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R/RFHA P.3

HERITAGE NOTES

For many years Robert Rawlings Bockmiller has done extensive research on his family lines. Mr. Bockmiller is descended from FRANCIS RAWLINGS (1716-1794) of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, through his youngest son, RICHARD whose daughter SARAH married Frederick Bockmiller.

A painstaking and thorough researcher, Mr. Bockmiller has done an outstanding job of work. Rather than attempt to explain the reams of incorrect information which has been disseminated over a century and a half concerning the family whose genealogical puzzle he has attempted to unravel, we will let him do it. This issue of the Newsletter will only print the introduction and conclusions of his findings, plus a lineage chart. Those interested in correcting their notes on ANTHONY and JOHN may obtain from us copies of the remaining eight pages of notes and documentation proving his research by sending an SASE.

ANTHONY RAWLINGS OF MARYLAND AND HIS DESCENDANTS

The history of the Rawlings family is probably one of the most confusing genealogical tangles in Maryland. Unfortunately, some of the information furnished by Rawlings' descendants and information which has been published is incorrect. It seems that the earlier writers based their conclusions on very little evidence and did not go far enough in their research. It appears to me that many of the current researchers of the Rawlings family have copied these early writings and accepted the information when there was little documentation to support it. Also, I believe that because of the jumbled Rawlings history, the professional genealogists avoided writing about this particular family.

I believe that most people would agree that Anthony Rawlings (the earliest spelling of the name was Rawlins) was the first person with this name to settle in Maryland. Some writers have concluded that Anthony was the direct ancestor of other early Rawlings such as Aaron, Daniel and Richard Rawlings, however, the records don't support this conclusion. Also, it has been said that there is a lost generation after Anthony and his children, but again, the records do not support this.

HENRY RAWLINGS

It has been said that Henry Rawlings was the father of Anthony and the first Rawlings to settle in Maryland. Some have said that Henry was a large land owner in Anne Arundel County, having settled there in 1635. I was not able to locate any records indicating that Henry ever lived in Maryland. Also, Anne Arundel County was not settled until 1649-1650. There was a Henry Rawlings who left London for Barbados on November 20, 1635, however, the records are silent as to Henry coming to Maryland.

ANTHONY RAWLINGS

Anthony was the first Rawlings to come to Maryland appearing in the records as early as 1638. In 1648, he applied for land for transporting himself, his wife and one child to Maryland in 1645. This 1645 date could be an error on the record. Anthony was a servant to Justinian Snow who died in 1638 while returning to Maryland, so Anthony must have been in Maryland by at least then. Anthony probably came to America with Snow in 1636 or 1637. Another possibility and most likely is that Anthony returned to England about 1643, reentered Maryland in 1645, paying for his own transportation and that of his wife and child. Anthony Rawlings died in 1651, leaving four children; John, Anthony, Ann and Margaret. Shortly after Anthony died., his widow, Joan, married Michael Baisey.

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