Mr. Rawson was descended from Edward Rawson who emigrated from England in 1636 and settled at Newbury, MA. Most of his early life was spent on the farm with his father, Elijah Rawson. He was a hard worker and encouraged by parental influence and example to make the most of the exceptional area schools in New England. His father died when he was nieteen which forced him to leave home and make his own living.
Upon moving to Lumpkin, GA he went to work for his brother, W.A. Rawson and worked in his mercantile business until 1841 when he established his own business which he improved during the next sixteen years. Edward Rawson married Elizabeth Wellborn in 1846 and they had nine children together. Ill health caused him to sell his business in Lumpkin and move his family to Atlanta.
He lost no time in establishing a new mercantile business and when the war broke out in 1861 he was a successful businessman, considered to have sturdy integrity and the good will and friendship of every customer.
Poor health prevented Edward Rawson from enlisting in the Confederate Army but he strongly supported the South, despite his birth and antecedents. He served on the Atlanta City Council from 1863-64, representing the Second Ward. He was in Atlanta Mayor James Calhoun's committee of six who surrendered the city to General Sherman. He evacuated Atlanta with his family before the city was burned by Union troops on General Sherman's orders.
Edward Rawson returned to Atlanta in 1865 and worked hard on the city's rehabilitation and helped to put it on the road to prosperity and success. From 1867-68 he was appointed by General John Pope to represent the Second Ward. He advocated the adoption of many of the important measures of public utility including moving the state capitol from Milledgeville to Atlanta, organizing the Atlanta Public School System and oversaw the building of a modern water system while serving as Chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners from 1872-1888.
Mr. Rawson remained in the mercantile business until 1879 when he bought the Atlanta Coffin Factory and served as President of the renamed Gate City Coffin Company. Throughout his long career in Atlanta business and politics, he was an active and influential member of the Trinity Methodist Church.
Upon moving to Lumpkin, GA he went to work for his brother, W.A. Rawson and worked in his mercantile business until 1841 when he established his own business which he improved during the next sixteen years. Edward Rawson married Elizabeth Wellborn in 1846 and they had nine children together. Ill health caused him to sell his business in Lumpkin and move his family to Atlanta.
He lost no time in establishing a new mercantile business and when the war broke out in 1861 he was a successful businessman, considered to have sturdy integrity and the good will and friendship of every customer.
Poor health prevented Edward Rawson from enlisting in the Confederate Army but he strongly supported the South, despite his birth and antecedents. He served on the Atlanta City Council from 1863-64, representing the Second Ward. He was in Atlanta Mayor James Calhoun's committee of six who surrendered the city to General Sherman. He evacuated Atlanta with his family before the city was burned by Union troops on General Sherman's orders.
Edward Rawson returned to Atlanta in 1865 and worked hard on the city's rehabilitation and helped to put it on the road to prosperity and success. From 1867-68 he was appointed by General John Pope to represent the Second Ward. He advocated the adoption of many of the important measures of public utility including moving the state capitol from Milledgeville to Atlanta, organizing the Atlanta Public School System and oversaw the building of a modern water system while serving as Chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners from 1872-1888.
Mr. Rawson remained in the mercantile business until 1879 when he bought the Atlanta Coffin Factory and served as President of the renamed Gate City Coffin Company. Throughout his long career in Atlanta business and politics, he was an active and influential member of the Trinity Methodist Church.
Mr. Rawson was descended from Edward Rawson who emigrated from England in 1636 and settled at Newbury, MA. Most of his early life was spent on the farm with his father, Elijah Rawson. He was a hard worker and encouraged by parental influence and example to make the most of the exceptional area schools in New England. His father died when he was nieteen which forced him to leave home and make his own living.
Upon moving to Lumpkin, GA he went to work for his brother, W.A. Rawson and worked in his mercantile business until 1841 when he established his own business which he improved during the next sixteen years. Edward Rawson married Elizabeth Wellborn in 1846 and they had nine children together. Ill health caused him to sell his business in Lumpkin and move his family to Atlanta.
He lost no time in establishing a new mercantile business and when the war broke out in 1861 he was a successful businessman, considered to have sturdy integrity and the good will and friendship of every customer.
Poor health prevented Edward Rawson from enlisting in the Confederate Army but he strongly supported the South, despite his birth and antecedents. He served on the Atlanta City Council from 1863-64, representing the Second Ward. He was in Atlanta Mayor James Calhoun's committee of six who surrendered the city to General Sherman. He evacuated Atlanta with his family before the city was burned by Union troops on General Sherman's orders.
Edward Rawson returned to Atlanta in 1865 and worked hard on the city's rehabilitation and helped to put it on the road to prosperity and success. From 1867-68 he was appointed by General John Pope to represent the Second Ward. He advocated the adoption of many of the important measures of public utility including moving the state capitol from Milledgeville to Atlanta, organizing the Atlanta Public School System and oversaw the building of a modern water system while serving as Chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners from 1872-1888.
Mr. Rawson remained in the mercantile business until 1879 when he bought the Atlanta Coffin Factory and served as President of the renamed Gate City Coffin Company. Throughout his long career in Atlanta business and politics, he was an active and influential member of the Trinity Methodist Church.
Upon moving to Lumpkin, GA he went to work for his brother, W.A. Rawson and worked in his mercantile business until 1841 when he established his own business which he improved during the next sixteen years. Edward Rawson married Elizabeth Wellborn in 1846 and they had nine children together. Ill health caused him to sell his business in Lumpkin and move his family to Atlanta.
He lost no time in establishing a new mercantile business and when the war broke out in 1861 he was a successful businessman, considered to have sturdy integrity and the good will and friendship of every customer.
Poor health prevented Edward Rawson from enlisting in the Confederate Army but he strongly supported the South, despite his birth and antecedents. He served on the Atlanta City Council from 1863-64, representing the Second Ward. He was in Atlanta Mayor James Calhoun's committee of six who surrendered the city to General Sherman. He evacuated Atlanta with his family before the city was burned by Union troops on General Sherman's orders.
Edward Rawson returned to Atlanta in 1865 and worked hard on the city's rehabilitation and helped to put it on the road to prosperity and success. From 1867-68 he was appointed by General John Pope to represent the Second Ward. He advocated the adoption of many of the important measures of public utility including moving the state capitol from Milledgeville to Atlanta, organizing the Atlanta Public School System and oversaw the building of a modern water system while serving as Chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners from 1872-1888.
Mr. Rawson remained in the mercantile business until 1879 when he bought the Atlanta Coffin Factory and served as President of the renamed Gate City Coffin Company. Throughout his long career in Atlanta business and politics, he was an active and influential member of the Trinity Methodist Church.
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