Rawalt, Milton bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 559-561; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Milton Rawalt has passed much of his life on the fine old homestead, comprising the southwestern quarter of section 30, Orion Township, which was his birthplace and where he is successfully conducting agricultural pursuits. He is a fine representative of the native-born citizens of Fulton County, and is identified with the best element of his township, morally, socially and financially.
Jonas Rawalt, the father of our subject, was one of the earliest pioneers of this part of Illinois, and for many years was one of its foremost citizens, and was very active in the public ife of the county. He came of good old Revolutionary stock. His father, John Rawalt, a native of Pennsylvania, was the son of a general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Jonas was born in Northumberland County, Pa., and when a small boy was taken with his father’s family to Onondaga County, N. Y., where he was reared, and thence returned with his parents to Pennsylvania. He afterward went to Clark County, Ind., where he learned the distillery business. In that county he met and married Miss Deida Robins, a native of South Carolina, their marriage taking place March 23, 1825. After the birth of two children, John and Enoch, Mr. Rawalt came with his family to Illinois in 1829. They accomplished the journey in a wagon drawn by three horses, and came by the way of Bloomington to Fulton County. For a year or more they lived on land owned by David Fouts, one mile south of Canton. In the meantime he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, comprising the quarter section now owned and occupied by our subject. On this land he built a small frame building for the shelter of his family, which he replaced a few years later by a hewed-log house on the southeast corner of the section and afterward erected the commodious residence in which our subject makes his home, and here he died on December 22, 1882. A man of marked energy, intelligence and force of character, he soon became a conspicuous figure in the civic life of the county after settling here, and held many offices of trust and honor. He was the first county School Commissioner, and after the organization of the township represented it on the first Board of Supervisors of Fulton County, of which he was the first Chairman, and for ten years he was a member of the Board and he was also the first member of the Legislature from Fulton County, and in his public career proved to be a wise, able and trustworthy statesman. He was conscientious and honorable in all his dealings, and was a consistent member of the Swedenborgian Church, which he faithfully served as Trustee and Treasurer for many years. In politics he was a Whig and afterward a Republican, and during the great Rebellion served with distinction as an officer in the Union Army. He was the first Major of the Seventh Regiment, Illinois Cavalry. In this connection we may observe that his family was well represented in the army, as three of his sons also did valiant service. His son John was a member of Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Illinois Infantry and gave up his life for his county. Enoch was a member of the Eighth Illinois Calvalry and Benjamin served as Adjutant in a regiment of Minnesota Infantry. Mr. Rawalt’s wife, his tried and faithful companion, preceded him in death, dying October 27, 1878, after a pleasant wedded life of fifty-three years, and both are now sleeping side by side in the family lot on the old homestead. They had the following children as named: John, who died at Memphis, Tenn., while a soldier in the Union army; Enoch died in October 1886; Henry and Set who both died in infancy; Jane, who married Charles H. Ganson, and now lives at Urbana, Ohio; Mary, wife of William M. Ganson, of Havana, Ill., who is County Clerk of his county; Benjamin, now a resident of Colorado; Elizabeth, wife of Edward Whiteford, of Mason County; Milton, of this sketch, and Jonas R., who is now a citizen of Colorado with a residence at or near Denver, near which city he had entered a land claim.
Milton Rawalt, of this biographical notice was born September 20, 1843, in a log house, that then stood one hundred feet north of his residence, but has since been removed to Prairie City. In the neighboring schools he received the rudiments of a liberal education, which was further advanced by a fifteen months’ attendance at the Urbana (Ohio) University, and he subsequently took a full course of study at Bryant & Stratton’s Commercial College, Chicago, from which institution he was graduated March 23, 1865, the anniversary of his parents wedding day. He was now admirably fitted to enter upon a business life, and his prospects of a successful future were also excellent. Soon after leaving college, he accepted a clerical position in a National Bank of Canton, and subsequently became connected with the Mechanics” National Bank of Chicago. He was engaged very briefly in these positions, as owing to ill-health he was forced to abandon them and seek out-door exercise. He returned to the old homestead of which he at once took charge, and worked the farm on shares. In 1868 he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land seven miles east of Gilman, which proved to be a very fortunate speculation, as sometime afterward he sold some forty acres of his purchase for as much money as he had originally paid for the whole one hundred and twenty acres. On the remaining eighty acres he built a comfortable dwelling and otherwise improved the place. In 1883 he sold that property and purchased the old homestead where he had been born and reared, which consists of one hundred and sixty acres of land which is under fine tillage, and is provided with substantial improvements.
Mr. Rawalt was married, September 24, 1868, to Miss Alice A. Bartels, daughter of Henry A. and Catherine (Rowe) Bartels, natives of Germany and Pennsylvania, respectively. She understands well the art of making home pleasant and attractive and cordially co-operates with him in extending its hospitality to their numerous friends. They have had the following children: Chauncy Otis, who is now taking a course of study at Knox College; Anna M., who died June 5, 1883, aged ten years; Lena Maud, Lillie E., Harry B., and Milo R.
Mr. Rawalt is well endowed mentally and brings a well-trained mind to bear on his work. He possesses sound common sense, a firm character and high principles, and is an influence for good in his community. In his politics he is a decided Republican. He has served his township in minor offices of trust, such as School Trustee, etc. He and his wife and eldest son are valued members of the Swedenborgian Church and take an active part in its work.