and Hon. Jo-
seph Rawson, Of X. l., and contained 1869 names.
Mr.. Dodge has continued his labors in collecting
MATERIAL in which he has been assisted by various
members of the family, who have been melted to
unusual effort by the three annual meetings Of the
family. With the original volume "a nucleus,
and with the material since collected, the editor
of the present volume, Mr.. E. B. Crane, of this
city, whose wife is of the eighth generation in di-
rect descent from Edward Rawson, has compiled
the present volume. which contains $3.50 names, in
their genealogical order, covering nine genera
tions, besides much other interesting matter con-
nected with the history Of the Rawson family.
The work has copious and Ineligible index,
and is illustrated with well executed portraits OF
Edward Rawson, d 1870, Rebecca Rawson, 1892,
Phineas w. Leland, Polla Rawson, Abel Raw
son, DR.. Bass Rawson, Mrs. Abigail Rawson Prem
tiss, Henry L. Prentiss, ESQ.,, Mrs. Lurana White
Townsend. and Reuben Rawson Dodge, and en-
cravings of the Rawson coat-of-arms, and OF the
Capt. Samuel Rawson mansion, in Paris, Me-,
erected in 1918. In addition to the Names and
dates of birth, marriage and death OF the rang and
file of the family, the volume contains notices
more or less extended, of some Of its members
who have been distinguished in their several To-
caities. Among the more distinguished descend
ants of Edward Rawson, mentioned in the volume,
are the late Judge Samuel Rawson Of Fremont,
o., the late Hon. I. j. Carter, of Paris. Me-, the
late Judge Lyman Rawson of Rumford, Me-, and
the late DR.. P. Ii. Leland, of Fall River, and Dr.
Edward g. Rawson and Luther Rawson Marsh OF
New York CITY, Judge Geo. w. RawsoD, OF k0ch-
ester, N. Y, Lieut.. Hiram Buck, Crown Point n
" Rev. Thos. r. Rawson, Albany, N.Y. geo.
B. Dorr, ESD, Lenox, Mass; DR.. LaQuinio Raw
son, Fremont, o.; DIR. Bass Rawson, Findley, o..
Hon. Abel Rawson, Titfin, o.; Judge Alphonso
Taft, Cincinnati, o.; James F. Rawson, Bangor.
Me. James S. Holiness Foxcroft, Me-; Charles
E. Nash, of the Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Me-;
and Samuel r. Carter, of the Oxford Register,
Paris, Me.
The appendix to the volume contains much in
teresting matter. First is the oath administered
to Edward Rawson upon his accepting the office OF
Secretary of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, in
which he swore first of all, "That you Will truly
and uprghtly and faithfully searre youseg in this
Office" 1t is not a comfortable rehecuon, put TOO
true that nowadays, while the form OF the oath IS
changed, too many public servants observe this
stipulation of the Secretary's oath. whether they
serve the public or not. @-ss
Copies Of other colonial records, letters Of Ed
ward Rawson, the will of Rev. John Wilson, first
minister of Boston, cousin of Edward Rawson.
Rev Grindal Rawsons settlement in the
ministry at Mendon, on a salary Of fifteen
pounds per annum in sterling money OF new
England, and forty pounds more to- DC pald IN
town raiseth;" last win and testament, ex;
tracts from Rev. Grndal Rawson's sermons, and
other matters Of interest, included in the ap-
pendix together with sketches OF the three annual
reunions Of the family already held, largely made
up from the reports Of these meetings publshed,
in the Gazette. There is besides an interesting
sketch of the career OF Edmund GrlndaL Arch
bishop of Canterbury, 1873, who was brctner 70
the great grandmother Of Edward Hawsons wife'
and whose name has descended even TO tne pres
ent generation in connection with that OF lawson.
The volume will without doubt prove OF great
interest to members of the family in the direct
line of descent and also to those OF the colatersi
branches, which have been allied thereto BY mar
riage. Among these latter nnding Piace IN tue
volume those most frequent are the widely known
known Worcester county names: Aldrich, Alen'
Bates Billings, Brown, Chaplin, Davis. Dodge,
Dorr Ellis, Emerson, Hale, Hall, Harbach, Hazel
tine, Holmes, Hutchinson, Keith, Leland: Marsh
Page, Putnam, Sears Smith, Taft, Wheeler
White, Wilkinson, Witherell, Wood and others.
But limited number Of the Memorial IS published
and as it is not stereotyped early application should
be made to the editor by those who desire copies.
The price, for The present is fixed at $275 per vol
ume
The MEETING WEDNESDAY.