{"id":80471,"date":"2021-09-24T13:10:27","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T17:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=80471"},"modified":"2021-09-24T13:36:13","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T17:36:13","slug":"rebecca-rawson-rogue-romance-in-colonial-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/rebecca-rawson-rogue-romance-in-colonial-america.html","title":{"rendered":"Rebecca Rawson: Rogue Romance in Colonial America"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry writes about the misfortune that befell Rebecca Rawson in 17th<\/sup> century Colonial America. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

To recap: In my previous article<\/a>, I wrote about Reuben Rawson Dodge (1817-1899), son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Rawson) Dodge, who inherited a treasure trove from his Rawson ancestors including a family Bible owned by Edward Rawson (1615-1693), the first Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.<\/p>\n

The article noted that Dodge deposited Edward Rawson\u2019s Bible in the American Antiquarian Society library; after it was returned to him, he gifted the Bible to the New England Historic and Genealogical Society (NEHGS), along with two portraits of Edward Rawson and his daughter Rebecca.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: Rebecca Rawson, by the Freake Painter, c. 1670. Courtesy of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My last story covered two of Edward Rawson\u2019s sons by his marriage to Rachel Perne: William and Grindall. In today\u2019s article, I continue the story by writing about Edward and Rachel\u2019s daughter Rebecca Rawson, born in 1656, who suffered a great misfortune.<\/p>\n

According to sources, the scandal with Rebecca is best told by Rev. Mr. Banyard in Plymouth and the Pilgrims<\/em> \u2013 but here is a nibble of this colonial tidbit depicting the rogue romance gone wrong, as reported in the Christian Witness and Church Advocate<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis young lady [Rebecca] was wooed and won under false pretenses, by a bold and successful adventurer\u2026 Miss Rawson was married in 1679, and accompanied her husband to England, where, deserted by him, and robbed of her property, of which he gained possession, she supported herself principally by her skill in needlework.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Christian Witness and Church Advocate (Boston, Massachusetts), 6 April 1860, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While in Boston wooing Rebecca, the rogue had said he was the son of Sir Thomas Hall \u2013 but his real name was Thomas Rumsey, and he was no nobleman. According to the \u201cMemorial of the Rawson Family,\u201d when Rebecca inquired about her husband after he deserted her in England, she was told that one Thomas Rumsey had gone home to his wife and family at Canterbury, and she never saw the villain more. She remained in England with the one child she had by him. She learned many curious works, such as painting on glass and needlepoint. Her ingenuity procured her a genteel living.<\/p>\n

In 1692 she desired to return to Boston, and left onboard one of her uncle\u2019s ships \u2013 but a great earthquake hit Jamaica while they were in port on June 9. She was swallowed up, together with the whole ship\u2019s company, excepting her uncle who was onshore.<\/p>\n

John Greenleaf Whittier depicted a colorful sketch in Stray Leaves from Margaret Smith\u2019s Diary, in the Colony of Massachusetts: The Fair Rebecca Rawson and her Two Lovers<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In 1965 a lineal descendant of the Edward Rawson line, Rebecca Hobart Rawson (1947-2007), daughter of Edward Rawson and Elsa Joan Emmrich, made her debut into society. She descends from Rebecca Rawson\u2019s brother William Rawson.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 23 December 1965, page 29<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Can you see any resemblance? This Rebecca might have taken a cue from her ancestor\u2019s romance debacle \u2013 she stayed single, attended college, traveled, and made her way as a successful lawyer.<\/p>\n

Below is a photo of Col. Warren\u2019s son Joseph Rawson and his wife Mary Whiting Richards with their grandchildren, taken at the family home on 3767 Clifton Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio. The children were all born to Joseph Rawson Jr. and his wife Lucy Russell.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Joseph Rawson and his wife Mary Whiting Richards with their grandchildren. From L to R: standing are Lucy and Martha; seated are Joseph, Marjorie, Jeannette, Grandfather Joseph III, Grandmother Mary, and Bessie. Courtesy of Richard Smith family collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joseph Rawson Jr. was vice president of the First National Bank of Cincinnati and was partner in the successful family pork-packing business Rawson & Sons. (From \u201cCincinnati Pioneers: The Rawson Family, 1831-1991.\u201d)<\/p>\n

I found this article about Joseph Jr. and Lucy\u2019s daughter Martha (one of the two girls standing in the above photo) making her debut in 1896. She stayed single and traveled the globe.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Kentucky Post (Covington, Kentucky), 16 December 1896, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Did Rebecca Rawson\u2019s saga from years ago spark these singleton Rawson lasses to ditch marriages?<\/p>\n

Not to worry \u2013 there are thousands of Rawson descendants who did breed, so stay tuned for more on this family, including Mayflower<\/em> lines.<\/p>\n

Related Article:<\/strong><\/p>\n