Mary Sophia Adams Goodrum

This photo was generously provided

by Betty Worley.

The following transcribed excerpts are from a copy of the Journal of Mary Sophia Adams Goodrum's (Joseph Rawls' grand daughter) which I received from Betty Worley....Thanks Betty...The first transcriptions, I will add, are of interest to my direct Rawls Line... after I receive permission I will start to add the church records of the birth death and marriages of Adams, Hinds , Claiborne, and Warren Counties as they are in the journal.

- last updated April 13, 2001

 

I have hyperlinked The jpeg images (between 300k and 400k) of the transcribed pages below through page 15. If you download them and figure out any of the words I have missed let me know. cydrawls@aol.com, Thanks....

June 8, 1878

Page 9
Great Grand Pa and Great Grand Ma Kinsalo were Dutch people, and among the first settlers of South Carolina. They belonged to the Lutheran Church_ and lived 10 miles from Columbia 50 miles from _________. 3 miles from Broad Rivers, Richland County, South Carolina.
They raised 5 daughters and one son_ names as follows_ Mollie, who married Mr. Co____, Betsy, who married John Smith_ Barbary who married Mr. Turnipseed_ Sophia, who married Joseph Rawls_Christina, who married John Michael, and Hermon their son.
Hermon was a thrifty farmer and a magistrate_ was called rich in those days. All the early settlers suffered dreadfully, from the soldiers, during the Old Revolutionary war.
The Tory's took Hermon Kinsalo out from his mother's home, and sawed his legs, to the bone in several places, to make him tell where his mother's money was. Hermon was quite a youth, but they failed to extract the desired information. Noble young fellow, How gladly his mother would have given up all to save her dear boy such suffering, but she was not allowed to follow, and knew not what her child was enduring.

Page10
These British Soldiers were very, very cruel to Great Grandma Kinsalo. They carried Smallpox and Measles into her family, from which two of her children died, and while their corpses were still in the room, these friends jumped between them and danced, making all manner of fun of poor, dear, Great grandma Kinsalo. They emptied Great Grandma's feather bed in the room where the dead children lay, and carried the bedticks off. _ Great Grandma fighting them with her pa(?) handle. These Tory's would come into Great Grand Ma's house while she would be eating, and grab everything from the table. One day, after they taken all, they grabbed Great Grand Ma's gourd of milk_Great Grand Ma gathered too, and they pulled the gourd into two, spilling the milk_ poor Great Grand Ma exclaimed "Cuss you," I would rather it was spilled than for you to have it. Great Grand Pa was killed by an Indian, with a lighthandled ax, 10 miles from Columbia Co. Great Grand Pa Kinsalo was a great (?) to graft fruit and flowers, having made the beautiful crab apple to grow upon this thirsty place.
After the war was over Great Grand Ma's girls, spun and wove themselves nice clothes. This example, for a Sunday dress being as fine, the girls could pass it through a finger (?) spinning machines and cotton gins were not known in those days. The cotton was picked from the seed by their hand. The Tory's had taken all their clothes and everything else.
Grand Pa Kinsalo was a dutch Ho?t ?celhierst (this is all one word.... I haven't a clue -image below-)
Three of the girls married Dutch men and settled in Richland County, South Carolina. They had farms and servants and were called rich.

here is an image of the above unknown word.

Page 11
Sophia Kinsalo, and Christina Kinsalo, married Englishmen (British Tory's). Sophia Married Joseph Rawls and Christina married John Michael. These two families moved west. Joseph Rawls settled in Tennesee_ John Michael in Mississippi, both of these men wasted their wives property. Being Englishmen, they were natural abolitionists.
John Michael acquired a large fortune in Claiborne County Miss. his only child, Polly married Mabourne Cooper. Mr Cooper has quite a fortune.
This Mrs. Polly Cooper is first cousin to my mother, Mary Adams, and is living in Claiborne County, near where her father John Michael first settled and is living today, june 15, 1878.

Joseph Rawls who married Sophia Kinsalo lived in South Carolina several years until they had two children. Then moved to Tennessee, leaving Polly (my mother) with her Grandmother Kinsalo in South Carolina. This is my Great Grandma Kinsalo. Great Grandma Kinsalo was ? rich, and wanted her grand daughter, Polly Rawls (My Mother) to stay with her and she promised her a fortune to ?. Grand Pa Joseph Rawls and Grand Ma Sophia Rawls consented, and moved to Tennessee, leaving their daughter Polly, (my mother) with her grand Ma Kinsalo in South Carolina.

Grand Pa and Grand Ma (Joseph Rawls) lived two years in Tennessee, and concluded to move to Miss. Travelling by land they pass through some cotton fields, and being carried away with the ? of cotton, he purchased a field of cotton and

 

page_12.jpg

with Grand Ma's slaves picked the cotton. Not knowing how to trade for a cotton field he became insolved, and was compelled to sell several of Grand Ma's negros to "pay out."

After awhile Grand Pa Joseph Rawls and Grand Ma Sophia Rawls, leave Tennessee, and move farther south. They have lived here for two years, during which time their daughter (my mother) remains with her Grand ma Kinsalo, she has promised to make her, (Polly Rawls) her heir provided she remain with her. But Grand Pa Rawls did not like to leave his little daughter so far and concluded to go for her before he left Tennessee. So he started off in a chair or gig. He found his daughter very much attached to her Grand Ma Kinsalo, and in after ? relate to her children many ? incidents of her childhood, spent with her Grand Ma Kinsalo. In time Gret Grand Ma Kinsalo died_ her children, of course heir her estate, but none occupy the old house, which is left to tumble down. Everything taken away but this old Bible it is left on the mantle all concerned to one side. no one knows what became of the one cherished Bible. Grand Pa, Joseph Rawls had a fine gold watch which he lost in a great creek while crossing in a gig with his little daughter "Polly" our mother.

 

page_13.jpg

My Great Grand Pa Rawls ( and Great Grand Ma Rawls were full blood Englishmen, and settled in Tennessee where Great Grand Ma Rawls died, not far from Nashville. Great Grandpa Gabriel Rawls was a British Minister_ traveled on foot_ came down to Natchez on foot when he was quite old and feeble_had a negro man to travel with him, to take care of him. He was ? to preach to the people of Natchez, and did so several times_ ? ?? called to preach in New Orleans too, and for that parish and object he left Natchez , and never returned, having "at his ports," somewhere in Louisianna. Great Grand Pa Gabriel Rawls was sent from England to preach to christians in Miss. and Lo. He preached in Natchez and N. O. and died near N. O.

 

 

Grand Pa , Joseph Rawls starts to Mississippi five children in number. Came down the river in a flatboat no Steaemboats invented then_ has his negros and eight horses on board. At Concordia, La. oppisite Natchez he lands, and purchases a farm, selling several of Grand Ma's negros to make the payment on farm. So they moved on buying and selling off negros all the time. This was a pretty place with a nice house and large gin. Grand Ma Rawls loved this place, but Grand Pa was a "rolling stone" and soon took a notion to move across the river into Natchez and settle. Grand Ma was opposed to this and would not sign the Deeds which recorded in Concordia, so it stands to this day. 1878.

 

page_14.jpg

Not Long after they settled in Natchez Grand Ma takes one of her little sons and visits her sister Christina Micheal in Clairborne County Miss.

While Grand Ma was absent from home Grand Pa was taken very sick and died. His brother Abram Rawls, who lived in Louisianna came to Grand Pa at his time_ had Grand Pa buried_put Grand Pa's gold watch in his pocket_ took all his valuable papers_sold all his stock and furniture got all his money_ mounted Grand Pa's riding horse_ crossed the river leaving Grand Pa's little children alone. No word was sent to Grand Ma and when she came home, she was shocked to know that Grand pa was dead, and everything swept away by his brother. She got a "Search Warrant", and recovered some of her furniture.

In her distress, she appealed to the Free Masons_ Grand Pa had not connected himself, with any lodge since he left Columbia S.C. and not a single Mason, made an effort to assist her in any way. Grand Ma was in this way reduced to perfect poverty _by the death of her husband and the rascality of her husbands brother.

From this day Grand Ma had to Labor hard day and night at the spinning wheel and loom to get a hard living for herself and five little children. ( She died ?? November 17 1836. She lived in Adams County area near Natchez until her second daughter Mary was grown and married John Adams on the 19th Dec 1822

Grand Ma suceeded in giving her sister pretty good ??.

 

page_15.jpg

After the marriage of Mary Rawls to John Adams. there was one less in Grand Ma Sophia Rawls family, but the oldest worker had gone. They were my parents, and lived with Grand Pa Adams two or three years_ I was born there on the forth of March 1824.

Grand Pa and Grand Ma Adams raised a large family of sons and daughters. GrandPa, though an uneducated man, acquired a large fortune in land and negros. He settled his children off on different plantations_superintended the whole, himself, for many years. He was a Pennsylvania Dutchman and Grandma a full Scotish woman.

GrandPa William Adams was first cousin to John Adams President of the United States. GrandMa Adams maiden name was Orpha Leonard  from Pennsyvania.

 

Page 30,

1848

Joeseph Rawls born October 20th 1764 in England.

Sophia Kinsalo born, May 24th 1772, she was married 1788. Sophia Rawls died Nov the 17th 1836.

Elizabeth Gilbert (Rawls) born june 14th 1800.

Elizabeth Gilbert (Rawls) died Aug 11th 1834

 

Page 137

Nov 25 1860

Uncle John C. Rawls of Arkansas died today.

 

(I think the following references are to John Felix Rawls as John C Rawls had already passed away. There are no other John Rawls' that were descended from Joseph Rawls and the nephew of Mary Sophia Rawls Adams and lived in Arkansas).

 

Pg 154-

Sept. 17, 1862
Cousin John C. Rawls, My dear Mother's nephew, left his home in Arkansas, for the war in Virginia. _ was discharged on account of bad health on the 6th of July, 1862. Came to Ma's on the 18th came with but $121. confederate money_ joined Antioch church 9th Sept./62. Aug25. 1863 he left Ma's for his home in Arkansas.

 

Pg 168-

June 6, 1862
John C. Rawls discharged for duty in Virginia on account of bad health. Came to Ma's on the 18th.

 

Pg. 169-

June 18, 1862
John C. Rawls, my dear Mother's nephew, arrives from Virginia, when he has been discharged on account of bad health. he has $121. in Confederate money.

 

Pg.172-

Sept. 17 1862
Mr. Goodrum, John Rawls, J. W. Highlander, J.M. Gibson, Misses Hattie and Theresa Sexton, Nancy Brown, Mariah Kane, Fanny Moore, were baptized, in our own pond, which was a beautiful place. A large crowd Witnessed the interesting scene.

 

Pg. 179

Aug 24, 1863

Sister Sarah Whitaker's house is burned down just before day. Poor dear Ma is on a visit to Sister at this time. Cousin John Rawls is there also, and saved a matress.